From addiction to learning to code, now she’s leading a worker uprising at Apple

This is a wonderful ANECDOTAL story. I'm happy for her.

However:

Statistically it's unlikely to be common future - you can not generalize reality from specific cases from the tails of the distribution!

If you categorized her before addiction, I'm sure you'd find the same qualities for success: IQ, grit, impulse control more generally (obviously some fail this when they become addicted but certain drugs often require such a fail only once), etc.

So I'm glad she's a successful exception, but she still is an exception. Most people who don't even become addicted do NOT have the personality, genetics, socialization that could allow a similar success - she's multiply lucky just like most people who are successful combined with having been dealt a better than average hand by genetics and childhood.

Cher Scarlett's story is very inspirational and truly shows a force of character in overcoming addiction. Getting a well-paying job is simply another example of that same determination to succeed. I'm a bit concerned that "I can always get another job" is a bit naive as publicity-focused companies will definitely avoid "the squeaky wheel".

Leading a worker uprising may not be the achievement that lands you another cushy job.