"18-year-old business owner, web developer, systems administrator, high school basketball official, diction junkie, computer enthusiast, car enthusiast, college student."
But, since you (didn't) ask, I thought the essay was pretentious. The other essays I read on the site felt that way too. The frequent touting of vague credentials, the complex writing style, and even the styling "D. Marshall Lemcoe Jr." all serve to paint a picture of someone who's smart but not entirely confident in himself. I'd encourage the writer to stop hiding behind his words, tell more simple stories about his own experiences, and draw fewer grandiose conclusions. Let the point make itself.
For more about the difference between ad hominem and abuse, read this incredibly awesome essay that I found years ago and have kept bookmarked all this time, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to whip it out. Thank you for providing that opportunity.
"The Ad Hominem Fallacy Fallacy." http://plover.net/~bonds/adhominem.html