When did having a hard life become an indicator of a person's character being wholly good or their ability to work hard?

I have met a few a-holes with hard lives that are still making everyone them pay for it in some shape, form or fashion.

Let's just say that there are productive, gorgeous people who had it all and people who kick kittens who had it all. And there are people who had bad upbringings who are saints and people who bad beginnings and make the world an unsafe place. Can we agree on that?