@dlakelan I remember hitting that realization around the start of high school.

My suggestion is to tell him that his perceptions are all true. The key to most situations in life, especially unpleasant ones, is to see what you can get out of them. Yes, the system may be unpleasant, but how can you make the most of it? Resources, friends, life lessons, skills? Find the perks, find the joy, even in a broken system.