Recently read Troubled by Rob Henderson who wrote , "A question I wrestled with in the early days of writing was 'Who is this book for?' Whenever I thought about comfortable upper and upper-middle class people reading it, quite frankly it made my stomach turn." Though this reluctance is well meaning and understood - think everyone can profit by his words and life example.
Knew going in that Henderson had a troubled childhood and later went to Yale. Also knew that the book was highly recommended and he was the man who coined the term "luxury beliefs" like how college students are likely to say that marriage is just a "piece of paper" but never say the same thing about a college diploma (because they need that for their class validation). According to Henderson the very purpose for a luxury belief is to indicate the believer's social class and education.
Henderson knew first hand that poor kids in the US are four times more likely to graduate from college than a foster kid. Not to mention well-off kids from two-parent families. Henderson IS a foster kid who was lucky to get adopted. But he's still a foster kid. This gives his opinion particular weight.
He correctly observes, "What is the point of pursuing an education and striving for success? The answer, I realized, was to take care of the family that couldn't take care of me. And for my future family to be a better dad than any of my 'dads' had been to me. The bar, I thought, was mercifully low."
His biography was interesting in itself but because of his background and the fact that he was at Yale during the Halloween costume controversy (aka the Christakis controversy) gives his opinion on class distinctions such weight. It was during this time that the bells went off for Henderson’s understanding and at that point in the book that the bell went off in my head on why this book is so poignant at this period in time.
I enthusiastically recommend the book Troubled by Rob Henderson and in fact have already shared it with someone who is well versed in social work and how the real world really works.