My guest this week is Rob Henderson, a Yale and Cambridge-trained psychologist, a writer, and a UATX affiliate who has just published a book, Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class. The book documents Rob’s harrowing early childhood and his journey from a declining working-class community to the Air Force to the elite strata of academia. It’s a remarkable story of someone who has transcended his upbringing and social environment without attempting to disavow them. If you know a little bit about me, you’ll understand why I find Rob’s story so compelling. (And if you don’t know a little bit about me, you’ll learn all you want to know and more from
It just goes to show that as a society we actually don’t value family or children. We are valued for our value to the economy, to make and spend money. Some Americans do value family, and make marriage and care for children a priority, but that is not a primary cultural value of the country as a whole.
Two examples, while working as an engineer, I expressed to a coworker/mentor that I wanted to have kids and stay home with them. His retort was outraged, “No Amy! Anyone can raise children, you can do math!” The second, twice while doing math tutoring at a middle school upon finding out I have an engineering degree the students asked me “Why are you here then?” Heartbreakingly, even the kids believe teaching kids is not a valuable contribution to society. My contrarian self thinks supporting children to make more contributing grown-ups is actually the foundation of our society.
[Time 42:00]; Glenn as economist looks at behavior to reveal a person’s values (paraphrase).
Q: Why bother with asking elite their opinion on family structure, when one can move forward by looking at data/household records?
A: From a behavioral science perspective, what a person says publicly can be important. Do Rob’s elite student interviewees go on to shape public policy effecting 2-parent households? I am not worried about those who are insincere when saying “Marriage is oppression”. I worry about those who want to be true to their word. The potential of downstream thought -“If marriage is oppression, then X must be true, therefore.. “ is unknown and worrisome in a society where institutions and gov act crazy. Schools are already encouraging boys to avoid “toxic masculinity”, which could make them less marriage-competitive because brides seem to really like the “toxic” stuff in men, per behavioral research.
On a slightly different subject....So, Bari Weiss has invited Radley Balko and Coleman Hughes to debate. It didn't go over well with Mr. Balko's fans. I believe Mr. Hughes has accepted.....
Glenn, Sabbi Sabs who you had on the show pumps out crazy antisemitic videos on the daily. Recently, she posted about "The Rothschild's" where she accused them of "creating Israel" with sinister intentions rather than describing them as the funders of the Jewish National Fund.
This was a beautiful interview. Allowing Rob Henderson to speak at length was gracious- and also made this time with the two of you very special. Thank you.
Great listen. Glenn's skills as a interviewer are under rated. He never gets in the way of the story.
It just goes to show that as a society we actually don’t value family or children. We are valued for our value to the economy, to make and spend money. Some Americans do value family, and make marriage and care for children a priority, but that is not a primary cultural value of the country as a whole.
Two examples, while working as an engineer, I expressed to a coworker/mentor that I wanted to have kids and stay home with them. His retort was outraged, “No Amy! Anyone can raise children, you can do math!” The second, twice while doing math tutoring at a middle school upon finding out I have an engineering degree the students asked me “Why are you here then?” Heartbreakingly, even the kids believe teaching kids is not a valuable contribution to society. My contrarian self thinks supporting children to make more contributing grown-ups is actually the foundation of our society.
[Time 42:00]; Glenn as economist looks at behavior to reveal a person’s values (paraphrase).
Q: Why bother with asking elite their opinion on family structure, when one can move forward by looking at data/household records?
A: From a behavioral science perspective, what a person says publicly can be important. Do Rob’s elite student interviewees go on to shape public policy effecting 2-parent households? I am not worried about those who are insincere when saying “Marriage is oppression”. I worry about those who want to be true to their word. The potential of downstream thought -“If marriage is oppression, then X must be true, therefore.. “ is unknown and worrisome in a society where institutions and gov act crazy. Schools are already encouraging boys to avoid “toxic masculinity”, which could make them less marriage-competitive because brides seem to really like the “toxic” stuff in men, per behavioral research.
Excellent discussion.
On a slightly different subject....So, Bari Weiss has invited Radley Balko and Coleman Hughes to debate. It didn't go over well with Mr. Balko's fans. I believe Mr. Hughes has accepted.....
https://twitter.com/bariweiss/status/1763620005105590724
Nice to hear "out of poverty" success stories!
Glenn, Sabbi Sabs who you had on the show pumps out crazy antisemitic videos on the daily. Recently, she posted about "The Rothschild's" where she accused them of "creating Israel" with sinister intentions rather than describing them as the funders of the Jewish National Fund.
This was a beautiful interview. Allowing Rob Henderson to speak at length was gracious- and also made this time with the two of you very special. Thank you.