Our Kids, the American Dream in Crisis by Robert D. Putnam

In this book, the author tells the widening class disparities of America in recent decades. Comparing with the situation in the 1950s and 1960s when the author grew up in his hometown, Port Clinton, Ohio, describes what is happening in American poor kids from low-educated, mostly unmarried, or nonfunctional parents. A detailed and contrasting description of life experiences of kids from affluent family vs. kids from deprived background makes clear the growing opportunity gaps between rich and poor kids. As all cases, based on personal interviews, are real stories, the hardships that poor children have to face since their births make me feel uneasy. There are controversies regarding what is making or widening class disparities: some argue that the unalterable genetic component is the most explainable factor so any attempt to improve the current inequality has the limitation. However, the author is focusing on the opportunity gap between the kids from different backgrounds and suggesting the efforts of community and school can contribute to narrowing the gap.

Until now, I have never been to America, but the current situation in America, described in this book, looks quite similar to that of Korea. Compared with the 1970s and 1980s when I was growing up, social mobility definitely decreased, whereas class segregation in education clearly increased in Korea in recent decades. In some ways, people are living in a familiar world of their own with no chance of getting to know others from other worlds. I hope every kid, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can get more opportunities in education to have a prosperous future.

written by Shim G.