Second Class

How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women

De: Batya Ungar-Sargon

Narrado por: Batya Ungar-Sargon

Second Class is the most important book you will read all year. A political realignment is coming, and it’s my hope that the end result will work in favor of our all-too-neglected American working class. When that realignment comes, Batya and her book will help lead the way.—Greg Lukianoff, CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind

Who is the American working class? Do they still have a fair shot at the American Dream? What do they think about their chances to secure the hallmarks of a middle-class life?

While writing this book, Batya Ungar-Sargon visited states across the nation to speak with members of the American working-class fighting tooth and nail to survive. In Second Class, working-class Americans of all races, political orientations, and occupations share their stories—cleaning ladies, health care aides, cops, truck drivers, fast food workers, electricians, and more. In their own words, these working-class Americans explain the struggles and triumphs of their increasingly precarious lives—as well as what policies they think would improve them. Second Class combines deep reporting with a look at the data and expert opinion on America’s emergent class divide, in which the most basic elements of a secure and stable life are increasingly out of reach for those without a college education.

America has broken its contract with its laboring class. So, how do we get back to the American Dream? How do we once again become the land of opportunity, the promised land where hard work and commitment to family are enough to protect you from poverty? It’s not that hard actually. All it would take, as this book illustrates, is for those in power to once again respect the dignity of work—and the American worker.

©2024 Batya Ungar-Sargon (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Tough

She attempts to tackle a tough topic. I admire her for breaking tradition to get a the truth.

Excellent and important read

Excellent book. Very well written and narration is really strong too. This book should be required reading by every American.

Interesting Perspectives About a Subject Most people don’t talk about.

I loved the personal touch of the book, hearing from such a variety of people. Especially liked how she asked her subjects their thoughts on proposed policy.

Reality check on US society

Very interesting insight of grass roots Americans, their hardships, goals, dreams and frustrations. The way forward will be challenging. Let's see what the second term of the Trump administration brings about.

Every American should read this book

As a blue collar working class family, this whole book was spot on. I’ve been a stay at home mom for 11 years and my husband went from the military to the trades through a union. These are the things we talk about all the time.

Good Points Biased Conclusions

She has some very good points and some very good solutions but a number of times she draws conclusions that have not considered all facts and/or mitigated more important factors.

The Working Class Deserves Better

As someone who grew up in and is still in the working class, I learned nothing new in this book as it is a daily reality to me. Furthermore, I think Ungar-Sargon’s revelations will fall on deaf ears, unfortunately. I believe she makes an earnest attempt to give the working class their voice. However, bith political parties use the working class as a political football and the other classes relish their status and wouldn’t sacrifice a crumb for them. Boomers wouldn’t sacrifice their large increase in their portfolios or property values to pay more for their goods and services by way of paying the working class more for their services. These NIMBY boomers prefer cheap costs of good and services over a stable middle class.

If you’re NIMBY boomer, affluent, or in the knowledge economy, you’ll benefit from reading this book because Ungar-Sargon’s account of a plethora of working class people were very accurate. But if you’re a regular dude like myself, don’t waste your time. It’s more of an unnecessary reminder than an epiphany to our lives.

I'm just not buying what she's selling

Let's start with the good. The author narrated and sometimes that can be hit or miss. She did an excellent job at conveying the tone of the people in her book.
Now why I gave it 3 stars, I was just now buying what she's selling. Not that it wasn't informative. It was very informative. I learned new things got new insights. However, early on in the book I was wondering what program, that would employ hundreds, if not thousands of college educated people, she'll suggest to help elevate the suffering of the working class.
I can't remember if she suggests unions, as they get a very positive light here.
Something about housing, as it applies to the American Dream theme that goes through the book, is tacked on to the end.
It's not all sorry sad stories, there are some positive ones, where the guy has a good union job and has a home and family and the good life.

Very pragmatic book that looks at the class divide and reframes the paradigm

I appreciated the grounded research that went into this. The author is very respectful of working people. The author has the courage to criticize the peerage that she comes from. It is harder to criticize your own clique than someone else’s.

Wonderful insider look into the hopes and dreams and challenges of the hard working class

I loved hearing honest stories of the people who make America great. May we all look for ways to lift them up.