Episode 95: Rob Henderson - Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class

Keep Talking

Rob Henderson is an Air Force Veteran, an alumnus of Yale and Cambridge, an essayist, and the author of "Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class." During our conversation, Rob talks about his early life, his experience in the American foster care system, and his unlikely journey out of the unstable and chaotic environment of his youth.

Rob is one of my favorite thinkers, and it's damn near miraculous that this brilliant and prolific writer comes from the upbringing that he details in the book. Rob's memoir gives voice to a human experience that is largely invisible and unknown to the American credentialed class: abandonment by one's biological parents, an unstable home life with uncaring guardians, rampant drug abuse and early childhood violence, and a general environment of nihilism that pervades the formative years of life.

Rob's arc gives him a unique perspective into American social class, what really matters in the development of children, and what our society should prioritize for childhood and adult well-being.

Rob notes in the book that "in the U.S., 60% of boys in foster care are later incarcerated, while only 3% graduate from college." We are all fortunate that Rob is one of the lucky ones to escape the crucible of his upbringing, and to give testimony to the lived, troubled experiences of the voiceless millions who have had similar lives, right under our noses.

------------

Support via Venmo

Support on Substack

Support on Patreon

------------

Rate on Spotify

Rate on Apple Podcasts

Social media and all episodes

------------

(00:00) Intro

(03:00) How the book came about

(08:15) Rob's early life

(18:42) The effect of instability and two quotes from "Troubled"

(26:37) America's misguided "success" obsession with education and credentials

(34:04) How to help kids in chaotic foster care or impoverished homes

(42:29) Should parenthood be more rare?

(53:49) How Rob knew he needed to enlist to change his life trajectory

(01:02:58) Rob addressing rehab and his own trauma

(01:16:04) Shame and rage and deliberately trying to change

(01:22:10) Observations from Yale and luxury beliefs

(01:37:18) Advice for kids with a similar background to Rob