Susanna Sturgis answers “This book is disgusting to me. I do not...”

Patricia Barry asked this question about Educated:

This book is disgusting to me. I do not understand why an educated and worldly individual would have difficulty understanding the horrible and violent upbringing that she experienced. It is unbelievable to me that she could not understand the violent situation, yet uneducated upbringing she endured. I have completely misunderstood her manner of education in a life in our country, in this country, how is this possible?

Susanna Sturgis What comes to me is some advice I learned while doing 12-step work: "Identify, don't compare." Tara Westover's background is hugely different from min…moreWhat comes to me is some advice I learned while doing 12-step work: "Identify, don't compare." Tara Westover's background is hugely different from mine, but it wasn't long before I started seeing the similarities between the closed system she grew up in and the semi-closed systems that I think most of us spend at least some of our time in. They make it hard to imagine the lives, and even credit the full humanity, of those beyond the fringe of what we consider normal. And it's hard to identify across those lines. Unsettling, even dangerous. Our certainties are challenged -- as Tara's were challenged, and as Tara challenged those of her sister, her mother, and others. Our ability to rise to the challenge is not a given, and often it takes time to develop.(less)

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