Life at the Bottom
by Theodore Dalrymple · first published 2001
7mentions
4recommended by
6HN commenters
2013–2022first – last mentioned
67% recommend33% neutral
"Life at the Bottom offers a searing account - probably the best yet published - of life in the underclass and why it persists as it does.". "Theodore Dalrymple, a British psychiatrist who treats the poor in a slum hospital and a prison in England, has apparently seen it all. Yet in listening to and observing his patients, he is continually astonished by the latest twist of depravity that exceeds even his own considerable experience. He uses a remarkable gift for reportage to recount the behavior of his patients and to analyze its implications in underclass life and for our society as a whole
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I would heartily recommend "Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass" by Dr. Theodore Dalrymple. It gives keen insight into the cultural mindset of victimization that produces the persistent underclass. From the overview: "Theodore…
on “HM Prison – A Survival Guide (2015)” ↗If you're interested in this topic, two other books on the same subject from very different angles: Life at the Bottom by Theodore Dalrymple https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1566635055 Eichman in Jerusalam by Hannah Arendt https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0143039881/
on “The Elements of Bureaucratic Style” ↗For anyone who wants to understand the mindset underlying poverty (whether cause, or affect, or a mixture of both), I recommend "Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass" by Theodore Dalrymple. He's British psychologist who spent his life working with the poor, and came away with some insightful observations about the culture of…
on “The Grim Biology of Being Poor” ↗…today are richer than the middle class of 100 years ago. The reasons for lack of achievement go far beyond alleged malnutrition and far beyond an alleged lack of funding in schools. I suggest you read "Life at the Bottom" by Dalrymple to get a better understanding of what we are up against. The greatest predictor of academic success is whether or not the child is growing up in a stable 2-parent home. But that doesn't…
on “Apple’s Anti-Union Tactics in Atlanta Were Illegal, US Officials Say” ↗I agree on this. Poverty, in this sense has, more to do with being than with having. A friend of me recommended to me on this subject the book: Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_at_the_Bottom).
on “‘Some things never leave you’: Poverty’s indelible marks” ↗I just finished reading _Life at the Bottom_ by Theodore Dalrymple. He's a medical doctor in England who works with the lower class (mainly those on the dole). Overall, those on the dole have little incentive to improve their lot in life yet…
on “Is work necessary?” ↗…that if determinism is true then all texts were encoded in the initial conditions is also good. And finally, his point that determinism undermines the rationality of morality is also good. The book "Life at the Bottom" maked this point vividly, where criminals seem to be unanimous that their actions are out of their control. Where his argument falls apart is explaining the source of top down causation. The author…
on “From chaos to free will” ↗