Yes, exactly. That's what one of Ruby Payne's colleagues told me. You can't save anything because someone will steal whatever you try to save. For a lot of people, this was a common experience growing up.
I like John Updike's response that some authors clearly do write symbolism into their works. T.S. Eliot comes to mind immediately. I recently read "The Wasteland" for the first time and came away asking, "Why is this guy considered a genius?"
But there's no shame in writing symbolically. Authors should just be self-aware about it.
Ruby Payne writes a lot of useful information about how decisions are made by different social classes. I remember she walked me (and a bunch of other people in a lecture hall) through a mental exercise that showed how middle class people might exhibit the same tendencies under the right circumstances.
But as much as it can be useful to understand how people in poverty often make bad decisions, the emphasis should always be on helping them make good decisions.
But there's no shame in writing symbolically. Authors should just be self-aware about it.
Where's the coffeemaker?
What accessories would it come with?
But as much as it can be useful to understand how people in poverty often make bad decisions, the emphasis should always be on helping them make good decisions.