Born on Third Base

I grew up on the westside of Los Angeles in a suburb called Brentwood. Brentwood is considered to be one of L.A's most affluent neighborhoods according to the LA Times. I went to a small, "elite", private school, Brentwood School. Essentially, as most people I know, I grew up in a bubble. Though I am not the heir to a family fortune, I feel I can relate to the author of Born on Third Base, Chuck Collins. 

I thought this would book would be a radically left viewpoint bashing the one percent. Rather, Collins is understanding of the one percent, and rather than bashing his own kind, he offers suggestions and ways to help humanity. Upon reading the first chapter, the first thing I thought to myself was: Chuck Collins just feels guilty. Low and behold, as I turned the page, Collins confronts this guilt. I appreciated his two definitions of guilt, and how he has chosen to take his guilt and use it as something productive. 

Along with this, I related to his remark on hasty judgments. I, like Collins, and many others, are guilty of making hasty judgments such as why don't you work out better? Why don't you just eat better? But growing up in an affluent family, I have always had access to the opportunities to be able to eat well or work out at my leisure. I also felt connected to his chapter Privilege Drug, when he brings up working opportunities. In my world, it has always very much been it is not about what you know, but who you know, which I believe Collins is exemplifying. 

He writes that privilege numbs you to the outside world. You are in your own safe bubble where ignorance is bliss. Growing up privileged I always have been thankful for my upbringing. Throughout my life, I have always been very active in volunteering my time for charities and events. But, even with this, at the end of the day, I get to go back to my bubble.

He believes using his status to help those less fortunate than himself. Collins does not do this through money, but rather uses his connections. Rather than using the attitude if you have money, you should ditch the public and go to private, you should use your resources es to improve the public for all. My entire life I have been a part of a private system. This is how I raised and so as I am growing up, I have continued this behavior. It's difficult because private is my comfort zone, my bubble.

I found the parts of this book that I read very interesting. I hope to go through and read the whole thing at some point because I enjoyed Collin's easy to read writing style. Today, there is a tendency to go to the extreme and I appreciate Collin's practical attitude towards the world.