Beth Macy Explores the Divide in American Families
Journalist and author Beth Macy reflects on the political divisions in American families, where one out of every five families are fractured by angry politics.
In her new book, Paper Girl, a Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America, Macy explores the question: "Did I change?" by examining her own upbringing in Urbana, Ohio, and how it differs from her family's conservative views.
Macy recounts her visits home, where she witnessed a former progressive ex-boyfriend become an angry right-wing conspiracy theorist, and high school reunions marred by fights over QAnon and vaccines.
She also shares the story of Silas, a young man who grew up poor, but unlike Macy, lacked the support of a loving family and access to public policies that could have helped him attend college and improve his socio-economic status.
Macy wonders if she would have become a Trump voter like the rest of her family if she had stayed in her hometown.
The middle class in Urbana, like many small towns across the country, has been hollowed out, leaving few opportunities for social mobility.
Author's summary: Beth Macy explores the divides in American families fractured by politics.