9 / 10 - Addressing Criticisms Some critics object that it is cruel or elitist to suggest that poor families should forgo a college education, homeownership, or a dependable car when those are widely regarded as normal stepping stones. They accuse me of blaming the victim. But the most pernicious cruelty of all is to encourage someone to take on a burdensome mortgage believing it will eventually put them ahead, to promise a college loan without regard for job prospects, or to assure a young family that a new car financed at 25% APR is merely a good deal because "everyone does it." Those assertions are not acts of kindness - they are acts of exploitation, shifting the risk from the lender or institution onto the hapless borrower who lacks the cushion to withstand income shocks, industry downturns, or unanticipated expenses like medical emergencies. True compassion would be to guide families away from decisions that lock them into a future of diminishing expectations rather than amplifying their chances of upward mobility.