Hillbilly Elegy

the civilian world, your boss wasn’t
able to control your life after you left
work. In the Marines, my boss didn’t just
make sure I did a good job, he made sure
I kept my room clean, kept my hair cut,
and ironed my uniforms. He sent an
older marine to supervise as I shopped
for my first car so that I’d end up with a
practical car, like a Toyota or a Honda,
not the BMW I wanted. When I nearly
agreed to finance that purchase directly
through the car dealership with a 21-
percent-interest-rate loan, my chaperone
blew a gasket and ordered me to call
Navy Fed and get a second quote (it was
less than half the interest). I had no idea
that people did these things. Compare