Finally got a chance to read @JDVance1's 'Hillbilly Elegy.' Easy to see why it became something of a phenom. The writing is eloquent but never pretentious, Vance's voice is a knowing but humble one, and he tells a story about a demographic ignored by our elites...
...His insight is honest, not partisan or agenda-drive... Even if you don't necessarily agree with all of it.
I live right in the heart of his story, geographically. I'm less than 2 miles from Appalachian State University, and I've witnessed the rise of meth...
I live right in the heart of his story, geographically. I'm less than 2 miles from Appalachian State University, and I've witnessed the rise of meth...
...and watched only three industries prosper -- college and medical (ASU and the medical world are basically consuming my town) and retail; while anyone who wants to build something like an asphalt plant is threatened and picketed... Now with only three cases of corona...
...in the entire county, we are shut down... All these small businesses are closed... I'm terrified we're going to walk out of this corona thing and discover 25 multinational corporations run the entire country -- that all the gains made by...
...the working class and small biz owners these last three years will be wiped out.
Anyway, it's well worth a read. I found it compelling even though I didn't find it "exotic," like those who don't live here will. The thing he gets exactly right is the crazy spending habits...
Anyway, it's well worth a read. I found it compelling even though I didn't find it "exotic," like those who don't live here will. The thing he gets exactly right is the crazy spending habits...
...the damage done to the poor by way of mindless consumerism. This is underestimated in my opinion -- an actual root cause of so many other problems.
I'm not a hillbilly. I moved here in '93. But these are my friends and neighbors. I love this culture. It's not perfect...
I'm not a hillbilly. I moved here in '93. But these are my friends and neighbors. I love this culture. It's not perfect...
...but I've live in the Midwest, Florida, and Los Angeles... This is the only place I want to live, and realness, basic decency, and sincerity of the people is why. Vance escaped, but he's not -- like so many others who do -- looking back with a sneer.
