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In reply to the discussion: Anthony Bourdain eviscerates privileged Eastern liberals' for utter contempt of working-class [View all]JCMach1
(27,553 posts)68. Anthony needs to read this article:
ELECTION 2016
An Insider's View: The Dark Rigidity of Fundamentalist Rural America
In deep-red white America, the white Christian God is king.
By Forsetti's Justice / AlterNet November 22, 2016
119K4.5K
Print
1699 COMMENTS
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com / Shane Trotter
As the aftermath of the election of Donald Trump is being sorted out, a common theme keeps cropping up from all sides: "Democrats failed to understand white, working-class, fly-over America.
Trump supporters are saying this. Progressive pundits are saying this. Talking heads across all forms of the media are saying this. Even some Democratic leaders are saying this. It doesnt matter how many people say it, it is complete BS. It is an intellectual/linguistic sleight of hand meant to draw attention away from the real problem. The real problem isnt East Coast elites who dont understand or care about rural America. The real problem is that rural Americans don't understand the causes of their own situations and fears and they have shown no interest in finding out. They dont want to know why they feel the way they do or why they are struggling because they dont want to admit it is in large part because of the choices theyve made and the horrible things theyve allowed themselves to believe.
I grew up in rural Christian white America. Youd be hard-pressed to find an area of the country with a higher percentage of Christians or whites. I spent most of the first 24 years of my life deeply embedded in this culture. I religiously (pun intended) attended their Christian services. I worked off and on on their rural farms. I dated their calico-skirted daughters. I camped, hunted and fished with their sons. I listened to their political rants at the local diner and truck stop. I winced at their racist/bigoted jokes and epithets that were said more out of ignorance than animosity. I have watched the town I grew up in go from a robust economy with well-kept homes and infrastructure to a struggling economy with shuttered businesses, dilapidated homes and a broken-down infrastructure over the past 30 years. The problem isnt that I dont understand these people. The problem is they dont understand themselves or the reasons for their anger and frustration.
In deep-red America, the white Christian god is king, figuratively and literally. Religious fundamentalism has shaped most of their belief systems. Systems built on a fundamentalist framework are not conducive to introspection, questioning, learning, or change. When you have a belief system built on fundamentalism, it isnt open to outside criticism, especially by anyone not a member of your tribe and in a position of power. The problem isnt that coastal elites dont understand rural Americans. The problem is that rural America doesnt understand itself and will never listen to anyone outside its bubble. It doesnt matter how understanding you are, how well you listen, what language you use if you are viewed as an outsider, your views will be automatically discounted. Ive had hundreds of discussions with rural white Americans and whenever I present them any information that contradicts their entrenched beliefs, no matter how sound, how unquestionable, how obvious, they will not even entertain the possibility that it might be true. Their refusal is a result of the nature of their fundamentalist belief system and the fact that Im the enemy because Im an educated liberal... http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/rural-america-understanding-isnt-problem
An Insider's View: The Dark Rigidity of Fundamentalist Rural America
In deep-red white America, the white Christian God is king.
By Forsetti's Justice / AlterNet November 22, 2016
119K4.5K
1699 COMMENTS
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com / Shane Trotter
As the aftermath of the election of Donald Trump is being sorted out, a common theme keeps cropping up from all sides: "Democrats failed to understand white, working-class, fly-over America.
Trump supporters are saying this. Progressive pundits are saying this. Talking heads across all forms of the media are saying this. Even some Democratic leaders are saying this. It doesnt matter how many people say it, it is complete BS. It is an intellectual/linguistic sleight of hand meant to draw attention away from the real problem. The real problem isnt East Coast elites who dont understand or care about rural America. The real problem is that rural Americans don't understand the causes of their own situations and fears and they have shown no interest in finding out. They dont want to know why they feel the way they do or why they are struggling because they dont want to admit it is in large part because of the choices theyve made and the horrible things theyve allowed themselves to believe.
I grew up in rural Christian white America. Youd be hard-pressed to find an area of the country with a higher percentage of Christians or whites. I spent most of the first 24 years of my life deeply embedded in this culture. I religiously (pun intended) attended their Christian services. I worked off and on on their rural farms. I dated their calico-skirted daughters. I camped, hunted and fished with their sons. I listened to their political rants at the local diner and truck stop. I winced at their racist/bigoted jokes and epithets that were said more out of ignorance than animosity. I have watched the town I grew up in go from a robust economy with well-kept homes and infrastructure to a struggling economy with shuttered businesses, dilapidated homes and a broken-down infrastructure over the past 30 years. The problem isnt that I dont understand these people. The problem is they dont understand themselves or the reasons for their anger and frustration.
In deep-red America, the white Christian god is king, figuratively and literally. Religious fundamentalism has shaped most of their belief systems. Systems built on a fundamentalist framework are not conducive to introspection, questioning, learning, or change. When you have a belief system built on fundamentalism, it isnt open to outside criticism, especially by anyone not a member of your tribe and in a position of power. The problem isnt that coastal elites dont understand rural Americans. The problem is that rural America doesnt understand itself and will never listen to anyone outside its bubble. It doesnt matter how understanding you are, how well you listen, what language you use if you are viewed as an outsider, your views will be automatically discounted. Ive had hundreds of discussions with rural white Americans and whenever I present them any information that contradicts their entrenched beliefs, no matter how sound, how unquestionable, how obvious, they will not even entertain the possibility that it might be true. Their refusal is a result of the nature of their fundamentalist belief system and the fact that Im the enemy because Im an educated liberal... http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/rural-america-understanding-isnt-problem
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Anthony Bourdain eviscerates privileged Eastern liberals' for utter contempt of working-class [View all]
FarCenter
Dec 2016
OP
Anyone who is willing to destroy the country due to hurt feelings deserves the condescension.
LonePirate
Dec 2016
#2
And the far end of the spectrum of rhetoric coming from Trumpist Dumbfuckistan, people get killed.
baldguy
Dec 2016
#22
The real irony here is that the right-wingers scream about 'special snowflakes wanting safe spaces'
LeftishBrit
Dec 2016
#72
Another white or rich liberal who can afford Benedict Donald... why listen to these people?
uponit7771
Dec 2016
#7
The fact the term 'working-class' has been hijacked by the right and the left keeps using it
nini
Dec 2016
#9
"The contempt is not for the 'working-class' but those who voted with their racism, homophobia..."
Different Drummer
Dec 2016
#73
do you have any polling data to support your assertion? If not, I would
KingCharlemagne
Dec 2016
#49
I clicked on this thread intending to reply "You mean yourself, you smug asshole?"
Iggo
Dec 2016
#35
Bourdain is assuming everyone is like him. He is an extreme elitist. I doubt he thinks any of us
stevenleser
Dec 2016
#38
I have contempt for stupid, racist, hate-filled people regardless of whatever the hell they are.
BlueStater
Dec 2016
#50
There's some parts of the South where I suspect he'd get his ass kicked...
Buckeye_Democrat
Dec 2016
#56
I might point out to Anthony that if it wasn't for "privileged Eastern liberals," the people he is
Vinca
Dec 2016
#62