Vox interview of Left Behind: Decline and Rage in Rural America author.
This sounds like an interesting read and similar to Hillbilly Elegy. Even understanding this perspective does not change my perspective.This is my youth without the anger. Perhaps that comes with age and frustration So many of the present policies hurt these angry people. Don’t they understand?
I had a similar reaction to similar frustrations after spending considerable time on Native American reservations. There is the same combination of commitment to a community and an idealized way of life despite the present toxic circumstances. A graduate program in my department was originally focused on what we described as “rural and reservation” mental health issues. Understanding never led me to see any solutions
The perspective explains why “Make America Great Again” plays so well, but the mantra is pretty much a fantasy interpretation of the past and the present.
I did purchase the book, but my list of unread books is long and it will take some time to the book so I can process at a deeper level