Beyond the Myth of Rural America (farming, water, gas, poultry)

[Cida]

Thought this article might interest some of you, though maybe not what you might expect.


Beyond the Myth of Rural America
Its inhabitants are as much creatures of state power and industrial capitalism as their city-dwelling counterparts.
A piercing, unsentimental new book, “The Lies of the Land” (Chicago), by the historian Steven Conn, takes the long view. Wistful talk of “real America” aside, Conn, who teaches at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, argues that the rural United States is, in fact, highly artificial. Its inhabitants are as much creatures of state power and industrial capitalism as their city-dwelling counterparts. But we rarely acknowledge this, Conn writes, because many of us—urban and rural, on the left and the right—“don’t quite want it to be true.”
The category “rural” spans a vast range, including small towns, reservations, timberlands, and ranches. One thing that unites such places, however, is that they’re rarely thought of as particularly modern.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...-rural-america

[SunGrins]

But we rarely acknowledge this, Conn writes, because many of us—urban and rural, on the left and the right—“don’t quite want it to be true.”

Small towns in rural America are hugely dependent on big government and corporate America for survival. They don't want to admit it but squeal loudly if it is threatened. I don't know why this is a surprise to anyone.

It seems that a measure of health for small rural towns is that they are not losing population. Many of them manage that by "hosting" some sort of government or corporate facility. Colleges, military bases, prisons, mines, hospitals or mental health facilities, rail yards, etc. all serve as anchor employers that are most often city-based. Two possible exceptions might be resort or tourist towns and county seats but even those will likely have corporate investment or government support. Gentrification and the recent WFH relocators might not be the healthiest kind of growth, but they might infuse money into some small towns...but mostly near larger cities.

There are a lot of myths associated with rural areas and small towns. We hear about rural America being the way things used to be. Much of the land you will see crossing Kansas is as natural as an urban parking lot. Native plants might persist in old pioneer cemeteries. Many or most of the crops we see are GMO. McDonalds unsatiable need for French fries has a huge influence on potato farming. About 45% of the nation's corn crop is grown for conversion into ethanol for corporate gasoline producers. The need to ship harvested crops to foreign buyers means that rural areas are wedded to the corporate transportation industry. I recall mounds of rotting soybeans during the trade war with China due to the government policy changes. In spite of the rhetoric and myths, urban and rural America are very closely entwined by government and corporations. When I lived in rural Missouri, Tyson seemed to be the big corporate poultry company. Turkey trucks were a frequent sight with plump and clueless turkeys looking out from their stacked cages. High school kids earned money catching turkeys and stuffing them into cages for a ride on the truck. The highway was decorated with feathers. Before long we had an increase in Mexican turkey workers. I suppose they were paid less.

[katharsis]

Originally Posted by Cida

Thought this article might interest some of you, though maybe not what you might expect.


Beyond the Myth of Rural America
Its inhabitants are as much creatures of state power and industrial capitalism as their city-dwelling counterparts.
A piercing, unsentimental new book, “The Lies of the Land” (Chicago), by the historian Steven Conn, takes the long view. Wistful talk of “real America” aside, Conn, who teaches at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, argues that the rural United States is, in fact, highly artificial. Its inhabitants are as much creatures of state power and industrial capitalism as their city-dwelling counterparts. But we rarely acknowledge this, Conn writes, because many of us—urban and rural, on the left and the right—“don’t quite want it to be true.”
The category “rural” spans a vast range, including small towns, reservations, timberlands, and ranches. One thing that unites such places, however, is that they’re rarely thought of as particularly modern.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...-rural-america

Of course, there are exceptions, however, as there usually are.

I live in a county in which I am fairly sure that there is a "ban" on chain restaurants in the northern part, although we do have chain gas stations and ONE chain grocery store. Zero major manufacturing of any kind except for agricultural industry (fruit orchards and dairy farms). A representative from Dollar Tree was practically tarred and feathered and run out on a rail. (Again, I am talking about the northern part of the county only, which consists of about ten small towns with a total combined year-round population of about 12,000.)

However, we DO have high speed Internet -- and although I am conservative, the great majority of the population are Democrats, and we are very welcoming to minorities of all kinds.

[2mares]

I'm not sure what his point was. It was rather all over the place.
My takeaway was that some people "city dwellers" believe rural to be idealistic places lost in time and that those living in rural places feel "that their authentic, independent way of life is under threat from an out-of-touch urban élite." Both are hogwash.

[ketchikanite]

The residents of Coffman Cove, Alaska aren’t reliant on big government or their handouts. They have a very limited city government that imposes on sales or property taxes and they have no building codes. Coffman Cove is about as rural as you can get.

[webster]

Coffman Cove, Alaska has without a doubt hardy people, but like all of the US, its a mixed bag of private enterprise and ownership and the government stepping in where the private sector won't/can't.

Coffman Cove received $200,000 in federal funds in 2004 for a harbor study. Power service in Coffman Cove is provided by Alaska Power Company which is a regulated utility; the government owns the seaplane base, the roads, ferry dock, water and sewage, navigable waters. The Army Corp of Engineers is responsible for dredging the harbor. In 2022, they were part of a $116,000,000 federal grant for rural broadband, and they are eligible for a plethora of federal housing grants: https://www.usgrants.org/alaska/1058...housing-grants

[LeisureSLarry]

I guess the gist is just because you live rural you aren't necessarily living off the grid and as such are reliant on others? Well, duh, some things are just more convenient purchasing from others vs. maintaining on site even in the country. Living off the grid and living rural are entirely different concepts. Sounds like someone is trying to dig on country folk to make themselves feel better - upset about being dependent on someone else for everything in the city. I too ran low on toilet paper during the first part of COVID when people were hoarding it and do not make my own. I suppose if it became a big concern of mine I could push to go off grid should reliance on others falter as I have access to root cellars, alternate power supplies, food production capability, fuel storage, defense capability, etc. The only thing that would be problematic would be high speed internet which I could live without I suppose.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by LeisureSLarry

I guess the gist is just because you live rural you aren't necessarily living off the grid and as such are reliant on others? Well, duh, ...The only thing that would be problematic would be high speed internet which I could live without I suppose.

Getting tough to live without... Banking, commerce, registrations, medical appts and reviews (and telemed), voting...

The rural libraries and schools could partner to make 16 hr / day accessible internet kiosks 5 days / week (if you could get to town occasionally to use it.)

Due to abuse by the homeless, our library has greatly reduced hours and schools have security issues allowing the public access during school hours. The country (And 'country living') has changed.

Telephone (landline) is no longer viable to support. Mice eat the wires. (4) phone wire towers are broken on our road alone, and covered in Plastic for the winter). Mice like to live under plastic enclosures, plenty of wires to eat, in the comfort of a plastic tent..

[2mares]

Originally Posted by LeisureSLarry

I guess the gist is just because you live rural you aren't necessarily living off the grid and as such are reliant on others? Well, duh, some things are just more convenient purchasing from others vs. maintaining on site even in the country. Living off the grid and living rural are entirely different concepts. Sounds like someone is trying to dig on country folk to make themselves feel better - upset about being dependent on someone else for everything in the city. I too ran low on toilet paper during the first part of COVID when people were hoarding it and do not make my own. I suppose if it became a big concern of mine I could push to go off grid should reliance on others falter as I have access to root cellars, alternate power supplies, food production capability, fuel storage, defense capability, etc. The only thing that would be problematic would be high speed internet which I could live without I suppose.

I agree, well said. Where do people get the idea living in rural areas means you don't have and utilize a government and amenities like everyone else.

[MichiganGreg]

I don't know where "The Myth of Rural America" was created. I suspect in the back room of some bored writer's dreams. I have lived rural in long periods from day 1, to now at 71; all that time, the concept of a "Myth" was never mentioned in my purview. At it's core, rural living is simply not living in a city, not off-grid, but I guess that wouldn't sell an article. I lived there long before high-speed internet was even invented...or even slow-speed. If there was ever wistful thoughts about rural living, I suspect it was from people that got sick of in-home invasions, traffic, or other undesirable city traits. We can't go back in time, but living rural is close. Thank god for that.