Quote (bogie160 @ Jun 21 2021 03:02am)

I'm not sure if rural midwesterners stole your lunch as a kid, but vast tracks of the country aren't useless. And if we were making decisions based on who is most like me, we'd have to dump most of California into the sea.

I see your situation rather similarly. The left aren't your allies, or at least they certainly don't see it that way. They want your support so that they can refashion society in their image. We're all narrative building, and their narrative is exceptionally poor.

Fostering meritocracy and competition is what matters because they are tools of progress. Individuality is good, because it generates disruption and creates a resilient people. Nationalism is good for Americans, we aren't a nation constructed on race, and nationalism is the great unifier. We study the Classical and Enlightenment periods not because we're Eurocentric bigots, but because they form the bedrock of the most successful civilization in the history of our species. "Right" America agrees with me on those things, and so that's where my home must be. The correct people are not in charge, but that's what politics is for. It's our job to acquire the power to change it.

Quote (thundercock @ Jun 20 2021 05:30pm)

What went "horribly wrong" is that conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans disappeared. IMO, it's not a bad thing that we have less ideological bleeding between the two parties but it heavily contributes to polarization. The natural course for a polarized country is to Balkanize or unite around a common enemy.

The GOP absolutely should abandon rural people when it becomes convenient to do so. Rural people are fucking useless and they hate people like YOU. YOU are too smart for THEM and they resent YOU for it. YOU are the wrong type of Christian in their eyes. They are also hardcore fiscal liberals which is a disaster for this country. For me, it's always been an uneasy relationship but they were reliable voters to enact meaningful reform.

See my response here for additional details: https://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=81747604&f=119&p=571036419

Quote (JohnnyMcCoy @ 22 Jun 2021 02:32)

imagine having the nerve to shit on people that feed you

without rural people your ass would go hungry, food is not growing on walmart shelves, just saying

or i suggest that you move and plant your own shit

Quote (JohnnyMcCoy @ Jun 21 2021 05:32pm)

imagine having the nerve to shit on people that feed you

without rural people your ass would go hungry, food is not growing on walmart shelves, just saying

or i suggest that you move and plant your own shit

Quote (Black XistenZ @ Jun 21 2021 05:39pm)

Another factor to keep in mind is that the booming, productive metro areas are benefitting from, and relying on, brain drain. Each year, there's a huge influx of smart young people from the rurals toward the college towns and large metros. The periphery is feeding a steady supply of human capital to the economic centers, fueling their growth and productivity.

Quote (thundercock @ Jun 21 2021 07:58pm)

I tend to disagree. If you aren't pulling your weight, you are part of the problem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_counties_by_per_capita_income

It's funny because I really don't disagree with much in your last paragraph. The thing is, the Right doesn't believe in that. They are anti-intellectual and if you actually interacted with them, they would assume you're a liberal because you're educated.

Quote (bogie160 @ Jun 21 2021 07:23pm)

I haven't noticed a big difference. Most people are uninformed. If you have a conversation with your average left leaning voter on the economy, crime, or covid, you will be treated to an array of opinions that are simply false. The ability to analyze an argument and dissect where facts don't add up is rare, and repeating talking points does not make one smart.

It is interesting that Trump voters had a higher average income compared with Biden voters. By that metric, who is really pulling the weight?

Quote (thundercock @ 22 Jun 2021 03:45)

I wouldn't say huge because most rural people are fucking morons and don't care about education. The few that are capable of having an intellectual thought leave and never come back. Why? Because most rural people are morons who have little value in the grand scheme of things.

Quote (thundercock @ 21 Jun 2021 23:55)

Yes, most people are uninformed. However, the percentage of rural people who are uninformed/uneducated is MUCH higher than their suburban counterparts. You will find a lot of morons in urban areas too depending on neighborhood. Don't get me wrong, those people are useless as well and if I could send 10 negros back to Africa and import 10 Japs from Tokyo, I would.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that the party of the rich has rich people voting for them. We're talking about rural people though, not Trump voters as a whole.