I was out cutting my lawn, when I thought about this

[MrScorpio]

Let's say that instead of living in Virginia, I lived a little west of here, in Appalachia. Let's also say that I was a poor, white Appalachian subsistence farmer, with scant resources and little clout in my community. I do, however, have an extended family in the area that are basically within my own socio-economic strata along slight varieties of scale. And though the grace of our communitarian traditions, religious adherence and abiding social camaraderie, we are all able to survive, eking out a meager existence in such a depressed region of the country.

Now let's say I were to suddenly come into a vast amount of new found wealth. I don't know, perhaps petrochemical dollars. It really doesn't matter how I obtained this money, but let's say that I received a lot of it. Now considering the deep familial and otherwise social connection that I have to the area, the fact that I haven't traveled no more than a few miles outside of the region during my lifetime and my complete unfamiliarity with the wider world outside of my narrow and compressed frame of reference, wouldn't it be a highly unusual move for me to abandon the place of my birth and family home?

Wouldn't it also be highly unlikely for members of my extended family to urge me to leave the area and establish new digs in, let's say, California? A place that bears little resemblance, if any, to my current location in mountainous Appalachia, in both social structure and moral tradition? There's no need to compare the obvious geographic and environmental differences. They're so striking, it invalidates any frame of reference.

If I were to do this, wouldn't I also transfer a sizable chunk of economic resources outside of the region, away from my friends and family, who would very much stand to benefit greatly from my willingness to share and the sheer amount of wealth that I now possess?

Doesn't it demonstrate the mere fact that California has a tremendously high cost of living in comparison to rural Tennessee, which would mean that a move of this sort would diminish my own wealth. Dollars that would go much farther and have a far greater and much more beneficial impact if I were to stay in the place of my modest origin?

It seems to me that staying put is the most intelligent and gracious move to make. My wealth would eventually afford me a certain amount of political and economic clout. Clout that I could use to improve the local infrastructure, enhance the standing of my family and provide advantages to the community which basically turns around years economic disadvantage.

Tell me, doesn't that make better sense?

[ComerPerro]

1. Are you saying that you don't like "The Beverly Hillbillies"?

The kin folk said, "Jed, move away from there!"

[MrScorpio]

3. I loved that show. I've seen every episode at least five times

And I know the theme song by heart.

I'm just saying that it doesn't make any sense.

[ComerPerro]

4. Well, yeah.

LOL

[ComerPerro]

5. Besides, who would watch "The Hillbilly Millionares"

Assume Jed had made the decision to just stay where he was, with his millions of dollars.

Would that have made a watchable show (and was Beverly Hillbillies watchable?).


Oh God. ... ... ...

I think I just pitched a show to the Fox Network.

I hope they don't read this site.

[pretzel4gore]

25. hahaha...

them dupes don't expose the appalling mental midgets dancing within their empty heads to the rich discourse unavoidable due to overabundance here at DU.... so don't worry!

[maveric]

7. "They said California is the place you ought to be...."

[hfojvt]

2. but that does not make for a funny TV show

does it?

Texas T. I pity the foo' that does not goto Beverly Hills.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. While that would make more sense

What if you happened to have a sister-in-law who had always dreamed of getting out. She could become the driving force behind a campaign to persuade you that you should "get outta there" and having always had a secret lust for California she would choose it as the "place you otta be". The next thing you know you would be loading up the truck and moving to Beverly... Hills that is.

edit: spelling

[MrScorpio]

10. Well frankly, it's my money.

My sister-in-law doesn't have a say, especially if I think that it's a better idea to remain in the land of my ancestors.

If has such a deep desire to move out west herself, I'm sure something could be arranged. I would also hope that she would take her idiot son and daughter with her.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. You forget

She worked a guilt trip on Jed, she persuaded him that Elly May would have better suitors out west. All the while she was pursuing her own selfish gain. Little did she know her guest appearances out west would be limited. Karma's a bitch. :D

Great show. :thumbsup:

[MrScorpio]

18. I see your point

But on the other hand, I may consider the quality of suitors, in both moral and social degree, too radical for my loving daughter.

I can't see how those urban inhabitants could seek to find common bonds with my daughter, who was raised in rural traditions. I think a better idea would be to just expand the realm of opportunity to just beyond my current location, on the other side of Bug Tussle, Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, TN.

[xmas74]

16. But didn't he have to give over all of his land

to the oil company for drilling?

[MrScorpio]

19. I'm sure that I could purchase real estate in an adjacent location

And still retain links to my home

[xmas74]

24. Very true.

But one of his goals was to make Ellie May a refined woman. He seemed to feel that he could no longer accomplish that goal in his neck of the woods. So he relocated his family to a place that he felt would benefit his child. Many parents have done that before.

Damn, we are watching way too much tv if we can remember crap like this!

[SnowGoose]

8. Come and listen to the story of a man named Jed...

eom

[CatWoman]

9. Where in Virginia do you live?

I come from Portsmouth.

[MrScorpio]

11. Newport News

Not that far away

[CatWoman]

17. I haven't been there in ages

but one of my nephews lives there now.

[MsUnderstood]

12. Sir. . .you need to back away slowly

And put down Guns, Germs, and Steel books or any other anthropological books you have been reading. . .logic has no place in TV LAnd!

[MrScorpio]

13. It's hard for me to NOT approach any situation logically

I guess that's why my TV is off right now.

I'd rather engage in an intelligent discussion. The kind of discussion that doesn't lend itself whenever the TV is on.

[Ready4Change]

15. Today? In the USA?

You'd buy a Big Ol' SUV, load it up, and move to Vegas.

[Jara sang]

20. Check out Dillwyn, Virginia Scorp.

At the base of Willis Mountain. The mountain is owned by the Dixon family of Dillwyn in rural Buckingham County. It just so happens that not too long ago they made a discovery on that mountain or I should say in that mountain. The discovery? Kyanite. It is only mined in a few places on the planet. Switzerland, India and Russia among others. Kyanite is used in the making of components for the aerospace industry. In particular, components for the space shuttle. Let's just say that the Dixon's became very rich, very quickly, but they still retain that backwoods "charm". They own the Cavalier Hotels in Virginia Beach where I once worked, so I am familiar with their exploits. As you drive through Dillwyn(pop. 448) you notice that there is a Bank of America branch in town and you need only trace the kyanite dust from Willis Mountain into the run down little hamlet to find out why.

On edit: I forgot to mention that Willis Mountain(170 m.) is an environmental catastrophe and a superfund site, the entire top of the mountain and it's side have been scored off leaving a pock-ridden lunar surface behind.

http://www.kyanite.com/maps.html

[MrScorpio]

22. it's heartening to know that my own supposition has a parallel to reality

Thanks for pointing this out

[zbdent]

21. You know the price of possums in BH? It's way too high to make

some good possum pie . . . even for us millionaire kinfolk . . .

[leftofthedial]

23. swimming pools, movie stars . . .

you can stay put if you want to, but I'm headed for Californ-I-A

[hickman1937]

26. I think Bug Tussle is in the Ozarks

I don't remember why I know this, but Jed Clampett is from Arkansas. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.
edit for bad spelling of Bug Tussle

[Tsiyu]

27. Amazing the things we can think up while doing

mundane chores, isn't it?

Well, I am one of those Appalachian dwellers, who came here with $100,000 and have none of it left. I chose to come here, because I'd had enough of civilization, and because everybody told me that this particular place was bad news. I figure if a lot of people are talking bad about someone or something, it must have some great qualities. And now I own my own piece of the mountain free and clear and I hate to leave it!

And if I hit a windfall, i would stay here and do just as you suggested- add the $$$ to the local economy. A good many kids want nothing more than to leave this mountain and I can't blame them. But there are many more who choose to stay or who come back after they get an education. They want to raise their kids here where it's more peaceful and clean. Now, you wouldn't look at this place as clean if you spent the recent past in suburbia. There is no zoning, so you can have a trailer next to a mansion, but walk back through the woods a few feet and you know what I mean - cleaner air, trees, nature at her finest.

I've been urged by family members ( even those in california LOL) to get out of these hills. My family thinks I'm crazy to live the way I do. But I love it here because more people are honest and pure - not pretending to be something they're not - and they have helped me heal from some seriously traumatic shit just by being themselves and loving me for myself, just as I am. I never found that in abundance anywhere I've travelled. There are people working for change here that I know personally, so of course I would do anything to help them. It would mean more than say, living in Atlanta and donating to some anonymous charity. I would actually know the folks I was helping out, if that makes sense. It's not so much having more clout - there aren't a whole lot of huge egos here (some, for sure, but most folks are pretty humble - everybody knows everybody else and all their business.)

Interesting question and I believe your conclusions are "spot on."

[orleans]

28. WOW! I was thinking the exact same thing!!!

(not really)