There have been rural revolts in the past leading towards mini-American political revolutions. The world is more complex than ever and we lack inclusion.
There’s a growing distaste for the status quo of globalization and many feel left out. In the mix, the country is changing and morphing into something new – that’s undeniable. The greatest question of the election was a decision, or ongoing argument, between two distinctly different views of what this country stands for and ought to be. Economically, we are not moving the ball forward for everyone in this country. This election, like so much else in our modern age, is about rich versus poor. The rich have become more wealthy than at any other time. Partially because they have access, resources, and the knowledge to benefit off globalization and these enormous trends.
Many people in the coastal areas use fintech to transact while many in rural areas enter a bank. These lifestyles are in stark contrast with one another. Imagine when the debate’s over driverless cars hits the shelves. It’s not even necessarily practical to have a driverless car in rural America. There’s no doubt that the American farmer is hurting. That farmer, however you want to characterize, is being left with limited options. Everything, including education that’s needed to break the cycle of poverty, is too expensive to attend.
In all, it’s either intentionally or unwittingly rigged. This is the prevailing theory that took over this election. It propelled both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. People are in pain! They’ve been ridiculed as ignorant rednecks and uneducated buffoons by many in more enviable economic positions. But, they’re alive – not going anywhere, and are our fellow Americans. The Clinton campaign was tone deaf on this issue, because it was filled with young millennials who are probably unaware of the hardships of life on the outskirts of their own communities. Those communities just shouted at the rest of the country. They’re saying there’s a real problem here and you’ve neglected us. Parents can damage children with neglect, and our parents have done the same to our cousins and directly to some reading this now.
Who can blame a person to send someone into Washington that forces the institutions to reconsider what they’ve been doing. Andrew Breitbart found a strong voice in this movement. It’s not inherently racist to say rural whites are struggling and forgotten. We, as a country, have obsessed over righting the wrongs of the past in regards to race warfare. It might be real, today. But, tribalism will always be a reality with humans, so as long as we’re animals with emotions and families. Inclusion means even the most hateful and the most peaceful. In order for America to move forward with stability in the true long term – we need to get everyone to a common foundation and ensure a decent quality of life, because we haven’t been doing that and people are feeling desperate.
Featured image courtesy of TES.
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