Uncovering the Harmful Mythology of Good ‘Ole Boys: The Truth About Life in Rural America

Many who live in more remote areas of the United States rationalize and glorify their childhood in a way that serves no one.

Photo by Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández on Unsplash

Spoiler alert: I believe the most destructive iconic images of our time are found in classic American western films.

Go ahead—call me a communist, Marxist, socialist, or any other ‘ist’ you can imagine—I've heard it all.

But my point isn’t about liberal values. It’s about the way our society constructs rural America in a way that is mentally unhealthy.

We tend to think of rural America as this idyllic, safe place that we can escape to when things get tough—a place where everyone knows each other and life is simple. But there are stark realities—extreme poverty, poor education, and a lack of healthcare.

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Meanwhile, the ole boys of rural America have done a marvelous job of romanticizing their way of life.