I used to think I might be a hillbilly

I don't live in the hills, but have often felt like a hillbilly in my life. I'm not sure exactly why, as I'm a working white person who dresses in clothes that do not match, I might potty in my pasture when I'm in the middle of working out there, a bra is not required while at home, and my hair is dis-shelved much of the time when out and about on the farm. I'm not put-together when home, and care not to be. When a delivery person might drive down the gravel road to our house, to deliver a package, I know there's a strong possibility they may be judging me, as each person has their own term for "being a little too comfortable in their own skin". Yet, I now realize that because I did not have a proper definition of what a Hillbilly actually is, that I was using it incorrectly. It may have been okay in the slang form of the word, but I recently become informed and educated in regards to who this culture of people really are.
I'm intrigued with this term, Hillbilly, and when I came across the book Hillybilly Elegy, by J.D. Vance, I could not resist. This memoir revolves around the hillbilly culture in the Appalachia region of Kentucky, and follows the struggles and lives of people who are trying to make a better life for themselves. This region of the U.S. appears to be a forgotten area where people, over generations, are trying to improve they socioeconomic status and seek upward mobility. In this book, a Hillbilly is categorized as a working white person, who lives in the hill country (Appalachia in particular), and is often dreadfully poor. The author further explains his hillbilly family falls prey to alcoholism, abuse, poverty and trauma. These family's experiences cannot escape them even when they are finally able to move to a new state and begin to live in a more middle-class environment. The moral of the story is you can take the hillbilly people out of the hills, but that in itself does not take away their problems, previous experiences and history of what and who they are. This is such a universal take-away. It's just in this story, it's in regards to the hillbilly people. J.D writes this book from his personal experience, and never insinuates that the term 'hillbilly' is derogatory or bad. It's just who they are. And the attributes that come with it are what he lives with day to day, as he's now a lawyer who graduated from Yale. Yet, the suffering and struggles of his family, along with the dynamics of relationships that he learned as a child continue to haunt him. He wanted to share his story in a way that no other book had exposed. It's not pretty, and much of it is troubling. It was his way of sharing his (and his family's) story, while explaining the phenomenon of moving forward with demons that never leave you. He's a real hillbilly, from a hillbilly life.
With my complete understanding of this term, hillbilly, I now cannot even pretend to be one. I feel silly for ever using that term now. According to J.D. (in the book), he explains that people who live "like he did" with the exception of NOT being in the hills, would be a Redneck or White Trash. I have certainly heard those terms here and there in my life, but did not have a distinct definition for them. Now I understand, according to this book, they are the same as hillbillies, but do not live in the hills.
When I mentioned this book to a coworker, he knew instantly who was - and who was not - a hillbilly. He, himself, is a black man originally from Kentucky, and reiterated the fact that hillbilly's are predominately white. It's well-known from where he's from, who is - and who isn't. And what qualities the white people have vs what qualities the black people have. Interesting! He explained in vivid color, another side of this equation. How people who live around hillbilly's "view" them. We are all so alike, yet so different.
This whole cultural "defining" process is repeated over and over in life. Particularly at work, as culture is brought up in joking ways - and in serious ways. Usually as a personal method of humor to kid or laugh about it. I suppose that's a acceptable way to "discuss" culture, by being able to laugh at ourselves, and the things we may do.
As I began to think more about this awareness of people desiring to be around people of their own culture, it brought up the same aspect to me, but in an animal form. It's true, animals do the same thing, and they don't even know what culture is. So as humans do, we gave this phenomenon a name. Yet in the animal world, it's considered instinctual.
For example, as humans do, chickens have a complicated social network, although what is different about it is that it is strictly linear. Meaning only one chicken can be in the top rank, followed in line by another, all the way to the bottom of the order. This order can change when new birds are added or lost over time (which happened to us!). It sounds awful to humans, as you're never really upwardly mobile as a chicken. But that natural flock structure, that pecking order, makes chickens comfortable and happy. They only thing chickens mind? Being the ONLY chicken. And what do chickens prefer? To be in a group of those like themselves, even to the point to bonding with those that look like them, and ostracize those that do not look like them. They do this, for real.
And here I am reading this book on hillbilly's, learning of their plight of understanding each other and being misunderstood by others. Of their culture trying to move away from their strife and struggles, only to find they still have them after they have moved away from the hills. The order within the hillbilly community is much like chickens, as is most cultures. People want to be around others that look like them, they do not want to be alone, and they strive for diversity, with some success. Just as chickens do, some people are more accepting of others not like themselves, but it's something people will be working on through eternity. Diversity and the acceptance of others and their culture. It's not just a people thing, I see this occurring on the farm every day.
I have so much to learn in regards to other cultures. This book was an eye-opening one for me. The struggles the world faces, while those living in the hills of the U.S. face their own set of struggles. I was blessed by J.D to begin to understand their world, and am grateful for his passion and dedication to help others understand the journey of hillbilly's and what life is like in the hills.

I think my next story-time-on-the-farm will include a book that relates farm animals with diversity and culture, to show the children it's universal. I'll check with the family librarian on that.

Different, yet the same,
Cyndi

I may - or may not - relate everything to chickens in my life. I'm not sure, only time will tell. But what I do know, is that Brooke blessed me with some fake tattoos (of which David put one on his arm yesterday!) that have a chicken on it, and say Chickens Are Like Tattoos. OMG, I loved it! Thank you, Brooke, for the tattoos - as well as being a dedicated follower of a blogger just living her little life. Thanks, again!! Love them!