My Head is Spinning

Today's seminars, and indeed, the experiences of the past two weeks have left my head spinning. I have taken in so much information. I have learned so much about the
Appalachian region, from the assigned texts, from guest lecturers, from discussions with my colleagues, and from everyday citizens (particularly grassroots activists). It's funny, I grew up in this area, but I'm understanding it better than I ever have.

Today, scholar David Whisnant presented on an old book of his, that is actually one of the first full-length critical pieces of scholarship produced about Appalachia entitled Modernizing the Mountaineer: People, Power and Planning in Appalachia. I have read a lot of texts - fiction and non-fiction about the region - and Whisnant's is perhaps the most critical I've encountered. Unlike so many Appalachian Studies scholars who romanticize the folk culture, or if they do have progressive critiques they are leveled at figures from the past - missionaries, early capitalists etc and not to the forces that shape and exploit the region today, Whisnant points to the heart of Appalachia's problems. Considering these scholars dominate Appalachian Studies, Whisnant's perspective is unique, refreshing, and much needed.

In the book mentioned above he critiques agencies and programs that have been initiated over the years to "lift" Appalachia out of isolation and poverty, from the Council on the Southern Mountains, The Tennessee Valley Authority, The War on Poverty, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. To boil it down, Whisnant's critique is that all of these organizations and programs got mired in red tape, didn't help those most in need, operated from pejorative, cultural notions of the people in Appalachia, and basically served the interests of business, offering no structural, systemic change. Right on, right on.

What was most interesting about Whisnant's presentation was the reaction of some of my colleagues. There were a few of us who seemed fired up with his ideas, and the passion in which he voiced his critique. I suspect we were the contingent starved for such a rare point of view. There were others who were visibly shaken by his ideas and the confidence in which he stated his positions. A couple of the men in the group, although they didn't articulate this very effectively, seemed uncomfortable with his political-economic critique, not being able to think outside of capitalism and the political structures that support capitalist projects. They seemed reluctant to acknowledge and embrace the level of corruption Whisnant laid bare. One man even said, during lunch, "I wish he would offer solutions to these problems," and another man, during the discussion, said "what positive projects can you point to in the region"? Their comments reminded me of students who get uncomfortable with critiques of the political economy, and always want to ask those critical to provide goods news. Puh-leez.

Appalachia (particularly wv) has been controlled by outside extractive industries for over 100 years. They set the agenda, squash rebellion, censor information, distort the truth, keep people ignorant and poor so that they can conduct business as usual. It's high time that we make those critiques, again and again and again even if it does point to "negatives." It's the fucking truth. One man, Will, did say "it seems like we are reluctant to name the source of the problem, and that is capitalism." He was right. Everyone was dancing around it as we debated the issues this morning. Nobody wanted to say it. Funny that.

Some people made connections to the situations in Appalachia to the so-called third world, and NGO's etc. This one woman seemed upset that the international capitalist economy was being critiqued asking, in so many words, who would do domestic work, watch children etc if we did live in a more equitable system, and afterall, the people who do those jobs are very good at what they do etc etc. Oh God, I wanted to scream and claw my eyes out. She told me, as we were walking back from the seminars, that she thought today was "full of tension" and she is glad that she realizes, as she has gotten older that she can't change the world, and doesn't even profess to try. Whatever. I thought her comments were interesting. I think they stirred a sense of responsbility in her, a questioning of the status quo that perhaps wasn't there before, but she quickly wanted to run back to her safe assumptions, and safe life.

Unfortunately, David Whisnant no longer does Appalachian Studies. He became disenchanted with it a long time ago, and told me that he has already said everything that he wanted to say about Appalachia. He went on to write books about Nicarugua instead. It's a great loss, but at least he is still doing critical work, and making global connections.


I'll close with Whisnant's discussion of Daniel Moynihan's model that was used to explain poverty in the Appalachian region during the 1960's, and Whisnant's correction to this model. Both are still relevant today.

Moynihan:
"Poverty leads to Cultural and environmental obstacles to motivation
which leads to Poor health, inadequate education, and low mobility
limiting earning potential which leads to limited income opportunities
which lead to Poverty"

(notice how this one essentially blames the victims, and operates from this elitist, culture of poverty point of view, the idea being that these people are backward and we can uplift them.)

Whisnant:
"Corporate monopolization of major resources leads to an inequitable and undemocratic economic and political system which leads to political powerlessness, economic and cultural exploitation and environmental destruction which lead to poor education and social services, minimal income, hopelessness, and out-migration which facilitate further Corporate monopolization of major resources."

True dat.This one, instead of blaming the victims, blames the victimizers.

jb