Journal Entry #9

Over the past few weeks, one of the central themes of our readings has been that although Appalachians have been seen as backwards, ignorant, and illiterate, most areas of the region have been quite open to the culture surrounding them and deeply involved with texts, commerce, and culture. In other words, most of the region is in fact not backwards at all. So, what do our chapters say about whose interests are/were being served when Appalachia is depicted this way? Why was/is it important for the media to portray the region in such as way?

Those that are continuously viewing the region of Appalachia as individuals that are incapable and uneducated, are the ones that are actually uneducated on the region. These people that continue to view the region as such are  just judging from the negative images that have portrayed Appalachia in the past. I do not believe that the interest of the Appalachian people were being served when they were being depicted as rednecks that like to do a little more than hang out with their cousins on the weekend. I honestly do not know if it is important for the media to portray Appalachian’s in this way. I feel like some individuals believe that the media is helping the region of Appalachia because they see individuals coming from “rural” areas and making it to the big leagues, but how many people focus on the areas in which these people came from and actually know how it feels to be seen in this type of way. The way that Appalachia’s were portrayed can be positive for individuals now though, because they have the ability to put these stereotypes to shame and to show people that these depictions are not just what this region is about.