Why Rust Belt towns need revival, not abandonment

As the world has grown more connected through globalization and technology, not all parts of America have moved forward at the same pace. But do these places have to continue to sink into oblivion? What can be done to revive a sense of belonging and home in our particular corners of the world? On “Zero Hour,” Chris Arnade, photographer and writer, sat down with James Poulos to discuss “forgotten America” and the importance of culture. — (@) Chris Arnade spent years photographing “forgotten America,” by which he means states in the Rust Belt and other areas of the country that have suffered from the trend of offshoring and global trade agreements: “If you go into a failing town in West Virginia or Ohio, they would point to the factory that’s gone because of NAFTA. The answer that someone like me would give — ’Well, just move’ — do you realize how insulting that is to tell somebody? That’s the source of so much of their meaning. It’s where they come from.” On this last point, Arnade said, “I intentionally say that we are culturally groomed. Where you grow up matters. It teaches you, essentially, your concept of who you are and how you see the world. It’s not normal for most people to just hop around the world.” Instead, Arnade suggests that we should celebrate our cultural differences rather than treat them as interchangeable parts: “[Intellectuals] are so dismissive of the idea that people might slightly be different. That we are all supposed to be the same. ... No. ... It’s something we should be proud of and celebrate. You can’t just get up and change places.” To hear more about what Chris Arnade had to say about forgotten America, the importance of culture, and more, watch the full episode of “Zero Hour” with James Poulos. - YouTube www.youtube.com America was convinced tech would complete our mastery of the world. Instead, we got catastrophe — constant crises from politics and the economy down to the spiritual fiber of our being. Time’s up for the era we grew up in. How do we pick ourselves up and begin again? To find out, visionary author and media theorist James Poulos cracks open the minds — and hearts — of today’s top figures in politics, tech, ideas, and culture on "Zero Hour" on BlazeTV.

Oct 15, 2024 - 18:28
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Why Rust Belt towns need revival, not abandonment


As the world has grown more connected through globalization and technology, not all parts of America have moved forward at the same pace. But do these places have to continue to sink into oblivion? What can be done to revive a sense of belonging and home in our particular corners of the world?

On “Zero Hour,” Chris Arnade, photographer and writer, sat down with James Poulos to discuss “forgotten America” and the importance of culture.

Chris Arnade spent years photographing “forgotten America,” by which he means states in the Rust Belt and other areas of the country that have suffered from the trend of offshoring and global trade agreements:

“If you go into a failing town in West Virginia or Ohio, they would point to the factory that’s gone because of NAFTA. The answer that someone like me would give — ’Well, just move’ — do you realize how insulting that is to tell somebody? That’s the source of so much of their meaning. It’s where they come from.”

On this last point, Arnade said, “I intentionally say that we are culturally groomed. Where you grow up matters. It teaches you, essentially, your concept of who you are and how you see the world. It’s not normal for most people to just hop around the world.”

Instead, Arnade suggests that we should celebrate our cultural differences rather than treat them as interchangeable parts: “[Intellectuals] are so dismissive of the idea that people might slightly be different. That we are all supposed to be the same. ... No. ... It’s something we should be proud of and celebrate. You can’t just get up and change places.”

To hear more about what Chris Arnade had to say about forgotten America, the importance of culture, and more, watch the full episode of “Zero Hour” with James Poulos.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

America was convinced tech would complete our mastery of the world. Instead, we got catastrophe — constant crises from politics and the economy down to the spiritual fiber of our being. Time’s up for the era we grew up in. How do we pick ourselves up and begin again? To find out, visionary author and media theorist James Poulos cracks open the minds — and hearts — of today’s top figures in politics, tech, ideas, and culture on "Zero Hour" on BlazeTV.

The Blaze
Originally Published at Daily Wire, World Net Daily, or The Blaze

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Fibis I am just an average American. My teen years were in the late 70s and I participated in all that that decade offered. Started working young, too young. Then I joined the Army before I graduated High School. I spent 25 years in, mostly in Infantry units. Since then I've worked in information technology positions all at small family owned companies. At this rate I'll never be a tech millionaire. When I was young I rode horses as much as I could. I do believe I should have been a cowboy. I'm getting in the saddle again by taking riding lessons and see where it goes.