Appalachian Culture

Hillbilly Elegy director Ron Howard says he’s ‘surprised and disappointed’ by JD Vance

It’s truly disheartening to see the fallout from “Hillbilly Elegy” and the disappointment expressed by director Ron Howard towards JD Vance. As someone who has also had a negative perception of Vance long before his political ambitions came to light, I can empathize with the frustration felt by many who saw through the facade of his book and subsequent movie.

I, too, have found it perplexing that a story so steeped in self-aggrandizement and detached observations could be heralded as a beacon of truth for the struggling working class. The blatant disregard for the complexities and nuances of Appalachian culture in Vance’s work is a slap in the face to those who actually hail from these regions and have experienced the struggles firsthand.… Continue reading