Appalachia Stereotypes

Although it is not always ideal, today’s world forms stereotypes for specific cultures and uses them as entertainment. Stereotypes exist for Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, people from the south, people from the north, and various others. Through deeper analysis, it is discovered that not all of these stereotypes are true and usually only reflect a small percentage of the individuals of these cultures. The world is so vast that it is hard for the average person to form connections with people from these walks of life, so the stereotypes stick. This angers the people of these cultures, because it seems that the world is making fun of their way of life, which is all they know. News, television, and articles focus on the small percentage …show more content…
From the businessmen of New York to the moonshiners of Virginia, Appalachia, through Jeff Biggers book The United States of Appalachia, and a personal interview with Steven Ridley, proves to be a diverse region that is littered with stereotypes, both good and bad. One of the best ways to understand the stereotypes of Appalachia is by looking at a primary source, such as The United States of Appalachia by Jeff Biggers. The book provides an in-depth look at a variety of topics involving Appalachia, including the stereotypes. Unlike other cultures, Appalachia “helps breed a social order without philosophy or art or even the rudest form of letters. It brings out whatever capacity for superstition and credulity a people come endowed with, and it encourages an almost reckless individualism” (Biggers XIII). Biggers …show more content…
However, he states, “the biggest problem with Appalachian stereotypes is not the stereotypes themselves, but the people who create them” (Ridley). Although Steven Ridley means this as a joke, there is some merit to the statement. No man should be able to speak about something that he or she has not experienced himself or herself. Most of the journalists who have grown up in the north or the west, areas not a part of Appalachia, have only heard stories and seen pictures of the region, but still believe that they can openly insult all of its inhabitants (Ridley). Ridley has seen the stereotypes at work in his own personal life, having friends who “made a living off of the moonshine business” (Ridley). Steven Ridley enjoys his life in Friendsville, Tennessee, and believes that he will live there for the rest of his life, whether the stereotypes exist or not