IMO, even if you don’t have much money or an education, you still don’t have to live like a filthy slob.
There were times in my youth when my family was struggling & my dad out of work. But the house & yard was always spotless.
I have been to Appalachia several times. It amazes me that people would live like this.
It’s almost like there is some generational malaise that govern the lives of people who live there. People there seem not to give a damn about much of anything.
Bingo. Perusing the pics, the only poverty I see there is in cleanliness - something not cured by money. Sure they don't have much cash (that's apparent), but they have no less in essentials than I grew up with. Wood stove? yup, that was our heat source (and backup for cooking) in cold NY winters. Pots & pans? obviously far more than they need, enough to make a buck off selling or re-purposing most. Shelter? yup, and some labor & free supplies (see pic of donated lumber) will keep it functional & pleasant. Clothes? keep 'em maintained & tucked in. Care for what you have, riches will follow.
Almost funny how, in comparison, tinyhouseblog.com and minimalissimo.com depict struggles to get down to that same level of simple living.
"Generational malaise". Perfect term. It's not lack of money or opportunity, it's the systemic "don't care" of a region.
I’m absolutely convinced that Poverty is all a state-of-mind.
I remember watching some documentary or news story on the tv many years ago about poverty in Appalachia. They interviewed a number of people and many them complained that there were few to no jobs where they lived. Prompting the question: why don't they pull up stakes and get out then? Which is basically the history of the world. From the dawn of human civilization, when things got bad, people pulled up stakes and moved on to greener pastures. If the job prospects are poor where you live, and you don't want to relocate to where the jobs are, I have little sympathy for you.