Posted on 07/25/2024 5:41:38 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
A UW-Madison professor is revisiting "Hillbilly Elegy"-- JD Vance’s memoir-- eight years after the book was picked by the university as the "Go Big Read" book of the year.
Hillbilly Elegy describes Vance’s experience in Appalachia, Kentucky and upbringing in Middletown, Ohio– diving into concepts such as poverty, addiction, and "hillbilly culture." This was published in 2016, and in 2017 UW-Madison chose to distribute the book through the “Go Big Read” reading program. This program selects one book per academic year to give to all the incoming freshmen and center discussion around the book’s themes, like a massive book club.
“It's our job to help you mix it up,” said previous Chancellor of UW-Madison, Rebecca Blank at the 2017 Fall Convocation. “Hillbilly Elegy is about poverty and about people who have lost hope. It's about the social, economic, and political forces that shaped places like the Ohio steel town and the Appalachian community in Kentucky.”
Hillbilly Elegy was incorporated into the curriculum of some professors and analyzed by academics and students alike. Here and now in 2024, a professor reviews his 2017 notes on Vance's book.
“With the republican vice-presidential pick being JD Vance, you know, I returned to the book and it kind of prompted me to think about what I learned,” said UW Professor of English and Director of the Center for the Humanities, Russ Castronovo.
Castronovo participated in discussions with students and experts in political science, healthcare, and sociology— all for the sake of academic analysis of the book.
“It describes poverty as a personal failing. Right. As really a matter of laziness, and it doesn't really understand there are systemic forces at play,” Castronovo said.
Castronovo says the book oversimplifies poverty and addiction… where Vance draws conclusions on people in society based on his lived experience.
“He really kind of personalizes these issues and making it a matter of one's own responsibility, own agency suggesting, then I think in the book at various points that ‘poor people lack agency,’” Castronovo said.
The professor recalled some of his notes to add quotations— from the book itself— to this claim.
“Quote, 'the rhetoric of hard work conflicts with the reality on the ground,” Castronovo reads off. “He's saying, you know, well, we all talk about how hard work, but the people in rural America or in Appalachia, well, they talk about hard work, but they're not doing it.”
For someone running for a position in office, Vance's book and beliefs don't match up according to Castronovo.
“It's ironic that someone seeking a position in government wouldn't believe or would diminish the role that government has in helping people,” Castronovo said.
I’m not sure you understand that I am agreeing with you. Maybe I’m wrong.
Was this truly recorded yesterday, as the date stamp on the video says? It’s not AI?
This guy is an asshole. We should have less voice in democracy? There are no words.
Oh, no. He’s VERY clear, and no interpretation is required.
“My condolences if you desired to have children but could not. It certainly does not diminish your value and no one should suggest that it does “
People who CHOOSE not to have children have diminished value?
Why are you posting this to me?
it was 2021. i posted a link to a transcript so people would stop claiming it was out of context.
and he certainly may have changed his mind. I once thought trey gowdy was doing more than grandstanding in a hearing and boy was I wrong. I even called his office and told him how well he did. I fall over laughing when i think about it now
“JD Vance is going to turn off a lot of people if he continues his 2021 thinking in 2024.”
His video ... did he SAY that in 2021, and it was posted now, in 2024? I’m confused.
I hope PDJT gets clarification on what JDV believes now, ‘cause this crap will hurt his campaign. If we want to attract female voters, this will be important.
Sorry, was meant for RummyChick
Don’t try and find the full context of his comments.
Go with the edited clip from Leftists because that’s what childless cat ladies apparently do. Perhaps that part of the video now makes sense.
Go ahead and vote for Kamala if you’re so insulted. She thinks you’re a racist and a terrorist, but maybe you’re OK with those labels. Just please don’t complain about what happens if she wins.
Of what benefit is it to tell poor people that their lives are beyond their control and that their situation is hopeless, even if it’s true (which it isn’t)? How can people improve their lives when they’re told that any effort expended is futile? It’s truly a philosophy of losers.
i have posted the transcript so stop saying it is out of context. go read the transcript
“once you pass you will have no stake in the future of the country. You are less committed to the future than someone with children and grandchildren.”
That’s crazy talk, and so “Democrat” not to think ahead
When we go, there are all kinds of people, including children, and organizations who will benefit (greatly!) via our Living Trust and Wills.
You think that people whose ancestors died in the 1700s to create this country don’t have any stake/interest in the future of the country?
That was an interview with Tucker before he became VP. If the campaign vetted him, they knew it would come up.
“I think people on government welfare and don’t pay taxes should not have a voice.”
Agree 100%.
I dunno. Maybe. I don’t have a child.
Maybe it’s more like another poster suggested, that if you benefit from government handouts through any program, you can’t vote.
LOL! Gowdy.
That makes no sense at all.
You must have missed my #38, please go back and take a look. The post you are responding to was addressed to a specific poster in specific circumstances.
he made the comment about cat ladies on Tucker Carlon I believe in 2021. He made the comment about giving parents more votes in 2021.
It is being brought up now because he just now was put in as VP. I had never heard of him until he was nominated.
I would say this about Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry. They both have never had children and have just as much at stake with what happens to America as JD Vance with his child. They have enormous residuals that will continue on to someone. That income will be effected by all kinds of laws.
Dems and their capital gains issues I am sure will have significant impact on Aniston. She doesn’t get into politics as much as others. It is crazy to say because she is childless she has no stake in the future of America. If she chooses Kamala that is her right but she does have a stake now and in the future.
“They want children because they want to leave a legacy in this country.”
It’s icky to think that people have children to leave a legacy. Women (some) have children because of some “maternal instinct”. Men have children because it’s macho to parade around “fruit of their loins”. I know of nobody with kids who mentions “legacy” as a reason.
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