Appalachian Values by Loyal Jones
-Religion
-Independence, Self-reliance,
Pride—ability to endure hardship
-Neighborliness
-Strong family bonds
-Personalism—getting along
well with others, friendliness
-Humility and Modesty
-Love of Place
-Patriotism
-Sense of Beauty (nature,
art, music)
-Sense of Humor, Wit,
Storytelling
-Protest; stand up for
beliefs, protectiveness
When looking at the list above and
have been living in Athens for the past decade, I can do nothing but relate to
what Jones has written. Many of the Appalachians that I have met, have shown
these traits. Strong family bonds, religion, standing up for their beliefs, and
patriotism are probably some of the most well known all across Appalachia. One
thing that I have learned in my decade here in Athens is that many of the
people are really nice people when you get to know them. When I was growing up
in Sandusky, I didn’t see as many of the same traits as I do now. People were
materialistic, had to follow the latest trends, and didn’t have a high level or
personalism. Some of the Appalachians that I know in Ohio and Virginia are
probably some of the most personable people I know, always eager to meet new
people and getting to know them. I believe that it comes down to a combination of
the humility, personalism, strong family bonds, and neighborliness that makes
Appalachians a good group of people to be around.
No comments:
Post a Comment