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[patapuf]

Yeah, if you haven't noticed, literally the entire western world is falling to the same exact kind of cookie cutter populism because globalisation and digitalisation left behind rural communities which have no idea how to cope with it. Unlike the 20th century, there also is no blatant counterweight like the Cold War, which inherently educated people about not supporting certain concepts (i.e. what populists offer nowadays).

Yes, this is one of the big challenges going forward. Further automation and general efficiency will make the situation for rural communities even worse, especially in places where population density is low.

There needs to be a perspective beyond burying the head in the sand and hope that things can go back to the way they were.

 

[Monocle]

So many Americans are totally failed by their school system and community. It's infuriating and tragic. These people aren't free, they're enslaved by ignorance and lies, and they think everybody else should join them.

I wish I could see a practical, ethical solution to all this.

 

[Fritz]

Yes, this is one of the big challenges going forward. Further automation and general efficiency will make the situation for rural communities even worse, especially in places where population density is low.

There needs to be a perspective beyond burying the head in the sand and hope that things can go back to the way they were.

Being overly simplistic, I often thought we should bring migrants to these rural communities and give them a mutual project, like build a town hall or something.

 

[Moosichu]

Ugh.

Regardless, I don't know how Obamacare works, but in the UK, obviously we have the NHS. But that doesn't prevent those 'with wealth' from signing up for private healthcare, where you get the additional benefits of private hospitals, additional treatment options and significantly reduced waiting times.

I'm going to miss it.

 

[-MB-]

I'm going to miss it.

Soon the Brits are going to miss the NHS as well if the Tories have their way with it there.

 

[NiiloPielinen]

"This is totally unfair, that people who do not work at all still get the same insurance as someone who works day and night. If I had worked hard for my wealth, it would be unfair if I did not have a better health insurance, „ says my host dad.

They see healthcare as something that is earned instead of something that is everyone's right, like voting.

If you want to change their point of view, that could be used as an arguing point.

Then again, you could pull the religion card and say that Jesus was healing the sick without any question and the act was sign of gods mercy. An example devout people should follow.

 

[Frodo]

I don't agree with the sentiment at all.

Is it hard to break from those echo chambers? Yes. It is not impossible, though. Specially with the amount of information easily accessible out there in your pocket. You don't have an excuse to remain ignorant. "Maybe you don't understand me either"--"Fuck you Ashlei and your stupid prejudice. I don't need to listen to you saying gays and lesbians are disgusting. I don't need to understand anything.

Once again, acting like people perpetrating hateful and dangerous prejudices are being victims doesn't make anything better. It actually detracts from whatever the subject the discussion is.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

What I'd be interested in hearing is a good explanation of why this flavor of echo chamber is to be mollified and valued, and why the liberal echo chamber is to be vilified. Had the numbers fallen the other way I don't think we'd see that sentiment so prominently.

 

[patapuf]

I don't agree with the sentiment at all.

Is it hard to break from those echo chambers? Yes. It is not impossible, though. Specially with the amount of information easily accessible out there in your pocket. You don't have an excuse to remain ignorant. "Maybe you don't understand me either"--"Fuck you Ashlei and your stupid prejudice. I don't need to listen to you saying gays and lesbians are disgusting. I don't need to understand anything.

Once again, acting like people perpetrating hateful and dangerous prejudices are being victims doesn't make anything better. It actually detracts from whatever the subject the discussion is.

It's not about painting them as victims. Understanding how the culture works and what their troubles are is key to be able to do something about it.

This is a big chunk of the population and certainly a politically very active one. They can't be ignored. Ignoring them, leads to Brexit, Trump, and a surge of new right parties all over europe that threaten hard fought values of the west.

Dissmissing these people as a bunch of racists that will die off helps no one, not the rural communities, not the minorities that suffer from rascism, not the greater political landscape that threatens to turn back the wheel on things that really shouldn't - and can't - be turned back.

Also, people take way too much comfort in demographic changes. Multiple studies have shown youth is increasingly more right wing, and in the west, there's way more old people than young in the first place.

 

[Frodo]

Trying to understand and humanize and sympathise with racism and bigotry is a waste of everyone's time. I don't want to fall on that trap.

It's not about painting them as victims. Understanding how the culture works and what their troubles are is key to be able to do something about it.

This is a big chunk of the population and certainly a politically very active one. They can't be ignored. Ignoring them, leads to Brexit, Trump, and a surge of new right parties all over europe that threaten hard fought values of the west.

Dissmissing these people as a bunch of racists that will die off helps no one, not the rural communities, not the minorities that suffer from rascism, not the greater political landscape that threatens to turn back the wheel on things that really shouldn't - and can't - be turned back.

But whatever conclusion Pauline reached here by her experience is nothing new, is it? We all know how it works. Is being less disruptive really the way to go? Should the left become more moderate to accommodate those kind of views and voters? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a left leaning ideology?

 

[n00bsauce87]

Sometimes I feel like I've landed in a country where a dog's life counts more than a Muslim's

This is true in america

 

[Camp Freddie]

This is a great article. It'll be incredibly tough to change the views of these people, since it's literally their culture. They view us as crazy, just like we view them as crazy.

 

[patapuf]

Trying to understand and humanize and sympathise with racism and bigotry is a waste of everyone's time. I don't want to fall on that trap.



But whatever conclusion Pauline reached here by her experience is nothing new, is it? We all know how it works. Is being less disruptive really the way to go? Should the left become more moderate to accommodate those kind of views and voters? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a left leaning ideology?

The left doesn't need to become more moderate, it needs to offer a solution to the problems these people have, one more appealing than "your way of life is dead, move to the city" (even if that's probably how it's going to end anyway).

You give them that, and they'll accept the rest of your platform too (even if they don't always 100 percent agree with it).

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

It's not about painting them as victims. Understanding how the culture works and what their troubles are is key to be able to do something about it.

Hmm interesting. So kind of like seeking to understand how some in minority Islamic communities become radicalized in an effort to stop it from happening. Which, ironically, is seen by people on the alt-right as sympathizing with terrorists.

 

[Spectone]

This is a great article. It'll be incredibly tough to change the views of these people, since it's literally their culture. They view us as crazy, just like we view them as crazy.

Except if you just read that article you took time out to actually understand where they come from and what their life experience is like. Do they do that for people they don't understand?

 

[M3d10n]

What I'd be interested in hearing is a good explanation of why this flavor of echo chamber is to be mollified and valued, and why the liberal echo chamber is to be vilified. Had the numbers fallen the other way I don't think we'd see that sentiment so prominently.

Regardless of what the "it's just a different opinion" crowd says, there's no much arguing the overall liberal "opinions" originate from a place of knowledge and enlightenment: you don't hear many cases of people who "converted" from a position of tolerance to racism/sexism/xenophobia/homophobia versus to the other way around.

So I think it's more of understanding where they are coming from and why they think the way they do than actually respecting and accepting their views. Such thing is necessary to figure out how to deal with such people.

Except if you just read that article you took time out to actually understand where they come from and what their life experience is like. Do they do that for people they don't understand?

Sometimes they do. They usually "switch sides" when that happens, as many gaffers have told happening to themselves.

 

[patapuf]

Hmm interesting. So kind of like seeking to understand how some in minority Islamic communities become radicalized in an effort to stop it from happening. Which, ironically, is seen by people on the alt-right as sympathizing with terrorists.

Yes, but the underlying sentiment is still that the state of things should be changed in the long run.

The underlying issues are pretty similar though: poor economic prospects combined with isolation.

The hope i have is that changing the economic environment helps with the isolation. Changing the isolation first, is much more difficult.

 

[haveheart]

I grew up in a German town of 50 people.

Some of the elder people were kind of racist, we just knew it, but they would never speak out in public or do anything to harm anyone - not defending them at all btw.

All in all, everybody is very liberal back there. The problem described by Paulina seems to be the school and the media. Even if you have conservative parents, schools and teachers should teach you how to think for yourself.

The problem is not conservative, racist individuals, families or teachers. The problem is that there is a sophisticated but very twisted system of indoctrination, like a real holistic concept, that invades every sphere of a human's life.

Propaganda, brainwashing, totalitarianism, whatever you want to call it. Public life in the US doesn't seem to be about individualism at all, the American Dream is the biggest lie of all. Public life is just a tool for making political agendas socially acceptable.

 

[Majukun]

that funny feeling when the stereotype is actually less cartoony than reality... i admit it, the 'be careful there are lesbians' line got me

 

[broncobuster]

Don't know how to begin rectifying it. I think about how I grew up in a diverse area with a multicultural group of friends of various ideologies and orientations. How it shaped my outlook. I've known folks from those areas who are nice and, in theory, believe in respecting others. In particular, a roommate in college and how his attitude changed (to be more open minded) through the two semesters I knew him.

 

[StayDead]

It's funny yesterday I decided to look at those websites to see how they are reacting and on /b/ you had a thread saying that Rural America owns all the guns so Liberals should be calm and not protest if they know what's good for them. But every anonymous user (which could have been 1 or 50) in this 50+ reply thread was insulting the Rust Belt and rural Americans. To paraphrase "I didn't really think we had rural idiots on chan, I just thought some of you guys were trolling." And another phrase "You really think cities with wealth, scientist, and successful businessmen are concerned about an uprising, you guys outvoted everyone else but that's about all you have."

Maybe it's just pol on chan since b wasn't have it last night. Who knows--anonymous users and all.

But don't go to chan for meaningful discussion like Off-Topic on GAF

/pol/ on 4chan is basically the most right wing echo chamber you will ever find. They made /pol/ so those people would stop spamming their hateful stuff everywhere else pretty much.

 

[Auto-Reply]

In some way there is a defense in there, they are maybe not responsible for the outcome of the election. Sure they voted Trump, they probably didn't vote Obama the last 8 years.

So either Trump found and mobilized a large group among them that didn't vote in recent times or Trumps win was caused by some other group/demographic.

That doesn't make them look better regarding backwards thinking and racism of course but maybe they aren't to solely blame for Trump.

 

[Ragnar Blackmane]

Huge difference in mentality between Berlin and small rural German village.

Depends what region you are talking about.
I'm from a rural (biggest city within 50km has ~60k people) as fuck region from the south west of Germany and the mentality is pretty liberal there. Heck, the Greens even almost got half the votes during the last regional election in that part.

Even if the region is "conservative" (majority for the CDU mostly, at least outside the cities) by west German standards... people from that American town would be extremely isolated at best or even get complaints to the police if they are too militant about their views and disturb the public peace.

I think having minorities everywhere (at least a small Turkish one in every town with more than 1000 people) in the south really helps.

Of course Eastern Germany is where you always had the most sucessful neo-nazi presence by far and the AfD is getting their disturbing record numbers of votes. Many regions also only have what, 0.5% foreigners/minorities? Thank god it only makes up one fourth of the country.

Ah yes, and of course religion is dying fast in Germany, so that is also a non-issue. Thinking about having to live among fervent creationists for a year already makes me nope out of any university exchange offer tthat would have me end up in a region like that. I wouldn't even go if they paid me. I'd only end up choking someone at some point when I can't bear it anymore.

 

[Fritz]

Depends what region you are talking about.
I'm from a rural (biggest city within 50km has ~60k people) as fuck region from the south west of Germany and the mentality is pretty liberal there. Heck, the Greens even almost got half the votes during the last regional election in that part.

Even if the region is "conservative" (majority for the CDU mostly, at least outside the cities) by west German standards... people from that American town would be extremely isolated at best or even get complaints to the police if they are too militant about their views and disturb the public peace.

I think having minorities everywhere (at least a small Turkish one in every town with more than 1000 people) in the south really helps.

Of course Eastern Germany is where you always had the most sucessful neo-nazi presence by far and the AfD is getting their disturbing record numbers of votes. Many regions also only have what, 0.5% foreigners/minorities? Thank god it only makes up one fourth of the country.

Ah yes, and of course religion is dying fast in Germany, so that is also a non-issue. Thinking about having to live among fervent creationists for a year already makes me nope out of any university exchange offer tthat would have me end up in a region like that. I wouldn't even go if they paid me. I'd only end up choking someone at some point when I can't bear it anymore.

I don't think religion is dying fast in Germany nor does it need to. That's just the other extreme.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

Wonder how the difference between Berlin and small town Germany is. Or go across the border for a little and compare it to small town Poland, Hungary, etc. I mean, it's not like same-sex marriage is self-evident in Germany, considering they have not pushed it through yet.

I live in munich but have family in rural bavaria.
They are a lot more conservative there, especially the old people.
They are concerned with the refugee crisis, even though haven't even seen a single refugee in person yet, let alone talked to one.
However, the younger generation there is a lot more liberal, they have the internet and they are more outgoing. Germany isn't like the US, its impossible that you live hours away from the next bigger city and many teens at some point go to schools that are in bigger city areas, where they are confronted with minorities and all kinds of diversity.
Another important factor: There is no such thing as Fox News or anything even close to that. The most conservative channel you'll find on german TV is probably still less conservative than CNN.
If they wanted to hear the german version of Fox News like right wing propaganda they'd have to read it on some fringe internet forum.
There is a small extreme right wing alternative media thing going on, but its reach is way below 1 million people.

One thing I am concerned about is that many people don't talk about what they really believe. In Germany we are very aware of certain directions a political opinion might go into. We are quick to call them "Rechtsextrem" (extreme right wing), which in german is basically a synonym for nazi.
I am pretty sure that because of that many people aren't publicly talking about their opinion on refugees for example, they're scared of being called out.


Edit: I also can't imagine that a german teacher would bring religious concepts like creation into science class. For one there is a pretty strict curriculum, so schools can't just teach whatever they like. Teachers are better trained than in the US. You rarely see teachers younger than 28, because it just takes a really long time before you can be teacher in Germany.
And there is also no relevant creationist movement in germany.

 

[ty_hot]

Reading this makes you fell like these people are so afraid fo the unknown that they are faded to live their lives inside those small villages, where they dont need to 'face the others', and where eventually they will have children that will be raised as they were and will have the same fears they have. And story repeats itself over and over again.

 

[PillarEN]

Those kids don't even have a chance. Their entire world from day 1 is shaped by their surrounding environment. A few lucky ones will break free of the line of thinking which is widely accepted in their incredibly small town.

 

[CheDominik]

Edit: I also can't imagine that a german teacher would bring religious concepts like creation into science class. For one there is a pretty strict curriculum, so schools can't just teach whatever they like. Teachers are better trained than in the US. You rarely see teachers younger than 28, because it just takes a really long time before you can be teacher in Germany.
And there is also no relevant creationist movement in germany.

And they are actually paid a decent wage. So you don't attract people who couldn't hack it in other professions.

 

[black_13]

This is why people need to travel and actually see and interact with people from all over the world. It's sad how living in a bubble constraints your views so much.

 

[Lord Thrappleper The 49th]

They likely have the same attitude as you. Why should I go out and challenge my own views when it is clearly the other party that is wrong?

People in echo chambers don't get their worldview challenged hence they see no need to expand their horizon. Which is the entire reason why the German student found it so worthwhile to share her experience.

Well i only ever speak from experience. When i was 18 i thought men were second class citizens who had no rights over their own children. I thought every single american was dumb, fat, and annoyingly patriotic. I believed people witch hunted pedophiles a bit too cruelly. Most of all i believed with all my heart that everyone could come together and sort out their differences.
Then i went out into the world, and spoke up across the internet. In many different areas i found many different responses until eventually i found a pattern that shaped my opinions of today. I literally wanted to argue with people to prove myself right. That helped shake off the forced opinions i had been bred with when people challenged me with sense and logic. The key tone was literally putting myself in other peoples shoes, which is fucking simple i know. i knew of that phrase, but i realised i never comprehended it.

We're all supposed to be equal, so i will always assume people can go down the same road i did and make their own conclusions. If they come back with exactly the same opinions as before, i will respect that. But if they dont even try i will forever hold them in contempt.

 

[mnz]

Depends what region you are talking about.
I'm from a rural (biggest city within 50km has ~60k people) as fuck region from the south west of Germany and the mentality is pretty liberal there. Heck, the Greens even almost got half the votes during the last regional election in that part.

Even if the region is "conservative" (majority for the CDU mostly, at least outside the cities) by west German standards... people from that American town would be extremely isolated at best or even get complaints to the police if they are too militant about their views and disturb the public peace.

I think having minorities everywhere (at least a small Turkish one in every town with more than 1000 people) in the south really helps.

Of course Eastern Germany is where you always had the most sucessful neo-nazi presence by far and the AfD is getting their disturbing record numbers of votes. Many regions also only have what, 0.5% foreigners/minorities? Thank god it only makes up one fourth of the country.

Ah yes, and of course religion is dying fast in Germany, so that is also a non-issue. Thinking about having to live among fervent creationists for a year already makes me nope out of any university exchange offer tthat would have me end up in a region like that. I wouldn't even go if they paid me. I'd only end up choking someone at some point when I can't bear it anymore.

Uhm...

AfD got 15.1% in your state (assuming you're from BW)

West Germans liberals make a similar mistake the Democrats made in the US. They're pointing at certain areas and declare that that's where the problem is. Usually in a condescending tone. Can only fire back at them.
Liberals (and especially Greens) should really listen to Kretschmann's speech from this weekend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZUKRbzrss0
But I guess he's too far off from his own base.

 

[Donos]

I live in munich but have family in rural bavaria.
They are a lot more conservative there, especially the old people.
They are concerned with the refugee crisis, even though haven't even seen a single refugee in person yet, let alone talked to one.
However, the younger generation there is a lot more liberal, they have the internet and they are more outgoing. Germany isn't like the US, its impossible that you live hours away from the next bigger city and many teens at some point go to schools that are in bigger city areas, where they are confronted with minorities and all kinds of diversity.
Another important factor: There is no such thing as Fox News or anything even close to that. The most conservative channel you'll find on german TV is probably still less conservative than CNN.
If they wanted to hear the german version of Fox News like right wing propaganda they'd have to read it on some fringe internet forum.
There is a small extreme right wing alternative media thing going on, but its reach is way below 1 million people.

One thing I am concerned about is that many people don't talk about what they really believe. In Germany we are very aware of certain directions a political opinion might go into. We are quick to call them "Rechtsextrem" (extreme right wing), which in german is basically a synonym for nazi.
I am pretty sure that because of that many people aren't publicly talking about their opinion on refugees for example, they're scared of being called out.


Edit: I also can't imagine that a german teacher would bring religious concepts like creation into science class. For one there is a pretty strict curriculum, so schools can't just teach whatever they like. Teachers are better trained than in the US. You rarely see teachers younger than 28, because it just takes a really long time before you can be teacher in Germany.
And there is also no relevant creationist movement in germany.

Yep fully agree, also thought about this when i read the FOX News part and nothing equally or even close to it came to my mind. Stuff like this is rather tied to blogs/forums/Internet sites (and recently Facebook).

There are quick news without depths/effort (RTL II, aka Action News) but nothing like FOX News here.


Like probably everywhere in the world, less dense / rural parts of germany have their more fair share of right leaning/more conservative ppl but still not how it is in the US (i don't count Reichsbürger since there are rather rare).
And religious people here are not creationism religious like in the US. So i don't think you can really compare e.g. AfD voters / rural conservatives here in germany with the people described in the article.

This is why people need to travel and actually see and interact with people from all over the world. It's sad how living in a bubble constraints your views so much.

Yep. If you are born into this and have no other view then how TV, parents and people around you tell you so, you have no chance to think different and i really can't blame them.

 

[Violet_0]

What the hell is even happening in there.
Also, is bullying a real thing in highschool for america \ rural america? I've always thought it was a television thing. I've never seen or heard of anyone getting physically intimidated or anything like that through my entire journey through school (Italy).

bullying exists everywhere around the entire globe, you either went to school in one of the happiest place in the world or you were blind for it

 

[Vanillalite]

"This is totally unfair, that people who do not work at all still get the same insurance as someone who works day and night. If I had worked hard for my wealth, it would be unfair if I did not have a better health insurance, „ says my host dad.

Beyond not caring about your fellow man this is what you get when you tie health insurance to people's jobs. It FEELS like compensation because it IS compensation.

This wouldn't be as big of an issue if workers were intrinsically valued in this country and paid what they are owed in actual cash. They aren't though so people attach themselves to "benefits" to make themselves feel better.

Problem is even if we offloaded some of the "benefits" like healthcare to the government I doubt the average worker is gonna see an increase in pay.

Income stagnation rears it's head in so many ways.

 

[MysteryQuesadilla]

"Be careful, there are lesbians in Minneapolis"

Someone in a band please make this a song title.

 

[PillarEN]

"Be careful, there are lesbians in Minneapolis"

Someone in a band please make this a song title.

Sounds like a possible song title for Jeromes Dream

 

[Shiggy]

Very interesting article, really recommend reading it in its entirety.

Another girl at our table asks: "Do you believe in evolution theory?" "Well, at least she is more realistic than the theory of creation," I reply. The girl never greets me again in the hallway and does not even seem to see me anymore.

One of the many parts where I wanted to throw my head against a wall.

 

[petran79]

I justify the girl due to her age and the shocking change of environment. Same for the other kids.
Hope they teach also about how babies are made.

In some way there is a defense in there, they are maybe not responsible for the outcome of the election. Sure they voted Trump, they probably didn't vote Obama the last 8 years.

So either Trump found and mobilized a large group among them that didn't vote in recent times or Trumps win was caused by some other group/demographic.

That doesn't make them look better regarding backwards thinking and racism of course but maybe they aren't to solely blame for Trump.

Republican votes were more or less the same as 2012. They remained faithfull to their values

It was Hillary that lost 10 million votes compared to Obama. They probably didnt vote at all instead of voting for Trump

 

[Arkeband]

At first I was wondering why she didn't pair up with a native English speaker to iron out the syntax and grammar, but upon re-reading it, I'm glad it remained authentically imperfect, it's more powerful that way.

 

[Irminsul]

At first I was wondering why she didn't pair up with a native English speaker to iron out the syntax and grammar, but upon re-reading it, I'm glad it remained authentically imperfect, it's more powerful that way.

Lol, that is on OP, not on the student. The original text is only available in German.

 

[Randam]

bullying exists everywhere around the entire globe, you either went to school in one of the happiest place in the world or you were blind for it

we don't have the kind of bully american tv shows or movies showed us.
the big guy, beatint kids for no reason, stealing their lunch money and so on.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

USA, you let ignorance win.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

Lol, that is on OP, not on the student. The original text is only available in German.

The original is very well written, I have to say. For an 18yo thats impressive writing. Good flow.

 

[Arkeband]

Lol, that is on OP, not on the student. The original text is only available in German.

oh whoops, LOL.

Sorry OP, what I said can still be seen as a compliment, it's just a little more complicated now.

 

[Zyae]

I have to say, I've lost all patience with the dual infantilization and deification of rural America and working class whites.

Growing up in a different culture is not an excuse for being uninformed. If you were an informed person you would know that your manufacturing jobs are never ever coming back the way they were. Ever

 

[Fritz]

oh whoops, LOL.

Sorry OP, what I said can still be seen as a compliment, it's just a little more complicated now.

Don't worry. As I said I ran it through google translate and only adjusted where I felt it was really necessary. I am committed but not committed enough to translate all that from scratch.

While lots of it sounds a tad awkward I think lots of the poignancy of the German syntax translates surprisingly well.

 

[Boney]

Beyond not caring about your fellow man this is what you get when you tie health insurance to people's jobs. It FEELS like compensation because it IS compensation.

This wouldn't be as big of an issue if workers were intrinsically valued in this country and paid what they are owed in actual cash. They aren't though so people attach themselves to "benefits" to make themselves feel better.

Problem is even if we offloaded some of the "benefits" like healthcare to the government I doubt the average worker is gonna see an increase in pay.

Income stagnation rears it's head in so many ways.

That's why the fight for 15 was so important. Which Clinton hastily buried her 12 minimum wage under the rug after the primaries.

 

[Always-honest]

People are like that in most countries.
Most people are fucking ignorant as fuck.
The worst part is that some parents KNOW they are lying to their kids. They just prefer to live the lie over the truth.

 

[RDreamer]

I saw a lot of my upbringing in that. I've completely changed since getting connected to the internet and moving to the city for a while. It's really hard communicating with people who just haven't seen anything outside of the right wing echo chamber. It's kind of sad seeing this post filled with a lot of shit I grew up with and yet it's a decade and a half since then. I would have hoped some places would have got better, but I almost feel with the polarization it probably got worse in some ways.

That's why the fight for 15 was so important. Which Clinton hastily buried her 12 minimum wage under the rug after the primaries.

Minimum wage is already tainted in these parts, man. The only ones I see supporting it are hardline liberals. Bernie supporters, etc. The people in the rural part of the country already see a minimum wage hike as a way to take away from them and/or lose jobs yet again. My Facebook is always filled with posts even from pretty liberal people about "why should a shitty burger flipper get $15 an hour if the military doesn't!?!"

What the hell is even happening in there.
Also, is bullying a real thing in highschool for america \ rural america? I've always thought it was a television thing. I've never seen or heard of anyone getting physically intimidated or anything like that through my entire journey through school (Italy)

It absolutely is. I was bullied almost every day of my life through middle and high school. It was horrendous. I had to time getting to the bus so I wouldn't wait with the other kids.

The school also had no idea how to handle it, so it continued on and sometimes I got punished for not doing anything. I shit you not I was walking in from recess once and my bully walked up and sucker punched me in the stomach. Teacher's aid on the playground saw it. Both of us got in school recess suspension. Their mantra was that it takes two to tango and if there was some sort of fight I had to have some part in it.

 

[Beefy]

People are like that in most countries.
Most people are fucking ignorant as fuck.
The worst part is that some parents KNOW they are lying to their kids. They just prefer to live the lie over the truth.

But the school system doesn't lie to it's students in most other 1st world countries.