Yesterday, I discussed Vance's book on an individual level, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," emphasizing that it is much more than a personal memoir. Vance raises several serious issues about American society. I think these problems are rooted in three areas: culture, economics, and the system.
Culturally, Vance's portrayal of his family and upbringing evokes the chaotic imagery of "Turning and turning in the widening gyre ... Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold," with uncontrollable traumatic events like violence, drug addiction, poverty, and sheer hopelessness. The collapse of family and community—the essential fabric of a society—leaves individuals, especially the vulnerable population, without the emotional, social, and economic shelter, protection, and stability they need to survive and thrive.
This collapse creates a vacuum where many functions fail to be fulfilled. In pre-industrial societies, many of these functions were managed by the church, which provided moral guidance, charity, and support for the weak in the community. Ironically, modern capitalist society, built on individualism, opposite to collective support, has failed to fulfill many functions of the church, particularly in times of significant social and technological change like we see today.
Economically, a large army of skilled workers who used to make a good living in the old steel belt were outpaced by the pace of history when the steel turned rusted, when the country experienced industrial upgrading, coupled with the outsourcing of manufacturing, and when the government failed to step in. These people, lacking good culture and stable jobs, have become the most pessimistic group in American society.
Systemically, the book makes the world see the vast chasm in the wealthiest country in the world between the American elite and the vast number of American hillbillies. This is determined by the nature of the capitalist system, whose ultimate goal is to maximize profit for the capitalists. One classic example is outsourcing its manufacturing to third-world countries where labor is cheaper than American workers. The global flow of capital is driven solely by seeking maximum profit. Where the country's money is spent depends on where profit can be made for the capitalists. Building the country's outdated infrastructure or job training for the displaced workers is seen as a money-burning endeavor. On the other hand, making every effort to support war means good business for military capitalists. Realistically speaking, given the current distribution of wealth and power structure in the U.S., the vast chasm between the two extremes will never disappear.
"Hillbilly Elegy" is not just an inspiring story of an individual's triumph over adversity but an evocative presentation of the broader issues plaguing America and many modern societies today. It highlights the urgent need to understand the cultural, economic, and systemic roots of these problems. Addressing these issues requires a tremendous amount of wisdom and courage. On this, my pessimism is not far off that of the hillbilly's.