'Mountaineer Circles' and the West Virginia Way of Life

The video we watched in class documented a variety of attitudes about the West Virginia stereotypes, how they formed, how we can better understand them, and how they've been embraced by most West Virginians today.

According to one of the questions in our handout, "Many West Virginians have strong feelings about TV caricatures of mountain people--some love these fictitious characters (Ma and Pa Kettle, Ernest T. Bass, the Darling family on the Andy Griffith Show, the Beverly Hillbillies, the Waltons). Are there aspects of these characters that ring true, or is it the absurdity that you enjoy?" Since I've grown up in a family who watched The Waltons, The Andy Griffith Show, and Ma and Pa Kettle movies (we just watched one over Christmas break), I must say that I, too, am a West Virginian who loves these fictitious characters. In the rural area in which I live, some of the stereotypical actions of these characters do ring true, so I find them somewhat relatable; however, the majority of their actions generally gain my laughter by the sheer silliness of how they behave and handle situations. Through it all, though, my strongest tie to these characters comes because as much as I enjoy the technology and luxuries we have today, there's just something about a slower pace of life that appeals to me..and these characters (who represent real people) knew how to slow down and appreciate God's gifts.

A slower pace also relates to the statements made by David Morris in the video, when he discussed how he didn't want West Virginia to be like the rest of America; he wants West Virginia to remain rooted in its traditions and "stubbornness" to slowly accept different opinions and ideas instead of diving right in like the rest of the country. I do agree with Morris, that stubbornness is a common trait among West Virginians, not because West Virginians are rude, but because they are set in ways that have made sense for many years and are comfortable to them. This stubbornness has benefited us in the long run, because it allows us to take a little more time to fully understand or have a better grasp on the viewpoints of others before we make our decisions, however long it may take. Self-sufficiency, another trait of the stubborn, is still a vital part of the modern West Virginian in that people in this state know how to take matters into their own hands in order to get something accomplished.

I enjoyed watching the video about West Virginia stereotypes and our mountain heritage, and the ensuing discussion with my fellow classmates. Sharing what makes West Virginia special to us helps us to perpetuate the idea of sharing our current traditions with the future..we've got to start somewhere. Why not with us?