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These matters are always a lot more complex than meets the eye.
Every area in the country has its strengths and limitations. Those are in part related to geography, and to a degree influenced by the particular sub cultural attributes of the people living there.
Here in Morgtantown, we are blessed to be relatively near large population centers and have a highly educated population, on average, as well as a diverse economic base not based on the now archaic heavy industry base found in many areas and a relative proximity to wonderful outdoor venues. Our limitations are in part related to matters largely beyond our control, and have to do with the political climate in our state.
Charleston and Huntington find themselves in different sets of circumstances. To a degree, we are all shaped by our ancestors and since those areas are below Sutton, a larger proportion of folks there are descended from early (and largely isolated) Scots Irish refugees from religious persecution in Europe.
I have some of that background myself, so I have a notion of what that implies. Historically, those folks never held education in high regard, for example. They were also unbelievably clannish, not trusting even those from 20 miles away from their homes. They spent much of their lives squabbling with neighbors, and even among themselves. Cohesiveness could be found only when it was clearly evident to everyone that each part would gain benefit from it.
People who don't come from that sort of background have great trouble understanding it. Other Euros tended to be more community minded, and to hold education in higher regard. In general, they were more prone to cooperative endeavors and tended to not rely on the clan to the degree found in the ancestry south of Sutton. That middle Appalachian mindset, while it had value in the pioneer days, is somewhat out of place in modern times. People imbued with it from birth via cultural learning have great difficulty taking it to another plane, and the anachronistic attitudes result in frustration and unhappiness,
especially when they are forced to leave the clan environment to look for employment elsewhere. It is a difficult adjustment for them to make.
Those areas do have strengths. Charleston, while suffering from the decline of the industrial base, has state government to keep pouring money into it. Huntington has the Ohio River, and access to a major rail infrastructure. On the other hand, the relatively isolated geographic positions serve as severe limitations on developmental potential, and those old attitudes culturally ingrained about education are hard to break down. On balance, some widespread unhappiness is very understandable under the circumstances. It really is not anybody's fault. I believe it will gradually subside as the population there becomes increasingly assimilated to that everywhere else, and the clan mentality gradually breaks down.
Oh and polling is not research. You need a hypothesis first. Like an If-Then statement. I would not consider the census polling "research" either. The Census does conduct research using their findings but that is different. Gallup and Census use "data."
The Censue Bureau does no research. They collect data, which is manipulated in what ever manner those on top choose to manipulate it. It is the classic example of you can get the same set of statistics to say anything you want it to say if you use the appropriate criteria to make it say that.
Oh and polling is not research. You need a hypothesis first. Like an If-Then statement. I would not consider the census polling "research" either. The Census does conduct research using their findings but that is different. Gallup and Census use "data."
It is. That is how you collect samples. Census conducts research by a survey.
If you can find a flaw with gallup im open to hearing it. Until then the facts stand.
Let's assume Gallup is God and has proclaimed, as fact for all time, that their survey is 100% accurate.
The MSA where I live - Raleigh/Cary - is ranked 18 of all MSAs in the entire country. Gee - - I am living in heaven on earth!!!!!! It's so good, that I feel sorry for all you WV folks stuck in misery at the bottom of the survey. Here's one ex-WV'ian who would be MUCH happier in miserable Charleston than here in "heaven" in the RTP
Let's assume Gallup is God and has proclaimed, as fact for all time, that their survey is 100% accurate.
The MSA where I live - Raleigh/Cary - is ranked 18 of all MSAs in the entire country. Gee - - I am living in heaven on earth!!!!!! It's so good, that I feel sorry for all you WV folks stuck in misery at the bottom of the survey. Here's one ex-WV'ian who would be MUCH happier in miserable Charleston than here in "heaven" in the RTP
Actually, that makes perfect sense. Personally I would be miserable in that part of NC. Why don't you move back to Charleston? It would be vastly superior.
Charleston andme Gallup is God and has proclaimed, as fact for all time, that their survey is 100% accurate.
The MSA where I live - Raleigh/Cary - is ranked 18 of all MSAs in the entire country. Gee - - I am living in heaven on earth!!!!!! It's so good, that I feel sorry for all you WV folks stuck in misery at the bottom of the survey. Here's one ex-WV'ian who would be MUCH happier in miserable Charleston than here in "heaven" in the RTP
Anywhere is happier than charleston and Huntington.
Anywhere is happier than charleston and Huntington.
Have you ever been to Winston - Salem? I mean, it is pretty bad.
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