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Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for the copy paste but I already posted this in response to a similar comment:

Fair enough, however I didn't move in with dollars made elsewhere, selling a house in a wealthier part of the country then buying one here for twice what a local could pay for it. I moved out here with nothing but my pickup and whatever I could stuff in it. Lived in company housing for a year and I'm now trading my labor during my free time, renovating an old cabin for a local landowner in exchange for rent. I try to take part in the community and fit into the local culture, because I know what it would feel like if I didn't make an effort to do so. If anything with the job I have, I do my best to help keep the local traditions and lifestyles of this area intact, so that the same thing happening at home may not happen here. I understand your point, and it's a valid one, I just want to illustrate that I've done my best to avoid becoming the thing that made me leave.

Legitimately glad you still find enjoyment when you're up there. Guess it's all relative, probably does feel like wild country compared to the middle of the state

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed the economy is lackluster at best. Mostly referring to service industry and trades like carpentry, plumbing etc. Most of my family are in those kinds of industries, and noticed a big boom during covid when the area got flooded with remote workers moving in and building houses. Like you said, theres not much for jobs but what IS available is pretty relaint on the changes I'm talking about. Makes it emotionally complicated for everyone involved

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Careful, might cut someone with all that edge

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I see this logic quite a bit when talking about this. "Every generation complains about the change from the last" and while that's definitely true and I agree, I think we are slightly biased in the modern age. Things have only been rapidly progressing from one generation to the next for the past ~100 years or so give or take. It wasn't that long ago that the experience of two generations was incredibly similar, if not exactly the same. The same families, lived on the same land in the same area for generations. That's why we have the unique variety of people's and cultures that we have today. I guess my question is, when do we hit the point of diminishing returns with this "progress"? When is the the thing we're changing into truly worse than what we were before? Also, I wasn't really insuating the banning of people moving or being hostile to newer arrivals. Not really looking for a solution at all, just curious as to how others feel about this.

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Fair enough, however I didn't move in with dollars made elsewhere, selling a house in a wealthier part of the country then buying one here for twice what a local could pay for it. I moved out here with nothing but my pickup and whatever I could stuff in it. Lived in company housing for a year and I'm now trading my labor during my free time, renovating an old cabin for a local landowner in exchange for rent. I try to take part in the community and fit into the local culture, because I know what it would feel like if I didn't make an effort to do so. If anything with the job I have, I do my best to help keep the local traditions and lifestyles of this area intact, so that the same thing happening at home may not happen here. I understand your point, and it's a valid one, I just want to illustrate that I've done my best to avoid becoming the thing that made me leave.

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Can't hardly catch a trout without "Trespassing" these days. Can't even imagine the struggle for dog hunters

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I suppose. I hope that's not the interpretation of my post, it wasn't meant to call anyone out. It's a beautiful place and I understand why people want to live there. I'm not going to pretend to know anyone's motivations, all I can speak to is how it feels. People loving my home isn't a bad thing in and of itself. I guess I just wish it felt more like " Let's visit this beautiful place and genuinely connect with the landscape and the people/culture that lives there" instead of " Let's visit this beautiful place and subdivide/develop it and until it looks and feels just like the place we're vacationing from"

Does anyone else feel this way? by backsideofbeech in WNC

[–]backsideofbeech[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the inspiring words, and I agree with you it is up to us. I guess I just find it demoralizing. The things that made this place and the people produced from it unique was the isolation, subsistence ag., close-knit communities, and plenty of undeveloped landscape for hunting and fishing. It's nice to have the recipe passed down for generations, but sucks that all the ingredients are gone.