Creativity at America’s Rural-Urban Divide
PLUS... a contemporary folktale on artful leadership!
Identities are strange in America these days. No where is this more on display than in our politics. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, both born in 1964, technically fall just on the Boomer-side of a dividing line shared with Gen X . However, unlike other prominent boomers like Clinton or Trump, the Harris/Walz ticket seems much more aligned with younger generations.
Watching the JD Vance-Tim Walz VP debate earlier this week didn’t provide much clarity on other generational divides either. I was struck by Vance’s mix of Millennial media savvy with messaging that sounded decidedly not.
I’ve got a personal interest in Vance. Tucked in the rural Appalachian foothills of southeastern Kentucky is Breathitt County, the place my family has called home for many generations. It’s the same place JD Vance says he calls home and it played a prominent role in Hillbilly Elegy.
While Vance’s politics and mine couldn’t be more different, we both have interest and experience in America’s rural-urban divide. Vance would appear to see it as a strategy for personal political gain. I see it as an opportunity to find new ways for engaging the fullness of American creativity for all our nation’s benefit.
Make no mistake, the creativity in Appalachia and other rural communities across America is on par with anything I’ve seen anywhere—it just looks different than is the norm in places like Silicon Valley.
The environmental, cultural and technological transformations now shaping our country underscore the urgent need to get creative in how we respond and grow through uncertainty. Before we get to the good stuff found in our better angels, I suspect that we face more of an uphill climb than not. So many things are currently conspiring to shape acrimony. But there are always opportunities of paradox — hidden chances for positive outcomes— if we know where to look.
To find the way forward, I see a light emerging in Gen Z.
Merging Creativity & Social Change
Generation Z, 41 million of whom will be eligible to vote next month, emerges as a unique weave in the American enterprise, demonstrating remarkable cultural shifts in cognition and societal engagement. Their upbringing in a world immersed in technology has influenced how they behave.
While there doesn't yet seem to be conclusive, direct evidence that Gen Z's brains process information differently than other generations, Deloitte reported in 2023 that their technology use is changing the way they interact with most all American systems, from education and work to consumer and media behaviors. They view the physical and digital worlds as a seamless experience, effortlessly mixing offline and online activities, creating a unique and interconnected world where there are no boundaries.
Generation Z stands out for more than just their unique behavior adaptations. They are a generation with a powerful bend toward creativity and a burning desire to effect social change. Generation Z, the most entrepreneurial and neurodiverse generation in the workforce, will make up 27% of its total next year.
Empowered by the ability to connect, collaborate, and create without geographical limitations, I believe that Gen Z may likely be the generation that finally bridges America’s rural-urban divide.
The Tools of Art & Technology
In the hands of Gen Z, the dynamic duo of arts and technology presents an unprecedented opportunity to usher in a new era of collaboration. The arts’ capacity to express, connect, and inspire serves as a powerful medium for dialogue and understanding. Technology, the backbone of our contemporary society, is erasing geographical boundaries and bringing about new expectations of how and where things get done.
Unencumbered by dogmatic allegiance to many of the institutions that defined America over the last century, Gen Z demonstrates a new kind of freedom in thinking differently. With each tweet, meme, or viral challenge, they craft narratives that savor the wisdom of a fresh gaze— a gaze eager to explore, question, and understand what’s beyond status quo and conventional thinking.
Many of us who have navigated systems not designed for us will recognize this skill set — it is that of an outsider's perspective.
Mountain We Must Climb
For those paying attention, Gen Z is unveiling hidden pathways, shimmering with potential for the future of work and the quest for a fair society. Arts and technology increasingly work together in their hands to illuminate the contours of our shared human experience. Gen Z is building bridges between the energy of our cities and the sturdy creative intelligence of our rural spaces.
It's important to acknowledge that many individuals from other generations also bring valuable experience and wisdom to the table. Therefore, fostering a strong intergenerational framework is not just beneficial, but necessary. This is a call to action for transformational creativity, an imperative for building a resilient and prosperous future.
But first, there is a mountain that we must climb…
“Miss Myrtle and the Razzle Dazzle Belle Bang Bluegrass Band”
— A Contemporary Folktale by Theo Edmonds
Bedazzled, befuddled or haloed,
The world holds so many different kinds of people
You pass by so many, each day on the street.
There are all kinds of people,
Who in your life you will meet
But of all the people you’ve ever met
Of all the folks I bet you can name
There is not a one, quite like Miss Myrtle
The singing saint of the town of Belle Bang
Belle Bang is a fine mountain town
With miles of smiles and a swell Bluegrass band
And every day at noon
Myrtle’s up there singing on stage
Always wearing blue flowers in an old worn out hat
Smiling and singing and waving big hands
Miss Myrtle is the Razzle Dazzle
In our Belle Bang Bluegrass Band
Myrtle is the champion of Belle’s Everyday People
The keeper of songs that rise up from our land
Myrtle’s music whispers to giants, asleep in mountains
Our town was even saved one time, by Miss Myrtle and the Belle band.
The story begins just over Mongerdoodle Mountain,
Beyond the edge of Belle
In a big place called Slick City.
Where some people known as Falootans live
It’s where the Slick City Falootans do dwell
The Slick City Falootans… that is the name by which they are known
And when our story begins,
Slick City was growing too fast.
Slick City was nearly outgrown.
Senator Shriek, their slick ole leader had decided
That he would take over Belle Bang
He’d replace the town with factories,
To support his Falootan gang.
The Falootans wanted more business for business sake.
They wanted more money
They wanted more and more of all that greed-driven stuff.
But for those Falootans you see, such a sad strange thing,
Enough was never enough.
They thought the most valuable things, were what money could buy
High Falootan desire, driven by High Falootan greed.
That’s what Falootans thought everyone should want,
That’s what they thought everyone should need.
So led by Senator Shriek and Governor Greed
The Slick City Falootans, began setting their trap
Belle Bang soon would be just one more pinpoint
On the growing SlickCity map
Belle’s teachers and schools were the first thing that,
Slick City promptly shut down
Governor Greed said, “The only learning that’s needed is to teach kids to work –
They must earn their way in this town!”
But even to the workers of Belle,
The Governor gave stern warning
“You’re only as good as your contribution today
You’re only as good as the place you are earning.”
“We have Slick City goals, we must always keep growing
Value is measured in money. It is the best way of knowing
Knowing who is valuable, and truly worth keeping
We need less goats, and more people who’re sheeping. “
The Falootans stormed the BelleTower. Destroyed Belle Town Hall.
And, though they had been there for a thousand years,
They cut and buzzed them right down to the ground –
The lovely and green, town square Belle Oaks
Everywhere they turned, Falootans shouted and yelled
They snorted and snarled at all the Belle Bang sweet folks
“Get out of this place, you should no longer be here!”
“We claim the town of Belle for Slick City!”
Snarled Senator Shriek, the Highest-Falootan leader.
“And those of you who do stay “ he grimaced and frowned.
“Those of you who don’t have any where else to move your homes to,
Those of you too... who just choose not to go,
You will be put to work in our factories. You’ll do just as we say.
You’ll produce Slick City Steam, more and more every day
That’s what we need to make SlickCity grow!
The Belle folks began to feel defeated,
Slick City seemed just too strong
Even Myrtle and the band had started to think
That hope was all nearly gone.
Music and happiness would soon, it seemed
Be a forgotten thing of the past
Belle Bang had nearly stopped dreaming
Belle Dreams were fading fast.
Then Governor Greed said something that made Miss Myrtle remember
The power of song and rhyme,
Greed declared: “Music makers are foolish and useless!
Making music is just a waste, of our PRECIOUS money-making time!”
Well right then, Miss Myrtle decided.
That enough was more than enough!
Myrtle began singing real loud to remind Belle’s Everyday People
That nice folks could also be tough.
“Papaws reach back in your memory,” Myrtle sang,
“To those times where we stood proud and strong
Grannies reach up to the ancestors
They’ve been here all along
Young folks know that within you
Flickers flames of centuries with dreams.
Let people and music become your guide
It aint as hard as it seems
Those who are hurting take hope
Liberation is within our reach
We are worthy, each and every
This is the message we’ll preach
Let us sing real loud and speak our truth
To push out Shriek and Greed
Us mountain folks stand
On the shoulders of giants
WE are the answer we need.”
The young folks were first to join in singing
Myrtle’s sweet song of wonder out loud
Then hearing this, the older folks too
Stepped up to claim it proud
Through fibers and satellites the song called out,
Spreading Myrtle through cyberspace,
Media, reposts and digital flows,
Calling in people to share one embrace.
From screens and speakers, the song took flight,
Bridging hearts across virtual divides,
Pixels and waves brought people together
Miss Myrtle their singing guide.
Then all of a sudden it happened,
Just over the mountain from Belle
The Everyday People who lived in Slick City, heard Belle's song of freedom.
Then started singing their own! It was a song of freedom as well !
From both sides of Mongerdoodle Mountain
All the Everyday People joined in singing
A song to push out Shriek and Greed.
All the Everyday People sang together
“Each other is what we need.”
As sunrise came up over the mountain
The Falootans found themselves trapped
Shriek and Greed had forgotten that
Everyday People… need people… everyday.
People are more than a map.
The victory theirs, Myrtle led everyone atop Mongerdoodle mountain,
To sing and to dance and rejoice!
Music had brought together people from everywhere!
ALL singing in one, Everyday People voice.
When Everyday People sang together, they discovered the Power in Wonder Out Loud!!”
Yes when they sang together,
All the Everyday People of BOTH Slick City and Belle,
They discovered that working as one
Caused everyday hope to swell.
As their togetherness grew, “United We Stand!”
Became their way of living each day.
Everyday People, everywhere, learned to lean on each other
In that special everyday way.
But had it not been for Myrtle
The keeper of our hopes in a song
The stories of everyday folks today, might have turned out real different,
Hallelujah! The arc of justice bends long.
As the years went by, the legend grew
Myrtle’s name was often spoke, always with great love and caring
Miss Myrtle became a legend for bringing
Everyday hope, in a everyday song, meant for everyday sharing.
Then one day, as all folks do, Miss Myrtle passed away.
Everyday people from both sides of the mountain sang to remember,
The one whose music flowed like honey, all throughout the land
They told the stories of Razzle Dazzle
When Myrtle took to stage with the Band
All the everyday people sang to honor the memory,
Of the happy little man who liked wearing a dress
The one always seen wearing a worn-out, blue-flowered hat
Smiling and singing and waving big hands
The one who never lost faith, in the power of people with dreams
Yes when our story began, Miss Myrtle was not exactly who you pictured, I bet!
Myrtle was more than he seemed.
If Miss Myrtle were still here today,
I’m sure we would be reminded,
To move on through every day of our lives,
And to one thing -- never forget or be blinded…
…Some folks are here, to teach us all lessons
Some are here to help save our lives
There are bullies and meanies, who live up in green, pampered places
And secret angels living down in hollers and dives
Secret angels are all around us
If we just look to see them there
They don’t usually have wings…
They don’t need lots of money just to buy things
They are wonderful secret angels, pretending to be music-making people
Teaching us all how to be kind and show love
Things every one of us, need every day,
Like a cold hand needs a glove.
So next time you pass by, someone on street
Be sure you see them for who they are
Someone who needs you, like you need them
That’s the way Everyday People are.
Some folks may start as a stranger, somewhere over a mountain
Only to become a trusted, everyday friend
And that is why you, should be a friend too
Because when a story begins, you never really know
How things will turn out in the end.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Theo Edmonds, Culture Futurist® & Founder, Creativity America | Bridging Creative Industries and Brain Science with Future of Work & Wondervation™
©2024 Theo Edmonds | All Rights Reserved. Please credit the author when using any of this content. The views expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization with which the author is affiliated.