--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: hillbillies like me are more down about…" description: "\"“hillbillies like me are more down about the future than many other groups—some of whom are clearly more destitute”\" — J.D. Vance" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/j-d-vance-3503_time_hillbillies-like-me-are-more-down-about_2119842.jpg" --- # hillbillies like me are more down about the future than… ![“hillbillies like me are more down about the future than many other groups—some of whom are clearly more destitute” quote by J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/j-d-vance-3503_time_hillbillies-like-me-are-more-down-about_2119842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/j-d-vance-3503_time_hillbillies-like-me-are-more-down-about_2119842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/j-d-vance-3503_time_hillbillies-like-me-are-more-down-about_2119842.jpg) > ““hillbillies like me are more down about the future than many other groups—some of whom are clearly more destitute”” [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that his group feels more pessimistic about the future than other, even more disadvantaged, groups. **In simple terms:** His group is unusually gloomy about future prospects. Key Takeaway Address underlying causes of pessimism. Themes socio‑economic regional identity future outlook Mood concerned analytical Type social psychological When to use this quote - community counseling - economic development programs - mental health outreach Key Concepts pessimism comparative outlook social class Questions to Reflect On - Why do some groups feel more hopeless despite less hardship? - What interventions can shift collective outlook? A Different Perspective Pessimism may be rooted in specific local challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clearly Destitute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearly-destitute-4319388/) [Destitute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destitute/) [Future Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-groups-1845399/) [Hillbillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hillbillies-318964/) [Hillbillies Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hillbillies-like-4319387/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“We feel that in the future, groups are going to have to offer much more than just a pop show. They'll have to offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-barrett/we-feel-that-in-the-future-groups-are-going-to-have-to-offer-much/) [Syd Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-barrett/) > [“Within two generations, the transplanted hillbillies had largely caught up to the native population in terms of income and poverty level.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/within-two-generations-the-transplanted-hillbillies-had-largely/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“It was not simply that the Appalachian migrants, as rural strangers ‘out of place’ in the city, were upsetting to Midwestern, urban whites. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/it-was-not-simply-that-the-appalachian-migrants-as-rural-strangers/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Ostensibly, they were of the same racial order (whites) as those who dominated economic, political, and social power in local and national arenas. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/ostensibly-they-were-of-the-same-racial-order-whites-as-those-who/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“no single book, or expert, or field could fully explain the problems of hillbillies in modern America. Our elegy is a sociological one, yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/no-single-book-or-expert-or-field-could-fully-explain-the-problems-of/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“I believe we hillbillies are the toughest goddamned people on this earth. We take an electric saw to the hide of those who insult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/i-believe-we-hillbillies-are-the-toughest-goddamned-people-on-this/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“But hillbillies shared many regional characteristics with the southern blacks arriving in Detroit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/but-hillbillies-shared-many-regional-characteristics-with-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“It was not simply that the Appalachian migrants, as rural strangers ‘out of place’ in the city, were upsetting to Midwestern, urban whites. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/it-was-not-simply-that-the-appalachian-migrants-as-rural-strangers-2/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“As one book, Appalachian Odyssey, notes about the influx of hill people to Detroit: “It was not simply that the Appalachian migrants, as rural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-one-book-appalachian-odyssey-notes-about-the-influx-of-hill-people/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [Hillbillies learn from an early age to deal with uncomfortable truths by avoiding them or by pretending better truths exist. This tendency might make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/hillbillies-learn-from-an-early-age-to-deal-with-uncomfortable-truths/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [I still fit in with the hillbillies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-wilson/i-still-fit-in-with-the-hillbillies/) [Gretchen Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-wilson/) > [My grandma would say if someone else calls you a hillbilly, you might need to punch them in the nose. But if we call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/my-grandma-would-say-if-someone-else-calls-you-a-hillbilly-you-might/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Today is a big day in TV history. On this day forty-one years ago, the Beverly Hillbillies aired for the first time right here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/today-is-a-big-day-in-tv-history-on-this-day-forty-one-years-ago-the/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Yeah, I'm the guy that doesn't come from much just a long line of moonshiners, hillbillies and indians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/yeah-i-m-the-guy-that-doesn-t-come-from-much-just-a-long-line-of/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Writers who aren't from rural states in the Midwest or the West often treat such people as if they were the Waltons or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/writers-who-aren-t-from-rural-states-in-the-midwest-or-the-west-often/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) ## More by J.D. Vance > [“Wed don't need to live like the elites of California, New York, or Washington, D.C. We don't need to work a hundred hours a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/wed-don-t-need-to-live-like-the-elites-of-california-new-york-or/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Within two generations, the transplanted hillbillies had largely caught up to the native population in terms of income and poverty level.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/within-two-generations-the-transplanted-hillbillies-had-largely/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Powerful people sometimes do things to help people like me without really understanding people like me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/powerful-people-sometimes-do-things-to-help-people-like-me-without/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Research does reveal a genetic disposition to substance abuse, but those who believe their addiction is a disease show less of an inclination to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/research-does-reveal-a-genetic-disposition-to-substance-abuse-but/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“But I often wonder: Where would I be without them? I think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/but-i-often-wonder-where-would-i-be-without-them-i-think/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“the first impulse is escape, but people who lurch toward the exit rarely choose the right door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/the-first-impulse-is-escape-but-people-who-lurch-toward-the-exit/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“was my first indication that the policies of Mamaw’s “party of the working man”—the Democrats—weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“A young man was sitting at home when a terrible rainstorm began. Within hours, the man’s house began to flood, and someone came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/a-young-man-was-sitting-at-home-when-a-terrible-rainstorm-began/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“As a culture, we had no heroes. Certainly not any politician--Barack Obama was then the most admired man in America (and likely still is),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-a-culture-we-had-no-heroes-certainly-not-any-politician-barack/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“To this day, being able to “take advantage” of someone is the measure in my mind of having a parent. For me and Lindsay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/to-this-day-being-able-to-take-advantage-of-someone-is-the-measure-in/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“As one book, Appalachian Odyssey, notes about the influx of hill people to Detroit: “It was not simply that the Appalachian migrants, as rural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-one-book-appalachian-odyssey-notes-about-the-influx-of-hill-people/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“As a 2011 Brookings Institution study found, “compared to 2000, residents of extreme-poverty neighborhoods in 2005–09 were more likely to be white, native-born, high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-a-2011-brookings-institution-study-found-compared-to-2000/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“There was, and still is, a sense that those who make it are of two varieties. The first are lucky: They come from wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/there-was-and-still-is-a-sense-that-those-who-make-it-are-of-two/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“We spend to pretend that we’re upper-class. And when the dust clears—when bankruptcy hits or a family member bails us out of our stupidity—there’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/we-spend-to-pretend-that-we-re-upper-class-and-when-the-dust-clears/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Chaos begets chaos. Instability begets instability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire-chaos-begets-chaos/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) [Explore all 127 J.D. Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) ## More Destitute quotes > [Destitute of the fire of God, nothing else counts; possessing fire, nothing else matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/destitute-of-the-fire-of-god-nothing-else-counts-possessing-fire/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [Unfortunately, liberals didn't stop with welfare-statism. They also turned to economic regulations, not understanding that such interventions, again, harmed the very people they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-g-hornberger/unfortunately-liberals-didn-t-stop-with-welfare-statism-they-also/) [Jacob G. Hornberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-g-hornberger/) > [Republicans are suggesting that you take your retirement money and invest it in the stock market to take care of yourself but that leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/republicans-are-suggesting-that-you-take-your-retirement-money-and/) [Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/) > [We give physical exercise to the body, but neglect the heart. The exercise for the heart is uplifting the destitute and the suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/we-give-physical-exercise-to-the-body-but-neglect-the-heart-the/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [The mineral kingdom consists of the fossil substances found in the earth. These are either entirely destitute of organic structure, or, having once possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbern-bergman/the-mineral-kingdom-consists-of-the-fossil-substances-found-in-the/) [Torbern Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbern-bergman/) > [I was never completely destitute. I think I borrowed money once off a friend, but I've always been quite careful with my money, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-was-never-completely-destitute-i-think-i-borrowed-money-once-off-a/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [To lay aside all prejudices, is to lay aside all principles. He who is destitute of principles is governed by whims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-heinrich-jacobi/to-lay-aside-all-prejudices-is-to-lay-aside-all-principles-he-who-is/) [Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-heinrich-jacobi/) > [In the operative opinion of the world, he who is already fully provided with what is necessary for him, that man shall have more;while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/in-the-operative-opinion-of-the-world-he-who-is-already-fully/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I had great parents, and they trained me well and instilled great values in me. They also taught me common sense about money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-osmond/i-had-great-parents-and-they-trained-me-well-and-instilled-great/) [Ken Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-osmond/) > [The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world not destitute of arms, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-balance-of-power-is-the-scale-of-peace-the-same-balance-would-be/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Every concerned citizen and policy maker should read this book. The environmentalists will hate it. The world's destitute masses will love it. 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Those of Magnesia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-leading-distinction-in-magnets-is-the-sex-male-and-female-and-the/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) [Browse all 104 Destitute quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destitute/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“hillbillies like me are more down about the future than many other groups—some of whom are clearly more destitute”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.D. 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