“Hillbilly Elegy” is a book written by J. D. Vance before former President Trump chose him as his presumptive Vice President. The team “elegy” describes a poem of serious reflection, typically for the dead. Regarding hillbillies, it denotes a culture where its people are near death and, in a certain sense, already dead, certainly not fully alive. People should read it and be encouraged to help produce changes.
The book is an eye-opening expose of the life of hillbillies seen by a young man who was able to escape it. The man, J. D. Vance, grew up with an alcoholic and drug-using mother who gave him a series of different fathers. He could only escape the near death of his culture with the help of a teacher and the woman he loved and married. The two brought forward his desire to succeed and help others do what he learned to do. We also need to do what these two women did for Vance to the many other disadvantaged people in this world.
Vance is an excellent writer. He describes the life of hillbillies, a life he led. It is a life filled with homes with many guns, cursing, dysfunctional families, divorces, lack of sufficient guidance, drinking, drugs, lack of education, pessimism, disrespect of others, rage, poverty, starvation, abuse, frequent problems with the police, single-parent homes — in his case raised by an aged gun-toting grandmother. This was a life where the government’s well-meaning desire to help using welfare payments worsened the situation because the recipients preferred the payments over the “foolishness of working.” Also, the welfare program encouraged many recipients to abuse the system to obtain more alcohol and drugs cleverly.
Before the help of his college teacher and the girl he married, Vance learned about life outside of his culture during his four years in the US Marines. Immediately after that, he entered college undaunted by being older than other students because of his time in the Marines. He finished the four-year college in less than two years with praise from one of his teachers who helped him. He then went to law school at one of the top US law schools, Yale, where he met another student, fell in love, and married. At Yale, he became the editor of the Law Review.
One of the many things we can learn from Vance’s experience and use it to help not only hillbillies but all disadvantaged cultures. We can institute a universal draft. All males and females from age 18 must either join one of the military services for at least two years or a new, somewhat similar service that helps improve the lives of US citizens. Israel has such a system.
Vance learned many lessons in the Marines. He lost dozens of pounds that had made him overweight in his early life because of eating sugar and the wrong foods. He learned simple tasks that wealthy children learn at home, which he was denied. He developed skills. He discovered he could run farther than a single street, even miles. His health improved. His mind grew. During his four years, he ultimately became the liaison between the Marines and politicians.
A universal draft would remove people from poverty, allow them to learn about life, gain self-respect, improve their reading and writing skills and ability to speak logically, learn a trade, respect others, love this country, be productive, and help better our country.
the recipients preferred the payments over the “foolishness of working.” Also, the welfare program encouraged many recipients to abuse the system to obtain more alcohol and drugs cleverly.
They prefer wealth over working hard and traditional values.
We agree.
The two brought forward his desire to succeed and help others do what he learned to do. We also need to do what these two women did for Vance to the many other disadvantaged people in this world.
I agree with you rabbi. we must help all people develop themselves
Is not the concept of War Evil?
To shoot bullets,
To Rape and slaughter
To Injure and torture?
Even though Vance learned many things he probably caused many people harm has he not?
I have mixed feelings about a universal draft. I like your idea, as a universal draft would allow poor people to see the world. However, as Stephen noted, it is not without its drawbacks.
In the first place, the rich are not going to do it. They will always get out of it. Secondly, the problem is that people who are forcibly conscripted never make good fighters. They simply don’t want to be there. Besides, we don’t need to force people into the military. True, the modern state of Israel has a universal draft but they don’t have a choice. They have to have a standing army. America doesn’t have to do that. America has a volunteer army, which is what you want because they actually want to be there.
Instead, I want to propose an alternative. The thing I think they should do is cut out eleventh and twelfth grade because ten years is more than enough for a general education. Eleventh and twelfth grade is just rehashing what you already learned previously. Now some people argue that it prepares you for college but not everyone wants to do that. So, school should end in tenth grade. From eighth to tenth grade it’s strongly suggested that you go to a trade school. You learn a trade so when you get out of school you at least know how to do something. Three years is enough time to get very experienced. You get out of tenth grade, provided you’re doing well in school. Now you have some options. The first option is to receive a $20,000 grant for college. This is reasonable. If you take the average cost of putting someone through 11-12th grade it’s 20,000 dollars. So, we already pay for people to do that anyway and we’re not bankrupt. We could afford it. Now, if you don’t want to do college you can use it for any education and the nice thing about that is, if there’s any money left over you get to keep it. So that incentivizes you to search for a school that is cheap. Thus, $20,000 schools are going to start popping up everywhere. It would be a huge market. Another option is that after tenth grade you can do two years in the military or in a new service called, the Corps of Engineers and if you’re in the Corps of Engineers you travel throughout the country and build bridges, roads, and hospitals. and you get paid. That can be considered a service, and you get benefits, reduced cost in insurance, and partial medical insurance. So, this solves a lot of problems. Everyone complains about how expensive healthcare is. They come up with giving everyone universal health care. The problem is that we can’t afford that. But if you do two years serving this country, and if you’re afraid to go to war or you’re a woman, you don’t have to go to war, you can join the Corps of Engineers. Or, you could do two years at a farm because we need farmworkers. There, you could learn how to operate a farm. Thus, we set these poor kids up for success. Yes, people might compline that they are two years behind everybody else but in my theory, you’re not behind anyone because everybody from tenth grade, for the next two years, is doing some education thing, and very few people are getting right out in the workforce right away, so you don’t feel like you’re losing out by joining the military or doing some kind of service for your country. What do you think?
Your idea is interesting but I think the 11th and 12th grades add information. I even went to a different night school during my four years of high school adding an additional three courses my fellow students did not take. When I wrote about a draft, I hope that I added that those who did not not want to be in the military had to searve in a civilian corps that helps society.
Will not a draft of arms led people to use guns on each other?
Will it not cause strife among the people of America?
Won’t it cause people to wage war rather than solve things dipolomically?
There is this danger, but the military will try to teach its soldiers to use weapons properly.
Self-improvement, education, respect for others, productivity and contribution to society are vital staples in life. Therefore, your statement , dear Rabbi Israel Drazin, stands correct that a universal draft can provide people with a multitude of benefits such as alleviating poverty, promoting education and respect, developing trade skills, fostering patriotism, and overall improving the welfare of the country. It aligns with the directives of growing personally and helping others to grow as well.
Thank you Stphen.
Love, love this review!
Thank you Dani. And thanks for lending me the book.
Dad
Dear Rabbi Israel Drazin ! Your statements presented seem to suggest that a universal draft could potentially provide a myriad of benefits. However, it is essential to consider individual freedoms as well. People should have the right to choose their paths. It is also important to take into account the context of each society, as what might work in one context, might not be beneficial in another. In the teachings presented, the emphasis is on personal improvement, social responsibility, and engagement in beneficial activities for the betterment of society. The idea of manual labor being essential for personal development and society’s progress is highlighted. Wealth and poverty are considered as not being a result of one’s trade but rather one’s merit. Therefore, the idea of a universal draft could be seen as a method of encouraging self-improvement, contributing to society, and potentially alleviating poverty. However, it also emphasizes the importance of understanding, meaning people should be educated and guided rather than compelled into specific paths. This is an important factor to consider when contemplating the implementation of a universal draft. Furthermore, the teachings highlight the importance of charity, kindness, and mercy. These are not aspects that are necessarily learned through compulsory service, but rather through a culture of understanding, empathy, and respect for our fellow beings. Therefore, while a universal draft might be beneficial in some ways, it is also pivotal to foster a culture that values education, understanding, and kindness. Best: stephen
I agree with you. I think that a universal draft should consider all the points you mentioned, including funding further education for those who serve a certain number of years. The US government paid for four of my schoolings and degrees and I was told the government got its money worth.
I want to watch “Hillbilly Elegy.” It looks like a great movie. Ron Howard directed it. I think J. D. Vance is a great VP pick for Trump. Ben Shapiro said that Vance has a very high IQ. Shapiro said he is the smartest person in the Senate.
I read the book and learned much. Iwill watch the movie in the future.