City folk need to do an exchange program with rural kids. I grew up in a town of under 2000 people, my high school class was 48. I watched cows humping in a pasture outside my window as a kid. I understand rural mindset. I know how half of my graduating HS class lives.
A lot of it just fear and ignorance. Fear of a big city. Fear of food. Fear of other cultures. Fear of everything because they don't walk outside of their bubble. I know. I was one of them. Driving to "the big city" of Peoria IL was a big deal. My mom refuses to drive on interstates. My Dad hates going to Chicago and will take more expensive flights out of little regional airports just to avoid it. As far as food ketchup is all you need and black pepper is too spicy. And those are democratic voters in Rural America.
Country kids do need to get more exposure to other cultures, learn to not fear cities, understand that is more to food than an American franchise, and that city folk aren't some educational elite utopia. Cities are just a lot of people going to work each day and coming home to a family.
That said, urban voters have some self reflection, but the reality is that there are more people in cities that "know" country than the other way around. I know. My wife and I were two people that have done that. We have a lot of classmates that did the same. We left for opportunities that a rural life couldn't provide.
We need to lift the fear and ignorance (I'm not saying intelligence, ignorance is an intentional nuance) of many rural minds and I think that starts with kids somehow. They shouldn't fear cities or urban life or the people that live there.
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