General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The difference between urban and rural people is... [View all]Scuba
(53,475 posts)... now I'm back in the sticks.
I don't think your thesis is very accurate in that most "rural" folks are not so rural that they don't have access to mechanics, electricians, plumbers or bakeries.
Many of us commute farther to work, as indicated in an earlier reply. Many of us farm, but not as independently, or inter-dependently as you describe. Yes, we still milk cows for our neighbors when they're sick, but few of us can repair the A/C in our homes. We hire someone to do that.
Most of us have television, and are as culturally influenced by that media as our city-dwelling brothers and sisters. Lack of internet does create a gap in many areas and should be corrected by government if the market won't do it. Remember, without the Rural Electrification Program, many of us would still be burning oil lamps.
While plowing fields is a skill not often found in urban populations, those folks also have skills unique to more populous areas (e.g., driving in heavy traffic).
In any case, I think broad generalizations are unlikely to hold up to examination. I'm not the only hick in the sticks that's seen the city lights.