I can’t tell you how many times I dreamed of escaping the area—the middle of the Upper Peninsula, the "middle of nowhere" to a kid looking to flee—once I was old enough. I saw a life outside that I was envious of. When I looked at my home, I saw all that it lacked in comparison to cities across the country. There was a never-ending list of “I wish” complaints. I wish we had this store or restaurant; I wish we had a better selection of movie theaters; I wish we weren’t so far away from the nearest city; I wish...
It’s always easier to see the flaws in something and focus on what is lacking. Sad as it is, it’s hard work being content with what you have and not being envious of others. Tempering ambitions and finding the tranquility which my home now brings me was not something without challenges. The road, though difficult at times, has been far more rewarding than the young me could have anticipated. So, what caused this restlessness in me? It’s probably something similar to what so many others feel. It wasn't a hatred or even a dislike for my home, but more of a childish desire for independence. With that yearning for independence was the thinking that the only way to get it was by running as far away as possible. Thankfully, I grew up.
That desire for more was not unique to me. It is an all-too-common trait and I find no flaw in it. For some, the desire for more is what they wish to pursue, and that is their prerogative. But there is a quiet sibling to this frantic desire: rural. (I hope my description offends no one, for it is not meant to.) Rural life, communities, economics, and beliefs are not for everyone. I am not looking to persuade anyone away from their values, or paint anyone the bad guy/good guy in this situation. The reality is, we live in a global economy where rural and urban are united, and I believe we can all benefit from a better understanding of the participants.
When I started attending Northern Michigan University and took my first Econ class I barely knew what economics was. I only knew that it met a liberal studies requirement. Little did I know that it would alter my path and bring life to an unknown passion. It would guide me in uncovering many more interests and passions, spur me to run for Congress, and unite me with many of my closest friends. Far from being only about supply and demand, marginal costs, utility maximization, and equations set in a vacuum depicting real-life scenarios, economics is about understanding. It is about uncovering the motives behind how and why we make decisions. It is about human behavior, whether those humans belong to a small, isolated tribe in a far-off corner of the world, a booming coastal metropolis with a population of millions, or a sparsely populated county in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
As a youth, I partially understood why I wanted to flee, but there was so much more to discover than my own personal ambitions. Like so many others, my appreciation for rural life was not to be had until I could better understand rural areas (and myself). Uncovering why people leave rural communities in pursuit of “more”—more opportunities, money, culture, etc.—is not difficult to do. But understanding what draws people to rural life, what causes them to stay in the face of “more,” and why they, we, are so protective of our communities is a bit more nebulous. And so we are stepping in.
There are many questions to be asked and answers to be found on this journey of rural understanding. How and why are decisions made; what are the daily struggles and challenges faced; and what are the sacrifices made and benefits received by choosing rural life being just a few. Inside these tight-knit communities lies a world yearning to be understood by those outside of it.
While these biospheres may not take the same diverse form as a large city, the complexity is no less interesting and worthy of our attention. By examining and diving deeper into the decision making process of those living in rural areas—whether they are deeply rooted via their family history, or new transplants—we can begin to appreciate the role rural areas play in our states, countries, economy, and society. The interaction that exists between rural and urban is one to be fostered and expanded upon. While urban areas tend to get the bulk of the attention due to their vibrant economies, varied makeup, and modern appeal, it is amiss to ignore the importance their rural counterparts play in the world today.
Understanding the economics of rural is elusive yet vital to our understanding of the economy as a whole. More than that, though, is its importance to understanding the relationships between the different areas of a country, both economic and social.