You may have heard me refer to myself as a “high tech redneck” and wondered what the heck that means. I’m here now to hopefully clear up some confusion as to what the label means, as I see it.
I like to work with my hands. Splitting wood, working on my old pickup truck, building a bookshelf, you get the idea.
I like living in the country and I like the emphasis that people “out here” place on family and community. I also like the focus on “traditional values.” Note, however, that I don’t necessarily cling to the “real ‘Mericans are Republicans who distrust minorities, favor bombing other countries for any and all reasons, and always buy Chevys” ideals upheld by some of my brethren. I favor Formula One over NASCAR, and I don’t think God needed a driver.
I think activities like hunting and fishing, done right, breed a respect and intimacy with the earth and its inhabitants that people concerned about “cruelty to animals” and “senseless killing” will probably never understand (and no, at this writing I have never been hunting–yet).
On the other hand, I love technology, although I tend to take a rather grassroots approach to it. I’d much rather “home brew” a gadget or other solution to a tech problem than go out and buy the latest “thing.” I love progressive ideas and changing the rules of the game when it comes to technology and progress.
I often find myself stuck in the gap between self sufficiency and interconnection. There’s a disconnect sometimes between the expansionary forces involved in emerging platforms like Twitter, and the stripped down, subsistence-based pioneer ethos. So, being a high tech redneck is about the balancing act between these two (apparently) disparate paradigms.
Enough about me. Write a comment and tell me what you think.