Rant on Rural Thinking

Vine Me, Tony Muse photographer

I ranted one day that I was stymied by people who didn’t want any change.  Grant Griffiths, co-owner of Headway Themes and my friend, responded to that rant.  I feel it’s a valid rant and wanted to share it with my readers.

Grant said, “And that my dear is why those with ideas and a desires to move into the future are leaving the rural area and moving to other areas. That is a shame too. Especially when you consider we no longer need concrete highways for a business to be successful. If the “old timers” would either change their view of things or get their asses out of the way, the rural areas might have more of a fighting chance to not lose the forward thinkers to the cities.

I know first hand, the city dwellers are looking to the rural areas for a change of pace and lifestyle. And those rural areas who are willing to be forward thinking and not stuck in the 1950’s are succeeding. They are also seeing their young people hang around and businesses grow too. I have never understood the view in life of not wanting your neighbor to be successful. Don’t these people grasp the notion that if others are successful, they can be too as can their community?

What is really fun is the fact people around here have no idea what we do or how well we are doing. I would venture to guess our little international business is more successful than the majority of businesses in our community. And what is funny as hell, we don’t rely on hard transportation nor the community for our living. All we need is good, reliable internet and the guts to succeed.

One problem this town has always had is the pipe dream that we will get some Fortune 500 company to come in here and solve all of our problems. Instead of going after startups and micro-companies who are going to grow into the future, they waste time and money wooing the “big boys.” What a waste of time, effort and money.

Why don’t rural communities look at putting up an incubator or co-working place in some of the wasted 2nd story space in our downtowns? Why not offer these growing businesses and startups free high speed internet if they will simply move their business here and into this 2nd story space which is not even being used? And why not waive property taxes on their equipment for these startups for a period of 5 years too? Just think of the sales tax revenue and retail sales which could happen in a small community if only 20 new people moved to town. Or 20 of our highly motivated and driven young people would either stay or come back.

Until rural areas see the future, they will keep living in the past and not see what is possible.”