America's forgotten working class | J.D. Vance

J.D. Vance grew up in a small, poor city in the Rust Belt of southern Ohio, where he had a front-row seat to many of the social ills plaguing America: a heroin epidemic, failing schools, families torn apart by divorce and sometimes violence. In a searching talk that will echo throughout the country's working-class towns, the author details what the loss of the American Dream feels like and raises an important question that everyone from community leaders to policy makers needs to ask: How can we help kids from America's forgotten places break free from hopelessness and live better lives?

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.

[JhonnyL]

Who’s here after he got announced as Trumps running mate?

[dr.charlescunico]

Who else is watching this to figure out who he is based off of his past....not what the mainstream is going to say about him!?!?

[shikyokira]

Notice how the message isn't about race or prejudice but environment and community. I'm glad that he is given a position that could help shape the community to a better place for everyone, poor or rich

[samuelbarans]

I’m a liberal, but I can’t lie. This is a valuable speech that many Americans could benefit from hearing. Not that I agree with everything he has to say but a respectable person nonetheless.

[owo]

My father had abused my mother. One day, my father drank and broke my mother's arm. But my mother didn't abandon me and I went to college with my mother's support and love, and I was able to finish it safely. I feel a lot of gratitude to my mother.
from south korea.

[lustchievous]

Being raised in the ghetto by a mentally ill single mom. I remember being 14 and pg from rape. I walked past a fast food place thinking, "kids work there" and wondering how a person gets a job. I had no idea. I had absolutely no examples in my life of how to have a life, get an education, find a job, solve problems. As I got older, there were some people who I learned things from. One was a teacher who taught a vocabulary class that was really about systems and how they work. She felt that if you understood systems that vocabulary would then come naturally. That class changed my brain and my life. It helped me traverse the systems that often overwhelmed my life and enabled me to learn what I needed to learn. It made the world a place I could see clearly and interact effectively with. It's these little things that make the real difference in giving people a chance.

[sssseeeeeeeeeeyyyyaa]

I'm speechless! As high school teacher that deals with stories like these all the time and also as a sociologist, I can tell you that Trump trully found a gem of a vp and hopefully president one day! I personally struggled with all thse issues and had to move from Romania to UK as social mobility was practically inexistent in my country! Well done Mr president for finding such a young, talented and intelligent VP!

[phillipwatkins]

I have been aware of JD Vance for years after reading his book. He is exactly what our nation needs to become grounded again.

[hyenaedits]

I live in Appalacian Pennsylvania and a lot of these problems are true here as well. A lot of the kids in my town turn to drugs and alcohol for entertainment because nobody is making an effort to include young people in anything. There are no careers here either unless you want to be a McDonald's or WalMart manager. Then the older generation complains about the millenials moving away and wonders what's wrong with kids today. The "brain drain" is very real. There does seem to be a sense of pessimism in my town; people are content to live off welfare. My family is considered rich because we're NOT on welfare, but it's hard to make enough money to stay above the poverty line even in the usually well-paying fields. Child abuse is depressingly common. I hear it through the windows when I go on walks.
I want to escape the cycle of poverty, and I'm damn lucky I have the opportunity to go to college on scholarship. I cannot afford to go to the college I'm attending, and I was never aware of how poor I was until I started freaking out about grades and a classmate said "Just fail and try again next year!" and I had to say "I literally can't."

[shengwu]

He outlined the working class life really well and the need for social capital and information to guide and help kids have a possible better future

[ziggymoon]

7/15/24, J. D. Vance now VP Nominee! I really knew nothing of the young man until searching articles & watching videos. I'm older by decades, but I can relate to his younger life, raised poor, family disfunction, military, a feeling of being out of place and different in college/university. I'm so happy to see someone like this man earn the chance to be considered for such a high position of leadership in this nation. May God Bless him and the United States of America!

[ZackDuck-rmdt]

Do us proud Vance. Alot of us dont really know you but we're looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table. You have an oppertunity to be the best VP weve had in decades.

[williamlouie]

This reminded me living in the Bronx NY in poor neighborhoods, drug ridden, gangs but I survived and prospered because of family. I came from a strong family.

[TurbulenttJuice]

Six minutes and I already love this man. He seems to have a true understanding what the average American person goes through. What the real American majority struggle with on a daily basis. Vance for VP!

He has such a clear, easy to listen to voice.

[HeyCutie]

What he said about growing up poor and not understanding the system is SO relatable. I had juvenile medical records on my credit report for eight years because I didn’t know you could fight them. I had to move in with boyfriends because I had horrible credit, though no fault of my own. I had no idea you were supposed to study for the SATs, or that universities gave financial aid. I didn’t even know going to a trade school was an option. I went right into the workforce, despite graduating at the top of my class because I assumed higher education was beyond my reach.

[RobC]

He grew up 3 blocks from me and it's two years older. The movie was great and brings back a lot of memories. His childhood mimicked a lot of my buddy's and mine own. Good ol mTown 513

[bizzimartini]

Just clicked out of curiosity but ended up watching the entire video. If this is the real him (which I believe it is) this is the future leadership our country needs.

[wewirnl]

What I just took from this is that we all really need to open our eyes to what's around us and do whatever we can to help each other.

[SolidForge]

I have hope for America knowing that people like this guy may potentially be the president of our country. This guy is very intelligent and respectful.