Wisdom from the Woods. Life Lessons from Being around Commonsense People.

Despite what the new MTV reality show “Buckwild” would have you believe, there’s no shortage of commonsense in West Virginia. Most of us know right from wrong. Like my dog, my good behaviors were shaped by listening to someone I respect. There are no truer truths than the counsel I received from my grandmother. Anything good I am, or ever will be, is a direct result of listening to her. My shortcomings are a result of not paying attention. Same is true for most people, I imagine. Our lives are filled with consequences of ill-chosen choices and unheeded instructions from people who knew better. Perhaps the cast of “Buckwild” didn’t listen. Or maybe they were lied to by MTV. Otherwise, there’s no excuse for contributing to such an embarrassing spectacle. I say, make good choices or honest mistakes. When I make bad choices, I do it honestly. I don’t know if “Buckwild” is honest or not but I’m sure it’s a mistake. West Virginians have enough critics without being heckled from within by a bunch of hillbilly posers in the hollers of Boone County. A presumably intelligent person at MTV thought “Buckwild” was a good idea. In that case, the show epitomizes the lack of commonsense it tries to depict. What I find most offensive isn’t the exploitive nature of the show but the fact that it’s just boring. The lame misadventures of the motley Mountain State messes featured in the show are the real mockery. There are far more tantalizing tales to tell in West Virginia than watching dimwitted doughy dudes drinking beer and brawling over chubby chicks at a bonfire. Although, “Buckwild” might unconsciously be doing the state a great favor. Our most cunning quality is how ignorant we let people think we are. It’s how we keep the riff raff away. If “Buckwild” does that, I’m its biggest fan.

– Jim Shock, LBSPY #26 (Feb 11-25th)