International friend question re: country folk

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

In a different forum, mostly devoted to Mideval History, I got into a  wrangle about the prevalence of such shows like Swamp People, Duck Dynasty and other rural folks living odd anachonistic lifestyles on TV.   Yeah its extreme, but no so extreme most Americans can't relate.

I had  heck of a time outlining to the mostly European group that many Americans may not live such lifestyles; but many of us have relations, aquaintences, or similar who may not be quite as extreme but who do live a decidely rustic or frontier lifestyle.   Hell I know people who didn't eat a piece of meat they didn't hunt or fish themselves growing up.  My own father (ex-Air Force Colonel, now college professor) spent his youth hunting possums and squirrels to get them through the lean times.

So I got to thinking... is the idea of "Very odd Country folk" such a foreign concept to the rest of the world.  I'm not being derogatory but is there a German, or Swedish, or Japanese or whatever concept for "White Trash" or "Hillbilly", or just plain old "Country folks what we city folks don't understand" ?
-Ed
ps Just because of this group I feel I should mention: I'm talking REAL people.  None of the "Hills Have Eyes" or "Deliverance" stuff.

[Trevor]

South Africa has its' fair share of these people: the word to describe them is 'commin' or 'common'. My previous boss told me of a suburb in Pretoria where one of the 1960s gangs was known as 'Die Pap Gooiers'. [Porridge Throwers]

When I asked why they used that name, he said that in that gang's fights with others, their weapon of choice was hot porridge thrown at their attackers. 

[claws]

We do have "white trash" here in Germany, and they are usually easy to identify, especially "white trash women" as they always try to look hip, sporting the latest fashion trend (trying to cover their lower class roots I suppose) so they can "blend in", but in reality it makes them appear awkward and stand out like a sore thumb.
Once they open their mouth you'll be rolling your eyes, though. They are dumb as bread paired with "street smarts" - a devastating combination.

[Trevor]

A lot of the youngsters here in Pretoria dress up in what they believe are the latest fashions, only to find out that they are wearing 'Levies' jeans, wearing Rullex watches and Reybins glasses and walking in Nickey or Rheobak shoes. This is what we call fong kong [cheap knockoff] fashions. 

[Rev. Powell]

We do have "white trash" here in Germany, and they are usually easy to identify, especially "white trash women" as they always try to look hip, sporting the latest fashion trend (trying to cover their lower class roots I suppose) so they can "blend in", but in reality it makes them appear awkward and stand out like a sore thumb.
Once they open their mouth you'll be rolling your eyes, though. They are dumb as bread paired with "street smarts" - a devastating combination.

Living in the US I can't comment but it gives me an excuse to post this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Vun2LYnoY
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(Ironically shot in Las Vegas)

[dean]

Ah everywhere has their country vs city differences.

Ours are reasonably famous:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrRfx71_4CQ
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or on the opposite end of the spectrum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT2qFx9iSlM
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But if we're being particular we don't have hillbilly's as such, more white trash-types we call bogans and they aren't just for country-folk.

[frank]

As claws pointed out,there is something one might call "white trash" in Germany. I would say this is more or less related to the educational level and/or employment status.

As for "odd country folks", I'd say this is far less common, and for several reasons:

Germany is small and densly populated. There is simply not enough land to "live off the land" for many people.

We have rather strict regulations, e.g. for hunting. In a small densly populated country it is difficult to run around shooting animals for your own nourishment without anyone noticing and asking for permissions.

On the contrary, there is some kind of movement to live "off the city", by either guerilla gerdening and studd like that or checking the trash from supermarkets etc. But these people tend to be at an higher level of education.

[Derf]

While I am an American, I think I can reasonably state that wherever you go in the world, whatever country you travel to, whatever race, creed or color of the people you find there, I say that wherever you can find a Wal-Mart, you will find strange folk. 

[ER]

I believe National Lampoon once answered your question...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE9AQhfz2fM
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[frank]

While I am an American, I think I can reasonably state that wherever you go in the world, whatever country you travel to, whatever race, creed or color of the people you find there, I say that wherever you can find a Wal-Mart, you will find strange folk. 

Well, Wal-Mart pulled put of Germany in 2006 (with 1 - 3 billion $ loss, depending on sources).

But I must say they neither brought their strange folk here, nor did they take our strange folk with them....

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

Thanks all, maybe its a frontier mentality thing... thinking of the Aussie post.  You need low regulation and wide open spaces. Europe hasn't had much of a frontier for a long time. 

Anyway, I wasn't trying to be classist or anything, I was just thinking about the arguments in the other forum.  Those folks (mostly European) didn't believe there were such people in the world as History and TLC seem littered with. 

-Ed

[El Misfit]

i saw those shows, my reaction is this: What the f**k is this s**t? It has the same vibe of having an Amish Mafia, doesn't make sense. -___-