How can Appalachia be talked about without resorting to mythologizing?

The point is to consider the issues behind taking a single person's experience as representative of a large group of people. It is important to diversify the narrative regarding Appalachia and acknowledge that the truth is more nuanced than the media makes it seem.

What's the problem with the Trump Country genre of election writing?

Not only does this genre "blame" Appalachians for the rise of Donald Trump (which, as Catte points out, is statistically not true) but it also takes part in a long trend of outsiders coming into Appalachia and documenting their poverty and social problems. While it is important for news coverage to let the nation know what is happening in a region, there is something demeaning about people purporting to "explain" a group of people to middle class audience.

The coal industry is in decline, but many workers' livelihoods still depend on coal mining. What are some possible solutions to this problem?