As I said before, I don't know anyone in rural America that can't empathize with poor people in the city.

I know many people in cities that have 0 empathy for rural America and issues such as the heroin epidemic facing America.

You literally said it yourself, "That's an entirely self-inflicted problem.". Go to rural America. Talk to them. Then come back and tell me if you think its self inflicted. Do you really think you are so amazing that you would have been impervious to the cultural impact your environment has on you and never touched those type of drugs?