<p>At the risk of inciting further flame warfare, I’ll throw in my 2 cents.
I currently live in Greenville, SC but lived in Cincinnati before that. I don’t have any historical ties to either and my time between the two has been split more or less evenly, so I don’t really consider myself to be “from” anywhere in particular. When I first moved here, I saw what I wanted to see: The typical, negative, southern stereotype. Over the years, I’ve come to recognize things as they really are rather than how they are characterized in Family Guy.
First off, there is a kernel of truth at the center of how the South as a whole is perceived. A lot of its history is less than admirable. It’s not as urban or dense as the North East. There are some rednecks. In rural areas, there is an apathetic attitude toward education. Some people even like NASCAR. 
That said, a lot of these qualities are overblown in our national culture and especially in the media. Every time a national news outlet covers a story in the area, they seem to interview the person with the least teeth they can find (This doesn’t seem as prevalent on CNN, which is based in Atlanta). For residents in my area, this is something of a running joke. This is not unlike how the US is characterized in Europe. I’m sure you are familiar with that stereotype: Fat, stupid, lazy, and spoiled. I’m also sure you’ve seen something like this before too: [YouTube</a> - Americans are NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES](<a href=“Americans are NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES - YouTube”>Americans are NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES - YouTube)
Same thing. People like to be told what they already believe. The South also seems to be a victim of the “no true Scottsman” fallacy. That is, things which do not fit the Southern stereotype are not considered “southern”. This can include individuals (the large number of transplants in the Texas triangle and along the I-85 corridor or even any educated and/or reasonable person) or it can include regions, in example Southern Florida and Northern Virginia (Please note, I agree that the cultures of these areas differ from much of the rest of the south). Certainly, a disparity exists here. However, were the cities of north considered less northern and more European when their populations were dominated by European immigrants? Was the West considered European when the pioneers began to settle the Pacific Coast? I’m not saying that all areas geographically in the South should be lumped together and generalized. What concerns me is that if people too freely make exceptions to what is really “southern”, then they are left to classify only what they initially perceive as southern to be southern. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As for my own experiences in the South, I have found that the expression of stereotypically southern traits, and desirability / quality of life for that matter varies wildly from place to place. For instance, I live in SC, which is , along with Mississippi and Alabama, considered the worst of the worst. That said, I like the city I live in. It’s certainly not perfect and there are definitely better places, but there are also far worse places. Still, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in this state. Not to step on any toes, but Columbia is pure **** for me. Despite being only 90 miles away, it feels as though you’ve gone 500 miles “further south”. Accents, attitudes, the whole 9 yards. Still, I’m sure this isn’t the case with everybody or even every part of the city. On the other hand, Asheville, 90 miles the other way, is a hot spot for “hippie” culture. The point is, not everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon is the same. NYC is not the same as Maine.
I’ve also met great people here. Sure, there are some idiots, but they don’t dominate the population. There are plenty of intelligent and informed people. The smartest person I’ve ever met is from Houston and I have classmates with Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Johns Hopkins in their cross hairs. Furthermore, not everyone has been living in the same trailer park their whole lives. I know people that have come here from LA, Chicago, NYC, Egypt, Brazil, Columbia etc. Those that are native have traveled. Also keep in mind that we live in a global world. People in the south read the same books, watch the same shows, see the same movies, and surf the same internet as everybody else. It’s not an island.
If I have idealized the south in any way, it is only in response to all the flack it seems to get. It’s not a perfect place. It’s not better than other places in the us, it may even be worse. I probably won’t be here in a decade, nor will a good number of my classmates. I just don’t think it’s fair to treat the region as though it’s a third world country.
Also, anticipatory responses.
-No, racism does not abound.
-Yes, I have (fill in the blank) friends
-Yes, I know that doesn’t prove anything
-Yes, I know I live near Bob Jones. Most of us think they’re crazy too.
-Yes, I know Cincinnati is pretty crappy itself. That’s why I don’t live there anymore.
-It’s generally called soda here. I want to thank everybody for saying that it’s called pop in other places. I remember this but no one else in my family does. I though I was losing my mind.
-It’s “you guys” and it’s the “Civil War”
-Yes, it snows.
-Yes, people freak out when it happens.
-Yes, I’ve traveled.
-Yes, I can make this post longer.</p>
<p>^If that’s your 2 cents, I really don’t want to see your $1.</p>
<p>I actually think ya’ll makes a lot more sense. We have to say dumb stuff like “you guys.” English really needs a 2nd person plural distinct from you, like pretty much EVERY OTHER LANGUAGE (ok I really have no idea, but a lot) has. And I like how you guys have better manners–like do you call people ma’am and stuff? B/c I wish I could pull that off, but I’d just sound like a d****. I also think southern accents are really cool.</p>
<p>Also, everyone should stop idealizing CA. People are kinda b****… Pacific Northwest is where it’s at. Nice people like in the South/Midwest, only they exercise and are healthy (read: not all fat) and the weather’s great if you’re down with rain. Plus, no annoying accent (IMO).</p>
<p>Oh, and it’s soda. That map is wrong, it’s for sure soda in the Seattle area and probably the rest of WA…</p>
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“Yes, ma’am”, “yes, sir”, etc are almost a requirement here lol.</p>
<p>And yea, we definitely are a hell of a lot friendlier. It’s so taboo to smile and wave to people you’ve never seen before in… idk, New York or some ****. But here, it’s the norm.</p>
<p>South: Polite.</p>
<p>North: I get cussed out while driving. Nasty looks.</p>
<p>But really, the argument against the South was stupid.</p>
<p>Minnesotaguy, take a nap. A long one.</p>
<p>What has this thread come to? </p>
<p>^^^^^ Damn! Your two cents? That’s at least 50 bucks.</p>
<p>btw, Northern accents are so annoying “yous guys”.( It’s a jersey thing)</p>
<p>Wellll I mentioned the religious part more for the Muslimness and how people could be racist towards me because for Muslims people think religion = race. And how that gives me the opportunity to uh not be an assumed racist. But I don’t want to be known as a Muslim currently when I’m not, hence the atheist part.</p>
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<p>Figure of internet speech, not sure why you’re so angrily moved by it. Even though I don’t have the body part for it. Ahem.</p>
<p>Whoever called South Carolina racist needs to get over what happen 150 years ago. That is history. It happened. But we’ve moved on a lot since then. We’ve moved on a lot since even the 70’s.</p>
<p>I have several black friends. We don’t have problems. Bob Jones is known to be a super conservative school that most of us tend to make fun of when we pass. My neighborhood is about as diverse as it gets: whites across the street, blacks on both sides of me, and Mexicans across the street as well. We also have asians living in our neighborhood. No one gives a ****.</p>
<p>I am white and I have a mixed cousin. I just went to a band clinic where my roommates were white and black. No one cares.</p>
<p>Sure racism exists… but jeez. It honestly is not that bad. My city is 70% black. We have black people in office on the city council and the county council. My mother went to a 98% black school.</p>
<p>And I don’t say ‘coke’. Actually, I don’t know anyone who does. I typically say soda, but most people I know say soft drink.</p>
<p>But seriously. Have you even spent an ounce of time in the south? What qualifies us as more racist in today’s world?</p>
<p>Money is green. That’s the only color that really matters. South Carolina has a lot of black people and they have money, so obviously, people have had to get over race here.</p>
<p>I’m not saying it’s gone or that they’re aren’t racist people here, I’m just saying that non-southerners make it out to be like we’re in the slave-era, and we’re not. At all.</p>
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That’s true. Although here, if you don’t wave at someone you’re passing, it’s pretty rude. You’re supposed to at least wave or say hi or something.</p>
<p>And yes ma’am and no sir are mandatory as well.</p>
<p>And YouGotAStewGoing… We’re neighbors. =) Greenville is pretty progressive. I also live in the upstate.</p>
<p>How come Southerners never say yes sir or no ma’am?</p>
<p>^Funny.</p>
<p>If I don’t say “yes sir” to my father… oh dear lord.</p>
<p>But really. You knew what I meant.</p>
<p>If I don’t say yes sir or yes ma’am to my family (All southern),</p>
<p>I brought on the coming of Hell.</p>
<p>If anyone actually gets offended when someone they don’t know doesn’t say hi when they pass (which I seriously doubt, AUGirl is getting defensive), they need to make their way to the 21st century.</p>
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<p>The conversation’s moved on a bit, but I’m going to defend the South here: I’ve definitely found NC (where I’m from) and Mississippi (where my dad’s from) to be more tolerant than Minnesota, Oregon, or the suburbs of New York (where my cousins are from) in terms of race. The reason probably has more to do with exposure than anything–there simply aren’t that many black people outside of the South or urban areas.</p>
<p>Historical arguments for Northern racism can be made but aren’t particularly relevant. </p>
<p>And I say Coke or soda. Interchangable. Pop is just plain weird :).</p>
<p>Thank god I live in Northern Virginia. Best of both worlds.</p>
<p>^ True **** dude. True ****.</p>
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<p>I am being defensive about people calling my entire state and culture racist, backwards, and idiotic.</p>
<p>But that (what you mentioned) wasn’t really anything that I was being defensive about.</p>
<p>I do know people who would be offended if you didn’t acknowledge them while you were passing them on the street. It’s just something you do here. It’s more common in the rural parts. Obviously in the city, you don’t talk to wave at every passing car, but if you’re walking on the sidewalk and you pass someone, you do make an awkward wave, hi, nod, or something. It’s just impolite to not do that. At least here.</p>
<p>I always found the north to be rather cold, because you don’t talk to people you don’t know. It’s just such a foreign environment to me. I mean, I’ve been all over the world… but I still don’t understand the idea of passing someone and not making some acknowledgment, even if it is a spazzy awkward moment.</p>
<p>It’s just a difference in culture though.</p>
<p>Who wants to live in the North anyway? It’s cold, filled with obnoxious accents, and people who dont shave. Come here! Where you can drink sweet tea and meet beautiful southern belles.</p>
<p>I hate how just about every northerner I see thinks they’re better than southerners because they all think we’re a bunch a’ “sweet tea-drinkin, grits eatin, y’all sayin” rednecks. I mean, sure, there are a lot of ignorant people down here but I’m fairly positive there are even more up north…like those who think we’re all rednecks for instance…
just my 2 cents on this whole ordeal</p>
<p>I live in Northern VA too and think it’s the absolute worst place in the country I’ve been. It’s a very far cry from the south and people here are ruder than anywhere else in the country. The traffic is bad too, and my school is full of middle class kids who think they’re ******* loaded.</p>
<p>I’m just gonna throw this out there. Here is a map which shows the number of extremist hate groups in each state. If you calculate it out per capita Mississippi is the worst.</p>
<p>[Hate</a> Map | Southern Poverty Law Center](<a href=“http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map]Hate”>http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map)</p>