Southern Lifestyles

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   gmwilliamsposted 11 years ago

   The American South represents home, closeness, spirituality, and family.   Southern cuisine is comfort food and is known as some of the best food in this nation.   Southern people are known for their plainness in speech and mannerisms.   Southern people are also known for their openness and friendliness.   What are your images of the American South?

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      Disturbiaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like a lot of stereotypes to me.  I've lived in Texas, both my daughters were born there, and Florida, and I've been all over the south and southwest with my 3rd husband, and honestly, people in the south are just about the same as people every place else.  I live in the rural northeast now and guess what, there are friendly people here, tight families, lots of churches, good food, and just about everything else you mentioned. There are regional differences of course, but what you describe is not unique to the south by any means.

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   2. 90

      tammyswallowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting question gmwilliams. I was raised in Pennsylvania, lived in South Carolina for 17 years and now live in North Carolina.
      
      Things vary so much depending on where you go in the South. I have found that your description is fitting for those in North Carolina, with the exception of accepting Yankees. People in North Carolina are tight knit families and they really don't care for Northerners or people they don't know. But- people in North Carolina are pretty classy and have impeccible manners and demonstrate hospitality.
      
      South Carolina is a totally different story and if you end up in the poor rural areas, you need to be very careful whether you are a northerner or southerner. I moved to the poorest, most rural part of the state. It is full of racism (from both sides), rampant with crime, murder, poverty, an 80% illiteracy rate, and mental illness to unimaginable extremes. I had to get out. I couldn't take it anymore. I left about a year ago and had a difficult time getting out of town the day I left because of an active KKK march happening at noon. Not all areas are this bad (Myrtle Beach is its own little world and the Coastal regions are very nice). Travelers need to be very wary going into South Carolina when they are not at the coast.

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      1. 90

         tammyswallowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Another interesting fact I have observed while living in the south- the men are worse gossips than the ladies. I always found that odd and interesting.

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         1. 61

            Randy Godwinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Now just a minute!  I was just talking to my friend Russ about how women are so gossipy down here and how they've gotten to where they think they are just as good as the menfolk.  The other guys agreed with me and we got to talking about the latest rumors going around about some of them..........!
            
            
                                           

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            1. 94

               Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               lmao hahaha!!! Nice

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               1. 61

                  Randy Godwinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Tammy did say she was raised in Pennsylvania.  I do believe she may still be a YANKEE!!!  You just can't believe what a dern Yankee says, no matter how much charm and hospitality you smear on 'em! 
                  
                                                               

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                  1. 90

                     tammyswallowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     You crack me up Randy!

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         2. 91

            habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Too true, Tammy - some men down here talk about EVERYONE, including their close friends! And it ain't usually good, either.

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      2. 94

         peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I live in a very rural part of the upstate here in SC and we see no KKK or large amounts of crime. Yes there is some racist on both sides of the isle but isn't that everywhere? I also know of very few uneducated people. Even in the lower income areas most people I have met at least have a high school diplom or more. I rent homes in some of the poorest neighborhoods and level of education is asked in or apps. I also grew up on the coast and I find it to be no different than up here in the upstate. If you don't mind me asking what area of SC did you live in?

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         1. 94

            peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I'm sorry there is one difference, less traffic here!

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         2. 90

            tammyswallowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Upstate in Marlboro County, SC.

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            1. 94

               peeplesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Well good to know! On this side of the upstate it's much better!

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2. 0

   screamingposted 11 years ago

   Only thing I disagree with is the friendliness. However, overtime a northerner can and will be accepted with open arms. But not initially.

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3. 94

   Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

   The south is a family. They "take care of their own." I've lived in North Carolina, and I was born, raised and currently live in Florida. Central Florida is a bit more like the true south than southern Florida.
   
   Living in both NC, and Fl, I've found there is truth behind the concept of "southern hospitality." If I had to choose between the south and the north based on hospitality, I choose the south in a heartbeat.
   
   Stereotypes come from somewhere, and while I dislike them, many of them do characterize the south rather well. However, I don't know that they're known for plainness in speech, the southern draw is anything but plain! Southerners also tend to very animated and Southern culture has many subtle nuances and unspoken rules of conduct. If you don't know these, you can get into a lot of trouble in the south.
   
   @screaming, you are correct, unless the northerner marries a southerner like my hubby did. The northerner will be "accepted" because of the marriage but it usually still takes time for them to be accepted completely.
   
   Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

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4. 91

   habeeposted 11 years ago

   I agree with the OP. We southerners are great! Screaming said we're not friendly to Yankees, but I disagree. Our two best pals are transplants from "up north." They came to the Deep South, fell in love with it, and stayed.

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5. 60

   readytoescapeposted 11 years ago

   I don’t know why anyone would say we Southerners don’t like northerners; we like’em when they come to visit and spend all their money here. But We love’em when they leave.
   
   The kind we don’t like are the ones that move down here and then think they can tell us all how to do things “the way they did it up North.”

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6. 0

   screamingposted 11 years ago

   A billboard welcome message.

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   1. 60

      readytoescapeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Posted in just about every bar.
      
      "We Don't Care How You Did it Up North"
      
                  OR
      
      "TOURIST NOTICE: A 25% Surtax Will Be Added To Your Bill When You try to:
      
      1.)    Tell us How you did it up North
      2.)    Complain about the traffic
      3.)    Complain about the heat
      4.)    Ask us to turn the AC lower
      5.)    Ask us if we know a Realtor

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7. 70

   Esenbeeposted 11 years ago

   I was raised in the South and I currently live in the South. It's kind of hard to separate myself from the culture that I know but I will try to answer the question to the best of my ability. My images of the South are people always saying hello to anyone who passes them in the street. Hospitatlity is expected eventhough you maybe cross with someone. The Spring and Fall seasons are short while Summers are long, hot, and humid. Winter can be brutally cold but without snow fall. The aroma of Barbeque and fried fish is always in the Summer atmosphere.
   
   There is also another image that is widely known about the South. It is the image of racism. In many areas of the South, there is still separation between races rather it be different sides of town of the city or different neighborhoods. Of course Jim Crow laws have been outlawed, but sometimes it seems as if the effects of the laws are still embedded in the minds of the people.

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   1. 90

      tammyswallowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are right about that Esenbee. And if you walk into a room full of people, you say hello or good morning to everyone.

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   2. 91

      habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Great post!
      
      I'll never forget a "Wordsworthian spot of time" I experienced a few years ago. It was July 4th, and we were at a pool party at a club we belong to. We were out front, at a flag presentation done by the Boy Scouts. Across the street, the little league team was playing baseball. The smell of just-cut grass, BBQ, and burgers on the grill filled our nostrils. We could hear the high school marching band playing in the distance, along with children's laughter from the swimming pool. Ah...it just doesn't get much better!

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