southern question?

Question

is the south really as redneck as the stereotype would suggest

is it just the small towns that are redneck?

i live in the north and i think the towns here are probably more redneck than the cities in the south

Answer 1

Yes

The small towns are MORE redneck, but you still see rebel flags, big trucks and people dressing redneck even around Nashville.

Answer 2

I had to answer this question b/c I take it personally. I have lived in NC & SC my entire life. I hate the the whole perpetual redneck myth. There are only certain instances/circumstances when you run into stuff like that. Let me explain...

The first circumstance being location. Some places, especially rural areas, fit the bill of "redneck". Yes you occasionally see it but not that often. I would consider it a "minor" part of the southern population.

The second has more to do more w/ your perception of what a redneck is. The original term of redneck evolved from working class folks who spent a lot of time out doors (hence the "red" neck). I have known plenty of people like that throughout my lifetime & they are of good character.

The problem I have w/ the term redneck is that it implies that someone is a racist & lifetime member of the Klan. Also movies tend to portray "rednecks" as people living in a trailer, having 3 or 4 cars sitting out in the front yard up on blocks, married to their sibling, & ignorant. Where I live, we call that trailer trash. And again, I have yet to see any of the above except for maybe the ignorance & the cars up on blocks.

So let me stop the madness right now... You don't have to live in the south to be considered a redneck nor are all southerners rednecks.

Yes, we have some poor ignorant people but so does the rest of the U.S. & the world for that matter.

I am from a wealthy family, have a college degree, make great money, & consider myself middle class. I did not marry my relative nor do I live in a trailer. Neither do I have cars up on blocks nor do I have livestock running around on my lawn.

I hope I've clarified this issue. But, to be sure, there are people who would disagree. I guess I have to live w/ that but it's all good. No worries b/c I know who I am & love where I live. Peace.

Answer 3

certain parts of it certainly are. Urban areas in the south are just like urban areas in the north BUT when you go to small southern towns that is where the stereotypes kick in. I know because I am from a small southern town. I come from an upper middle class family here and I have take many classes in college to lessen my accent, but there are still Bud drinking, cigarette pack in the shirt sleeve, long socks with cut offs wearing, "Yee Hah" saying Rednecks.

I wouldn't trade it for the world, but occasionlly I long for some culture that has not been sponsored by a beer company.

Answer 4

God no! It's just those few uneducated imbeciles that make the rest of the South look bad. I lived in Houston until a year ago, but I have family throughout the South that I visit quite often. They are far from the stereotype. There just happens to be a large number of idiot rednecks who like the attention causing people to think they all act that way.

Answer 5

Some parts but not all. The stereotype exagerates a little. Its mostly the small towns. I live in Miami Florida. Its a huge city so you don't get to see any so called rednecks here but if you travel up north to Central Florida and Northern you might see what you consider redneck.

Answer 6

Depends on the area. But as a whole, no. People here are very respectable and don't act redneck like you hear. Are people from the north really stuck up jerks the way we hear? ( I already know the answer for myself). In some areas, yes, you will find quite a few rednecks. But most of us ignore them and act better than that.

Answer 7

The term "redneck" really refers to a farmer who gets a red neck from working the crop field all day in the sun. But if you are saying "REDNECK!," that is a slanderous and bigotted term. I've been to many places, including NYC, Washinton DC, New Orleans, and MIAMI. Someone could get mighty upset you even ASKING this question in ANY city I've been in!! Why don't you come South and ask that question? I tell you what? Go to Hazard, Kentucky and ask that question!

Answer 8

No, don't you know the meaning of the word stereotype?! I live in Tennessee, which isn't so far in the south, but people here get called rednecks and hillbillies all the time, not by people here of course, but by people in other places, cuz they don't know what they're talking about. Sure there are rednecks here, but if you think about it, they're everywhere.......

Answer 9

NO! I have lived in the south all my life. Now there are some backwoods, hicks that i am even afraid of meeting in person, but the stereotyping we get for living in the south was so 30 years ago, We have running water, electricity, we wear shoes and not everybody dips and spits. I hope everyone gets a chance to come down here and check it out in person.

Answer 10

The rural areas I would say so. But in the cities or urban areas like Nashville, Memphis, ATL, etc. you have the same stereotypes as out of the south. Remember, every city has a ghetto, a "upper" side, and suburb.