Why is the overwhelmingly Conservative south known for "Southern Hospitality"?

Question

Ok, I live in the Conservative South, and we have long been known for "Southern Hospitality".
Women are referred to as "ma'am", doors are opened for them, and everyone is pretty much nice to everyone else, in general.

However, I have traveled a lot, and have been to northern, more Liberal areas such as Vermont and new York, and it seems to me that people from these places are nothing but jerks. You can't even get the time of day from someone on the street, and if you call someone "ma'am", you get a feminist tirade about how being nice is apparently sexist.

Is it just me, or do Conservatives just seem to be more amiable and nice than Liberals? Now, don't look mainly at the Politicians, because Politicians act however can get them elected. ( For instance, say Dick Cheney and Nancy Pelosi are both major jerks, but Reagan and Clinton were both nice-guys)

Just based on voting populations alone, do you think that Republicans are just nicer people?

Answer 1

Being a republican doesn't mean that you are a conservative automatically as you state. I too live in the south and don't see many of those liberals like you say but I do see a split in the dems and the republicans. I do however see conservatives as you say being much nicer people to be around. Southern hospitality goes back to the evangelical side of the south. Being a Baptist I am a firm believer in fellowship and Love Thy Neighbor.

Answer 2

I think, it's just that a large majority of Republicans come from the South now. I mean, in the South, our parents weren't scared of whooping (or spanking, whichever you prefer) with a switch or their hand. There was always the nice Castor oil in the mouth when you spoke badly. We quickly learned to behave and be polite. The political parties kind of did a flip flop because just a few years ago, my state got its first Republican governor in years. Everyone loves him though because he's a down-to-earth man.

I don't get why people get upset when a person is being perfectly nice to them. I think the Southern hospitality is being driven out due to the influx of outsiders (not saying just Northerners but everyone). There are more and more people in more populous areas being rude.

I think it's just the way we were brought up. I'm not saying there aren't nice, hospitable people elsewhere because I have a German and a Japanese friend who are as nice as can be. I also have several friends from the North who are perfectly nice.

Answer 3

relatively the south used to consistently vote Democrat. lots so as that Democrats end campaigning interior the south. It became stated as "the solid south" as a results of fact they consistently voted Democrat. Even FDR boasted approximately it. What blew it became while Humphrey pronounced in an interview that they did no longer ought to stress with regard to the south as a results of fact they consistently voted Democrat. That made numerous southerners offended. So from that element on they rebelled and started balloting Republican. That became the early 50's. additionally they have been given extra knowledgeable and observed that great government and severe taxes became no longer good for the working human beings.

Answer 4

This is just one person;s opinion based on limited experience and some obvious prejudice. It is generalization. The rudest people I have ever encountered are rich republicans in Connecticut. Southern does not equal republican and their are plenty of republicans in Vermont and New York . How do you know what party people in the north belonged to who you felt weren't "nice" did you ask them or do you just assume that everyone in the North is a "liberal".

Southerners are nice to your face. They have good manners. They are however, extremely suspicious of strangers and will never be true friends to "outsiders". They also tend to much more prejudiced than New Yorkers who are used to living together with people of all ethnic groups and religions.

Southerns are nice to everyone on the surface but stick to their own groups, the word "phony" comes to mind.

New York was voted the "most polite" big city in the world. People here will certainly give you the "time of day" if you ask. If you act like a jerk in New York you will get treating like a jerk, maybe that was your problem when you visted here.

I don't think making sweeping generaizations about people is very "nice" either. There are nice and nasty people in both parties.

Answer 5

I think it has more to do with population density. When you live in New York or Los Angles, the population density is the driving factor. You can't open the door for other people, because there is a constant stream of people coming it all the time. The only way to survive being around that many people is to ignore and mind your own business. With that said, I live in Seattle, a very liberal area, and it is consistently called the most polite drivers in the country. So that sort of goes against my theory.

Answer 6

Population density has an affect on how 'nice' people are. In densely populated urban areas, interaction is so constant, that people become somewhat more withdrawn and defensive. In less densely populated areas, that's not the case, and in sparsely populated rural areas, contact with 'neighbors' (who may be miles away) is a bit of an event.

There is also a correlation with political outlook - rural areas tend to be conservative, urban ones more liberal.

Answer 7

I was born in the Northeast....I have spent considerable time in the South....and came back to the northeast.

'Southern Hospitality' is only SO understanding....Admittedly we from the north move faster (it keeps up warm in the winter)...But the hospitality ended when my northern 'ways' came out in the South...I was told, in no uncertain terms, 'we don't need your ways here....go back north'. They also seem to relish the idea of having a 'Yankee' around....

We understand up north the speed at which things work....and we are trying to keep up with them.

And the 'Ma'am' thing.....well I was called Ma'am...and I was 25 at the time...that is a bit of an insult to young people.

And no...I'm not a liberal...but was born and raised in the north.

Answer 8

Its not a political thing, its simply geographic.

Cities become more dehumanized because they deal day in and day out with people and not the greatest bunch. So they get burned out with manners and treat people more like numbers then people. Whereas in rural areas, manners and compassion are more celebrated.

Answer 9

No, I think it is a mix. I have traveled a lot and lived in several states, Including the South.

Answer 10

Actually, I've lived in Arkansas my entire life and I've dealt with both conservative and liberal jerks. Try working with the public, and you will, too.