my ongoing rant about being Southern

[cathaarsix]

a post made by the ever-intriguing ZOJIRUSHI made me think of something that annoys me. i grew up in the South. of Southern parents, and Southern grandparents etc. despite the fact that the South is the punching bag for oh-so-sophisticated hipsters, there are many things i love about the South and feeling culturally Southern. and some of my friends

Comments

Which South?

[rhombosis]

Amen and I hear ya brother. But I do not think I really "got" it until moving away, and then moving back to Louisiana, which is the strangest "South" that there is. There is definately a "I don't give a fuck," laid-back, let's-party-because-we-die-tomorrow attidute that is just the anecdote for the poison of my neuroses. I'm southern, through and through.

Re: Which South?

[cathaarsix]

i wasn't as aware of it myself until i left too. not so much Japan, but Minnesota. the uptightness quotient is WAY higher than i am used to, having lived in the South. in fairness to Minnesotans, Liz's mom, and to a lesser extent, dad, are SO much more high-strung than your average Minnesotan, and i got more exposure to them than others.

you probably don't get this kind of condescension so much from peeps in LA (since you're in the South) and likely won't get it at UT either, which is good. Texas is a whole 'nother ball game (though still Southern) i'm eager to hear how you like it there.

Re: Which South?

[cathaarsix]

oh, and to answer the "which South?" question, my dad, though having grown up in a number of places, settled in southern Georgia. his father was from Florida actually (back when it was far more "Southern" than it it now) my mother's whole side is from Texas. i grew up entirely in the panhandle of Florida, the more culturally Southern part of it. so i'm not the most Southern Florida Cracker Boy (if such a thing can be measured) but still identify with it more than anything else.

Re: Which South?

[ex_dvk]

i believed that the south was a technologically backwards shithole full of racists and rednecks who needed a calculator to do basic addition. then i moved to Georgia. still thought that. then i moved back to Michigan.

i'd give anything to live in Georgia again.

Re: Which South?

[cathaarsix]

our colleague, the emninent Blizack, often impugned the South (he's more culturally Midwestern) but then he moved to Michigan. he said he had never encountered such offensive racists. and most of his life had been spent in the South.

Re: Which South?

[ex_dvk]

yeah he's right there. the north is very "fucking far'ners need ta stay outta our country n' stop takin our weemins!". i'll be the first to admit i was quite the little racist in high school but moving to another culture-zone totally changed me. when i decided to move back up here i had totally forgotten how much everyone in Michigan is an asshole. living here is... unfortunate.