General Discussion

nolabear

(43,850 posts)

96. What the South is, is big. Nothing is deemed inconsequential.

Mon Apr 15, 2013, 01:00 PM

Apr 2013

The people (self included) are emotional in all directions. We hug your neck, cry at the drop of a hat and laugh like utter fools at both tragedy and triumph. A lot of the culture is variations on the theme of trying to cope with huge feelings about life's vicissitudes. Blame somebody, eat or drink something, pick a fight, write a song or a novel, go to church, practice extreme forms of lOve and hate because the weather will kill you, the varmints will bite you, you're either poor or one generation or neighborhood from it and so insecure, and the rest of the country treats you bad. Your people have done awful things and you have to find ways to cope. Those ways encompass the very worst and the very best of humanity.

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Southern DU'ers: Tell me about the South [View all] YoungDemCA Apr 2013 OP

I'm from Atlanta. Atlanta has little to do with the South. onehandle Apr 2013 #1

Can you elaborate? YoungDemCA Apr 2013 #2

Atlanta is a corporate bubble plus good restaurants. onehandle Apr 2013 #4

Georgia has pockets of enlightenment, specifically Macon. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2013 #48

I lived there for 3 years, hated every minute. That was 30 years ago though. Hoyt Apr 2013 #62

I taught in south Georgia 30 years ago. FLyellowdog Apr 2013 #67

I'm sure it's true, as are segregated proms today. Hoyt Apr 2013 #69

You are welcome...I loved it and did it for 25 years. nt FLyellowdog Apr 2013 #98

It means the big cities are often cosmopolitan enough Warpy Apr 2013 #5

Atlanta is one of those cities that are bigger than you expect it to be. dawg Apr 2013 #12

Agreed. I do not live in Atlanta, but just northwest of the city. RebelOne Apr 2013 #21

I lived in Atlanta for 2 years Awknid Apr 2013 #28

Atlanta had the best airport food around before other cities started to catch up. bluestate10 Apr 2013 #46

I live here and don't agree Glitterati Apr 2013 #68

I'm a northerner but found this map interesting. reteachinwi Apr 2013 #3

Totally interesting treestar Apr 2013 #35

South Florida is alien country to me HockeyMom Apr 2013 #6

Northern Fla. is very southern, between Pensacola and Jacksonville dixiegrrrrl Apr 2013 #17

The Redneck Riviera. n/t Egalitarian Thug Apr 2013 #38

Most beautiful beaches in the US! Awknid Apr 2013 #51

Yep. Mississippi is the first place I ever saw emerald green water and a white sand beach. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2013 #52

Sorry Awknid - the most beautiful beaches in the US are in Hawaii.... KauaiK Apr 2013 #78

Can't argue with that, and I'm from the south DFW Apr 2013 #102

That largely depends on where you live in Florida. ... spin Apr 2013 #55

I don't know how much time you've spent in other southern places Victor_c3 Apr 2013 #84

The South has always been a net importer of federal money and services. Remember how a slave was byeya Apr 2013 #7

I live in carolina beach NC... karmaqueen Apr 2013 #8

Trashing. The bashing began almost immediately. Just like we all knew it would. cordelia Apr 2013 #9

I think the South is just a trigger of emotions Awknid Apr 2013 #30

Here's an idea customerserviceguy Apr 2013 #10

I hate to say this but ... spin Apr 2013 #60

You're absolutely right customerserviceguy Apr 2013 #85

You did and unfortunately I agree with you. ... spin Apr 2013 #94

Southern hospitality is real. rrneck Apr 2013 #11

Appreciate the post. One minor nitpick though... YoungDemCA Apr 2013 #16

I expect so. rrneck Apr 2013 #22

Grady McWhiney agrees with you. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2013 #50

Thanks! rrneck Apr 2013 #70

Thre are some interesting arguments against his point of view. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2013 #72

You've missed so much jazzimov Apr 2013 #56

Never visited much. rrneck Apr 2013 #66

Touche'......! dixiegrrrrl Apr 2013 #87

Not really Spider Jerusalem Apr 2013 #57

Downloaded to Kindle. Thanks! nt rrneck Apr 2013 #71

With the exception of the food, PotatoChip Apr 2013 #39

I had friends from Maine who Awknid Apr 2013 #41

Yes, I can see how that is possible. PotatoChip Apr 2013 #47

And my favorite Mainer was such a foodie! Awknid Apr 2013 #59

It's sad when we lose touch with good friends. PotatoChip Apr 2013 #64

There are other people of French descent beyond Cajuns RainDog Apr 2013 #61

Man, you hit it with lack of "serious intellectual conversation" trof Apr 2013 #92

Yeah, rrneck Apr 2013 #93

Unless it's a builder/contractor and then it's all about...you know. trof Apr 2013 #95

I just moved to New Orleans. Awesome city as long as you keep one adage in mind. Katashi_itto Apr 2013 #13

Only in Louisana rrneck Apr 2013 #26

Heheh! Katashi_itto Apr 2013 #32

I took several extended vacations in New Orleans in the '90s . . . markpkessinger Apr 2013 #79

You should either look at is as the most well-run Carribean city of the Gulf. Katashi_itto Apr 2013 #80

Southern culture, as you're no doubt aware... cbrer Apr 2013 #14

the larger cities are rather cosmopolitan. but i've lived in the rural south. KG Apr 2013 #15

I feel the same way Awknid Apr 2013 #37

The sad thing is that cable TV channels in some southern cities is FOX News and almost bluestate10 Apr 2013 #53

Southerner born and bred brer cat Apr 2013 #18

That's spot on! Awknid Apr 2013 #34

I live San Antonio, but moved from Wisconsin 30 years ago LeftInTX Apr 2013 #19

I'm sorry, but Texas is different from the South Awknid Apr 2013 #31

We were so different than the rest of the South Awknid Apr 2013 #33

It's like Dist. 13 in the hunger games....... without the Jennifer Lawrence types! nt rdharma Apr 2013 #20

What do you want to know? The south is a complex place...... socialist_n_TN Apr 2013 #23

The class differences are interesting to me... YoungDemCA Apr 2013 #24

Moreso in the more rural regions. As I said...... socialist_n_TN Apr 2013 #43