Political & Elections

BigG · Guru

RE: Redneck Society

winchester · Guru

"The real challenge for "rednecks" or any "group" in society is to captalize on strengths and overcome and reduce weaknesses."

The group I most hope will do this is the New England Patriots. (But I digress.)

BigG · Guru

New Englander for skiiing! Happy times!

Artemis · Senior Member

That's a cute list, BigG.

Additionally, I'd like to be Californian when at the beach, north eastern when driving on snow covered roads, and southern when cooking.

BigG · Guru

The real challenge for "rednecks" or any "group" in society is to captalize on strengths and overcome and reduce weaknesses.

Sometimes individuals accomplish this by divorcing themselves from their natal ethnicity. Other times they try to "raise the level" of their people. Hopefully, eventually the group and society evolve beyond being, and considering them to be, a despised minority. Blondes are almost there!

I really think all of us would like to be a bit Asian in the classroom, somewhat Jewish with the checkbook, a little redneck when the car breaks down, somewhat African-American on the sporting field, French in the kitchen, etc.

winchester · Guru

The marginalization of any individual simply because they belong to or "come from" a particular group is reprehensible.

The essence of prejudice is to project the worst characteristics of a group onto an individual.

Seconded

john doe · Guru

"How do you feel about the New Englander's dropping their R's?"

It is annoying as almost any other speech impediment (no offense intended to you New Englanders).”

Not all of New England drops their R's.

BigG · Guru

It was meant as a semi-serious thread.

All postings are welcome.

The marginalization of any individual simply because they belong to or "come from" a particular group is reprehensible.

The essence of prejudice is to project the worst characteristics of a group onto an individual.

catahoula · Guru

My condolences to your thread, BigG, since Samurai seems to have stomped anything even remotely entertaining out of it. yawn

Good post though, SLS, and I'll try to remember it next time I'm seeing every Obama supporter as a ThinkProgress poster or believing that every one of them agreed with everything Nancy Pelosi's babbled over the last two years.

Or, better yet, forgetting that some of them live in or came from the South, lol.

-- Edited by catahoula on Thursday 23rd of December 2010 08:53:05 PM

geeps20 · Senior Member

^doesn't matter...you don't hear a pronounced "er" sound on the end of words..that's all I'm saying.

hayden · Senior Member

Absolutely, talking about an "English" accent doesn't really narrow it down. I struck up a conversation with a local couple while we were both in line to see the exhibit of the old village in York, England. The husband was born and lived near the coast a few miles from York. His accent was incredible - like listening to the original Norse. He kept talking about the autumn leaves turning to gold, and the way he pronounced "gold", it came out with what sounded like 5 syllables. "earth" had two syllables - kind of made me understand why the word is spelled with an a in it.

So geeps, not sure what you mean by "true English". Would that be the English that came from the Norsemen / Vikings, or the English that descended from the French Normans, or . . . .

BigG · Guru

What about Weebl and Bob?

"Wanker"

But the accents are so fake they could be meant to be anything...

A link;
http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/001.htm

I distinctly hear an "er" on the end of "bigger" in reference to the next iteration of the subject experiment.

-- Edited by BigG on Thursday 23rd of December 2010 12:32:39 PM

geeps20 · Senior Member

^ you won't hear a pronounced "er" on end of words from any variation.

BigG · Guru

Yes.

And the Brits use the metric system while we use the "English" system of measures.

The "characteristic British accent" is far from monolithic. ****ney to Scottish to high church Anglican ministers, the variation is significant.

Hey they bleeped my slang for working class Londoners!

http://www.ic.arizona.edu/~lsp/****neyEnglish.html

They killed the link too!!! Arguagh!!!!

KOCKNEY

There! The link won't work with that string though.
-- Edited by BigG on Thursday 23rd of December 2010 08:33:21 AM

-- Edited by BigG on Thursday 23rd of December 2010 08:34:24 AM

-- Edited by BigG on Thursday 23rd of December 2010 08:35:15 AM

geeps20 · Senior Member

"How do you feel about the New Englander's dropping their R's?"

It is annoying as almost any other speech impediment (no offense intended to you New Englanders).

We do speak the English language here in America(well, most of us).. Ever listen to a Brit? The New England accent is closer to true English.

Artemis · Senior Member

winchester wrote:

What SamuraiLandshark said.

+1

winchester · Guru

What SamuraiLandshark said.

Cartera · Guru

I don't see it as a southern thing. I have neighbors who are just as fundamentally ignorant and bigoted. Unfortunately, those traits know no geographic boundaries.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

If we are too embrace diversity of people, I don't see how you shouldn't also embrace diversity of culture, speech, intelligence, skin color or religious beliefs.

Intentionally seeking out a reason to confirm your opinion that an entire group of people is "mentally deficient" or to make fun of a whole culture seems hateful and intolerant. Your mileage may vary.

I am pretty sure that if any of us here went to a site to confirm our suspicions that homosexuals, Muslims, or Latinos really lived up to the grossly misrepresented stereotypes, we would be blasted as being intolerant. And rightly so.

It's hard to appreciate what others' lives are like. I will never understand what it's like for a young boy to grow up in a culture where suicide bombing is a ticket into heaven. No matter how hard I try. However, I know that the vast majority of Muslims aren't planning on becoming suicide bombers. Most of them are lovely, decent people, just trying to put food on their table for their families and live life to the fullest.

Most of the people in the South are also just trying to live their lives and to diss the entire culture because of the bad behavior of a minority of folks just seems wrong and wildly intolerant.

My goal is not to be snarky, here. I simply believe that if you intend to find a way to make yourself superior to others with these kinds of attitudes and viewpoints, you simply will never be better than that which you hate or ridicule. It seems as bigoted as that which you despise.

The Dalai Lama once said that "To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else. Rather than speaking badly about people and in ways that will produce friction and unrest in their lives, we should practice a purer perception of them, and when we speak of others speak of their good qualities."

Cartera · Guru

Gee - thanks for letting me know about Fundies Say the Darndest Things. I have a few family members who probably have quotes on that site. What a sad and depressing bunch.

Itachirumon · In exile

My problem is I spend too much time on places like Fundies Say The Darndest Things, and occasionally reading Yahoo News comments looking for juicy stuff... so pretty much all I see associated with the south is.... dumb.. dumb.. dumb...EXTRAORDINARILY dumb ignorant bigotry. Then you turn on the TV or read the news and woops, some idiot pastor or Chuck the Propane Salesman makes the headlines saying something offensive about gays or Jews or Muslims or "brown people." Then CNN gets responses from his community and half of them agree with them, a quarter disagree but not vehemently enough and the last quarter are rightly disgusted.

Basically... I know full well that the South isn't full of mentally deficient people but... the loud ones really don't help their case out very much. I'd like to find the Texas politician that doesn't have to be white evangelical christian with strong "family values" and the "proper amount of fear against that 'cute' mixed-race couple living down the street" get elected to the house or senate. I'd like to see them get elected in a place in Texas that isn't Houston.

But, I'm really rambling over a joke, sorta.

busdriver11 · Guru

"How do you feel about the New Englander's dropping their R's?"

It is annoying as almost any other speech impediment (no offense intended to you New Englanders).

"After having it explained ad nauseam to them, that the speech and behavior is proof of being socially inferior, the redneck that won't change is by definition stooopid. If not, it proves he/she is recalcitrant which is even worse."

But why should they change? They like the way they speak and are comfortable with it, just like people from many areas of the country. And of course, there are many variations. My mother in law has a soft, sweet southern accent, and my dear father in law speaks in such a thick accent his own kids can't quite understand him. I can't imagine him altering his speech to try to appear differently to people he considers stuck up elitists. And I certainly wouldn't respect him if he did. Changing ones speech patterns to appeal to those damn Yankees wouldn't go over very well in the south. They're still pissed off about losing the war.

catahoula · Guru

I'll go with "cute" or "quaint", rather than evidence of a speech defect or some developmental delay.

Most definitely not an indication of sub-standard IQ or suspect character.

BigG · Guru

How do you feel about the New Englander's dropping their R's?

"quwataback","kaw", and "pawk"

-- Edited by BigG on Tuesday 21st of December 2010 07:35:45 AM

catahoula · Guru

If you have certain mannerisms or strong southern accents, you are stoooopid, and bring any prejudice upon yourself.
True, true, but I can glimpse the elegant logic behind this.

After having it explained ad nauseam to them, that the speech and behavior is proof of being socially inferior, the redneck that won't change is by definition stooopid. If not, it proves he/she is recalcitrant which is even worse.

BigG · Guru

Everything in the US is defined by economics.

Abyss · Senior Member

Poetsheart wrote:
White privilage is not defined by economics. It's about race, and the presumption of racial superiority, as well as freedom from damaging racial stereotypes.

-- Edited by Poetsheart on Monday 20th of December 2010 09:42:40 PM

-- Edited by Poetsheart on Monday 20th of December 2010 09:43:49 PM

Yeah, because I didn't know what it actually meant.

It was a damn joke.

busdriver11 · Guru

"White privilage is not defined by economics. It's about race, and the presumption of racial superiority, as well as freedom from damaging racial stereotypes."

I can tell you, living up here in the northwest, people are far more prejudiced against "rednecks" or people from the deep south than any particular race. There is a presumption of regional superiority that far outweighs any racial prejudice. If you have certain mannerisms or strong southern accents, you are stoooopid, and bring any prejudice upon yourself. Being married to a southener and knowing many brilliant people who happen to have southern accents/customs makes me acutely aware of this annoying arrogance.

So round here, ya'll ain't got no sorta privilege if yer from the south, taint even equal (cept maybe to a possum).

Poetsheart · Senior Member

Quote:
Low income whites might be the most pissed on group in our country. All the white privilege - just with none of the privilege./Quote

White privilage is not defined by economics. It's about race, and the presumption of racial superiority, as well as freedom from damaging racial stereotypes.

-- Edited by Poetsheart on Monday 20th of December 2010 09:42:40 PM

-- Edited by Poetsheart on Monday 20th of December 2010 09:43:49 PM

Abyss · Senior Member

Low income whites might be the most pissed on group in our country. All the white privilege - just with none of the privilege.

-- Edited by Abyss on Monday 20th of December 2010 09:00:05 PM

catahoula · Guru

Do tell, nba... and all this time I was sure that was rain.

Uplifting rednecks sounds like a crappy job, anyway. I suspect all the gifted elites (those that could still tie their shoes after a bottle or two of scotch) signed up for the bonehead courses, namely doing away with poverty and equalizing outcomes.

How's all that working out, btw?

nbachris2788 · Senior Member

Self-awareness is usually a good thing. Besides, weren't many racial problems in America caused by elite whites continually hoodwinking white rednecks into thinking they were included in some super special club for cool people, when in reality, those elite whites pissed on those white rednecks every chance they got?

BigG · Guru

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2010/12/society-founder-rednecks-underserved-large-population

This could be a good thing or this could be a bad thing, depending on how it is implemented.

Exhaltation of traditional redneck virtues can be a good thing;
Faith
Patriotism
Fixing stuff
Fishing
Farming

Minimization of and helping rednecks overcome vices would be beneficial;
Racial prejudice
tobacco chewing
wife beating
excessively casual attitude toward speed limits

Note: Americans with significant African ancestry can in fact be rednecks in all but response to solar radiation.

The "society" should be open to these folks too.

Now that I have offended folks across the entire spectrum of existence, not just the political spectrum; Thoughts?

-- Edited by BigG on Friday 17th of December 2010 08:05:26 AM