They ask if I grew up on a farm or if I commonly use the term "y'all". I see characters on television shows who are from the south that act like hillbillies and play the banjo. While these characters can be funny and enjoyable to watch, the repetition sticks inside viewers minds and over time they begin to believe and recognize those from the south as uneducated hillbillies who cannot speak correctly. Think about how often you see the smart intelligent brainiac being from Alabama. Probably never. These implications are unfair to the southern population.
In addition, because of many high profile figures such as Paula Deen, the south is known for its high calorie and high fat foods. Many suppose that because of this, southerners are fat. While the south may be known for its comfort food, southerners should not be single storied as a larger population because of one high profile individual. In our modern world, we often single story populations based on one or two famous figures that come from that area. This is wrong.
I myself have been single storied while attending college on the west coast. Many believe that I am uneducated if I use a southern term such as "kin" or "supper". To me, this single story means that we are stuck in a past time. Many years ago the south may have largely consisted of cowboys and ranch owners, but today it is just as modern and educated as any other area in the United States. If someone got to know me they would know that my family is from Washington, D.C. and Boston and my northern heritage is no different from my southern upbringing.
When you Google search"a southerner" you will find images such as this. To the viewer, this man may look uneducated, as he cannot dress himself correctly and is spending his day drinking and shooting guns on his farm.
Playbuzz.com
This woman is wearing what many perceive as traditional southern attire. I myself have never seen someone walking around in this as there every-day clothing.
forthecountryrecord.com
Southerners are often referred to as "Red-necks" however, you can find this type of person anywhere in the United States. This type of person is considered uneducated.
In conclusion, I believe that many people "single story" those from the south as fat, uneducated individuals. This is because of how they are portrayed in stories, movies and television shows. I have experienced this in my own life and had the opportunity to change many peoples idea's of what a southerner is and can be.
I'm from Georgia, so I really appreciate this post. I was raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, so I don't think that the southern culture is as apparent in me like in many others, but I get frustrated then people assume that the majority of southerners are ignorant, racist, and uneducated people. Some of the most inviting, welcoming, and intelligent people I know speak with a heavy accent and love hunting on the weekends (although both don't apply to me). They're some of the kindest people I've ever met.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is just me, but I tend to think of southern's as both kinda rednecks, but also I think of all the preppy southern stuff and so to me when someone says southern I think of like a cute country club type person instead of a redneck.
ReplyDeleteI think that a lot of us are too often judged by the social perceptions that are attached to our hometowns. Just because one person acts a certain way, doest not mean that everyone from that same place has the same behavioral tendencies. That kind of stereotyping completely eradicates all individuality.
ReplyDeletehttp://thebonusbustersreview.com/the-lost-ways-book-review/
ReplyDeleteAs a retired military survival professional, who has instructed thousands of US Air Force aircrews as a Life Support Instructor, I'm often asked a very complex question, "What kind of survival kit is best?" It's not an easy question to answer and for a lot of different reasons.
http://channelrangersoftwarereview.com/the-lost-ways-ebook-review/
I actually served in Alabama and Mississippi so I have a special love for those people. I definitely saw a lot of truth in the stereotypes but if you don't get past the stereotype then you miss some awesome people. Southerners are some of the kindest and best people in this world and should be portrayed as such. Also some of the best engineers live in Alabama. Huntsville, AL is a hub for brilliant engineers in the aerospace business. It's sad to see so many of my friends poorly portrayed in the media.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the south too. I like that you tackled this single story. It would have been cool to see if you could have found some other articles besides images that support your claim.
ReplyDelete