Jack,
If you re-read my original post, you'll find that I noted that what I was
writing was indeed a wild generalization. As a southerner myself, born and
bred in Alabama, I assure you that I realize that the "Dukes of Hazzard"
peddled a stereotype. But, also as a southerner, I realize that, for better
or worse, stereotypes often cruelly contain a seed of truth. Too say that
lots (and I mean LOTS) of pickup trucks around here have the pissing boy on
them is not to say it's a universal thing--but unless you yourself are
blind, you'll have to admit their popularity.
Marginalized groups--and rural, poor southerners might well be called that
(hence the resurgence of conservatism and "the politics of resentment" in
the south)--often adopt such flouting of what the *** call
"respectability" as a means of resistance. (Thus rap music among urban,
poor African-Americans--and its watered-down adoption by suburban white
***s as a manifestation of their own rebellions against mom & pop.) I see
the scatalogical references in southern pop-culture as much the same
thing--a (unconscious?) protest against norms which are at some level being
experienced as being "imposed."
V.S. Naipul, in his book _A Turn in the South_ has a very perceptive,
respectful and humane reading of "redneck" culture. Worth a look.
So, sure, Atlanta (and Birmingham, and Savannah, and Nashville, etc) all
contain large concentrations of the "new south," whose self-representation
is well-intregrated into mainstream U.S. culture (if there can be said to be
such a thing--perhaps this is what you mean by "hospitality, respect,
warmth, gentility"--rather vague terms though, hardly exclusive to the south
. . . ).
But that doesn't mean rural culture has been wiped away. A peak at
virtually any mid-to-small town mall's (and so the Buckhead Galleria is
right out) "arts & crafts" will show that. What's interesting is to see how
that very culture itself has become commodified and re-integrated back into
southern suburban and urban culture. This is particularly visible in
Nashville, which I just left after three years residence (having lived 30
years in Alabama prior to that).
At any rate, it sounds like you find these aspects of "the south" more, as
you wrote, "repulsive," than I do. But really, who wants, who needs
uniformity?
best,
DK
>David...
>That's all a gross generalization that many Southerners find offensive.
>Having been borne and raised in the South, I can assure you that there is a
>large element of the native population that, while recognizing that some
>what you described exists, find that behavior repulsive. Unfortunately,
it's
>an image that television and other media has chosen to popularize, leading
>people to draw mistaken conclusions about the South. The moronic "Dukes of
>Hazzard" is one prime example.
>Another classic example that many of you may have seen: At the 1996 Summer
>Olympics in Atlanta, you may recall that either at the opening or closing
>ceremonies, amidst all the festivities in Olympic Stadium, there was a
>bazaar parade of identical pickup trucks! You could almost hear the
>collective groan in Atlanta as that was broadcast! Clearly this was
>perpetuation of an inaccurate stereotype at its worst. Not only do we not
>all drive pickup trucks, but, quite the contrary. Some time ago, I read
that
>Atlanta has the second highest per capita ownership of Mercedes-Benz
>automobiles in the U.S., trailing only Los Angeles (Note: I personally care
>noting about our status symbol ranking, but it certainly is inconsistent
>with the pickup truck image.)
>To many of us, "Southern culture" means hospitality, respect, warmth,
>gentility and none of what you described. Please keep that in mind.
