Quote:
Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny
I'm sure I'm repeating some but here's my list:
NASCAR
sweet tea
barbecue
southern food like ham, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, boiled peanuts, collard greens
Bourbon
Moonshine
tobacco
Bible Belt
Confederate war memorabilia/battlefields
heat and humidity
plantations
slavery
Elvis Presley
Gospel Music
Country Music
Nashville
Dolly Parton
Blues
shrimps and crawdaddies
hound dogs
huntin' and fishin'
line dancing
the KKK
Christianity
Coca-Cola
That's about all I have before I get too ridiculous with things like the Duke of Hazzard and stuff...as it is I got a little carried away, lol Good luck!
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Many of the things listed by others are quite appropriate...(
and not meaning to pick at just this post or contributer)...but don't come away with the impression that some of these things were restricted to (or even originated in) just The South (see highlighted/bold items for just a few examples). It is not that tradions and traditional values are lacking elsewhere or any less important to those in other part of the country, it just might be that folks in The South are a bit more emphatic or open (even assertive) in their preferences and practices than is typical in some areas. In many cases we prefer to be subtle or low-key, but that is not always the case
At the risk of generalizing a bit or contributing to stereotypes myself, I offer a few more inputs:
1. Perceived higher levels of patriotism concurrent with elevated levels of military service and conservative political stances. In reality, part of this situation is one of tradition as well as a pursuit of opportunity, escape, etc. for those with limited chances for others.
2. Possibly a disproportionately higher literary tradition exists in The South over that in other sections of the country (excluding maybe New England). This at times seems odd considering how the region as a whole has been typified by historically lower educational achievements. The tradition itself is probably an outgrowth of the culture, traditions, and history of the region.
3. Paradox of tolerance and intolerance; people either leave you alone or are in your face about things they don't like or appreciate. Sometimes the intolerance is handled in subtle ways but other times can manifest itself in very vocal and visible ways.
4. An appreciation for, almost a worshipping of eccentricity in some families, communities, etc. This can come down to the defense of family members and an almost blind loyalty to them...even if you don't like what they do or say, they are still YOUR family and no one should dare to criticize them because such criticism is an affront to the honor of the entire family ("He may be crazy, but he is STILL family!").
5. Hospitality and graciousness. Well you can't take that one at face value because it is not always as real or transparent as it seems. Hospitality is often a defensive or even offensive technique used to disarm another party (a stranger) or to minimize the chance for unpleasantness to arise in a social or business situation. It is used as pre-emptive damage control by many, and in fact it has become so pervasive that many folks don't even realize that they use it. Of course, some folks make no pretense or attempt at it. The gloves WILL come off it you push most folks the wrong way, and with some it does not take much pushing so it is often best to err on the side of caution.
6. Matriarchy. This one can also be subtle, but it seems like family members can put much aside for the sake of the mother/grandmothers. Of course this occurs in other regions and cultures, too, but oftentimes the females in the family were the ones who ultimately were the cohesive element and really ran things. Even the worst of children would often defer to Mama or do something for the sake of Mama. Possibly to a lesser degree, you see the same veneration of fathers. Rarely do you hear the offspring ever refer to their parents by a first name; if anything it will be a term of affection used. You see this same pattern in lots of cultures, though, so it might be unfair to claim it is largely a "Southern" thing.
7. Honor. Not that other regions and cultures don't have it, but it can be a very strong driver in behavior in The South. I believe it has a lot to do with the consist of early and late settlers to the region and the circumstances they had to survive under. Honor goes hand-in-hand with defense of family, community, country, reputation, etc., and is reflected in literature, hospitality, manners, etc. You can be dirt poor, but honorable. It is worse to sully one's "name" than to suffer physically, because you can almost always improve your physical state but to recover from the damage done to one's reputation is much more difficult.
I'll probably get beaten up for this contribution, but I will post it anyway.
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Now, I think a LAW is that one cannot be a true Southerner if they never even heard of it! 
