Is the stereotype of the hard-drinkin' moonshine-brewing, Jack Daniels-swillin Scots-irish Southerner all wrong?

[Thomas R.]

Originally Posted by Drover

I suspect it has a lot to do with the percentage of rural population. If you live out in the sticks, there's not a lot of alternatives for getting home if you think you've had a couple too many but to climb into the pickup and take your chances. Fewer options for nearby drinking establishments too, so they're likely to be driving several miles instead of just "right around the corner."

That makes sense. It does seem to be more rural states near the top.

Anyway one more Statemaster deal, Alcohol abuse or dependence by state. Wisconsin again is on top with the Dakotas and Montana close. The Appalachian states all seem to be below average, including the non-Southern Appalachian state of Pennsylvania. Although South Carolina seems to be the only state in "The South" to be above average and the Western tip of it is in Appalachia.

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[coldwine]

Oh Christ, of course the stereotype is wrong.

I'm a second gen Italian from the cold, urban north and I average a cocktail or two glasses of wine every day. So there. Wrong on both counts.

That stereotype exists only in a Tennessee Williams play, and we should do ourselves and the entire nation a mercy by forgetting him.

[Smtchll]

Drinking is as much a part of Southern culture as going to church on Sunday

[Thomas R.]

I wonder would a stereotype be more or less offensive if it had a basis in reality?

For example the Irish do have high rates of alcohol consumption and binge drinking. Although the states with the worst rates of alcohol dependence weren't Irish, there were a couples New England states noted for high Irish-American populations that were above average.

Current > Alcohol Consumption statistics - countries compared - NationMaster
Report Attitudes towards Alcohol

The Germans also had high rates of binge drinking and the heavily Germanic states of the Northern Plains are high in alcoholism going by Statemaster. There is a stereotype of Germans as drunks. So are stereotypes of drunken Germans or Irish (or American Indians perhaps) more offensive or less offensive? I actually might think it's more offensive because things are more hurtful if they have some basis to them however tenuous. If you asked a random Christian "do you know anyone who supports Hezbollah?" they might think "what the heck?" but if you ask it of a Muslim I think it's possible they'd be more offended. The vast majority of Muslims wouldn't know a Hezbollah supporter, but I think there would be some basis for thinking such people are bit more common with Muslims than Christians.

Anyway it's interesting that I don't think Americans have a stereotype on Scandinavians or WASPs as drunks. The British and Scandinavians generally have high rates of binge drinking as do the highly English or Scandinavian parts of the US. (Exempting Utah) Although in a Thanksgiving episode of Grey's Anatomy Christina asks George "Meredith's a WASP, alcohol is like water to them so where is the booze?"

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

Curiously I don't think Scandinavians have a stereotype of being drunks, but highly Scandinavian states of the US were the top ones for alcohol dependence and I believe Scandinavians generally score high on binge drinking.

I think I once saw a study that found a high correlation between harsh dark winters and alcohol abuse. Hardly surprising when you think about it; how the hell else are you going to make it through a Minnesota winter?