Are the people in Chapel Hill snobs? (Durham, Carrboro: school district, counties)

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by southern country redneck

There is a difference between native educated and those from the outside that come in for their education. There is a mindset with many from the outside that those of us in the south are backasswords and they know better on everything. They look down upon us and think we need to change our ways. The native educated population may have some things rub off on them, but they know their roots and what made them what they are. There is a big difference. I am not saying all people who come here are that way, but that is where the majority of the snobness comes from. To think that many young people coming here from the outside to get their education, along with their rich families that may have moved here, don't think they are better than the average southern redneck is foolish. Now there is the old money crowd you find in some sections of this area that are snobs, but that is the minority of the snobness here. And the term 'Yankee' is not used in a derogatory way, just like when I refer to myself and fellow southerners as rednecks.

Based on multiple posts you've made, I understand you think "yankees" look down on southerners and want to change them. i have seen absolutely none of that, but I guess you see what you want to see and clearly that's what you want to see.

BTW, I would argue that any out of state person who moves to NC and looks down on the avg. southern "redneck" probably also looks down on the avg. northern "yahoo" too. I imagine it's not limited to only southerners. Ever hung out with some snobs from Boston? Or elsewhere? Snobs don't limit their views to southerners. And I don't think they are as prolific in NC as you seem to think. Additionally, there are PLENTY of southerners who group all yankees together, insulting them as a group (like you, for example).

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Based on multiple posts you've made, I understand you think "yankees" look down on southerners and want to change them. i have seen absolutely none of that, but I guess you see what you want to see and clearly that's what you want to see.

BTW, I would argue that any out of state person who moves to NC and looks down on the avg. southern "redneck" probably also looks down on the avg. northern "yahoo" too. I imagine it's not limited to only southerners. Ever hung out with some snobs from Boston? Or elsewhere? Snobs don't limit their views to southerners. And I don't think they are as prolific in NC as you seem to think. Additionally, there are PLENTY of southerners who group all yankees together, insulting them as a group (like you, for example).

In 12 years here, I have seen countless episodes of transplants making fun of natives, while staying with "their own kind."

[southern country redneck]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Based on multiple posts you've made, I understand you think "yankees" look down on southerners and want to change them. i have seen absolutely none of that, but I guess you see what you want to see and clearly that's what you want to see.

BTW, I would argue that any out of state person who moves to NC and looks down on the avg. southern "redneck" probably also looks down on the avg. northern "yahoo" too. I imagine it's not limited to only southerners. Ever hung out with some snobs from Boston? Or elsewhere? Snobs don't limit their views to southerners. And I don't think they are as prolific in NC as you seem to think. Additionally, there are PLENTY of southerners who group all yankees together, insulting them as a group (like you, for example).

The difference here is that I am not moving to where they live and making fun of them or talking down to them. When you move somewhere, you should go with an open mind and a little humility. Some people don't and that is the problem. If you read my posts, you would notice I said there is some southern old money snobness here as well. I was just pointing out where the majority of snobness comes from. I am not saying they are all snobs, but rather clarifying where the greater percentage of snobness does come from.

[Zoya]

Originally Posted by southern country redneck

The difference here is that I am not moving to where they live and making fun of them or talking down to them. When you move somewhere, you should go with an open mind and a little humility. Some people don't and that is the problem. If you read my posts, you would notice I said there is some southern old money snobness here as well. I was just pointing out where the majority of snobness comes from. I am not saying they are all snobs, but rather clarifying where the greater percentage of snobness does come from.

You keep saying that northerners are 'making fun' of Southerners...and I am not saying that it doesn't happen...but really....you are a bit focused on this.

Maybe you should look at your behavior that brings this out in people first before blaming someone from another area having bad motives towards all Southerners.

[frogandtoad]

Like I said, I did not encounter that at all. Not even once. I'm sure it happens from time to time (as most things do) but you make it sound endemic which I don't think it is. So I don't know where all these people are, but apparently they didn't live near me in Chapel Hill. Maybe they all live by you.

[kingyouth]

So am I still an elitist snob if I am a transplant that was raised in one of the poorest counties in Virginia by two Yankees and always wished he could go to UNC but couldn't afford the tuition and had to settle for in-state schooling only to move to Raleigh as an adult to find better jobs?

[Francois]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Based on multiple posts you've made, I understand you think "yankees" look down on southerners and want to change them. i have seen absolutely none of that, but I guess you see what you want to see and clearly that's what you want to see.

We many times don't notice the ways "our own" demographic disrespects or mocks other demographics. Men aren't aware of the many tiny instances of sexism most of them perpetrate all day long, without realizing it. White people can never understand what it's like to be a black person living by "white rules". Straight people don't get the many cases of subtle homophobia they themselves say and do, often without meaning to. Non-Jews are unaware of some pretty anti-Semitic things. It goes on and on.

In the meantime, watch virtually ANY media portrayal of someone with a Southern accent, and he/she will almost without exception be shown as either ignorant and/or super-religious. Even if the show or movie doesn't even take place in the South, a super-religious or doofus character is often given a Southern accent "for laughs". I can think of very, very few cases where a character is specifically given a particular "Northern" accent "for laughs", except maybe Fran Drescher in "The Nanny" or a few other exaggerated "mafia" types. I'm not aware of someone with a Southern accent actually being shown as intelligent since Julia Sugarbaker on "Designing Women", 20 years ago, and it is almost unheard of for someone to "incidentally" have a Southern accent that is not deliberate--Holly Hunter's character in Broadcast News is the only time I can think of where a character was played Southern (due to the actress herself, of course) without it being a particular plot device.

If you were from NC and considered yourself a Southerner, you would have countless tales of Northerners moving here only to immediately begin putting down our accents (and I don't mean just "country" accents, either), food, or ways of doing things. The retort "You're welcome to move back where you came from" did NOT arise without provocation, I assure you. Think what would happen in your own hometowns if someone moved from the South to there, only to regularly complain about things or make fun of the local accents?

I am certainly not saying that all, most, or even many transplants are like this, but enough are that we who've grown up here all have plenty of stories, some of them merely patronizing and others outright insulting. I would say the same thing to, for instance, Americans who move to other countries and whine that it's not like where they left (of course many Americans DO do this, giving us a not-so-great reputation in many countries). It's rude in ANY circumstance to visit or move to an area and then insult the people and their ways who are from that area, common sense that is lost on many.

BTW, I would argue that any out of state person who moves to NC and looks down on the avg. southern "redneck" probably also looks down on the avg. northern "yahoo" too.

But it's NOT just the "rednecks"--educated Southerners who happen to have Southern accents get it too, trust me. Bill Clinton was very intelligent and educated, but was known as a "bubba president" for no reason other than his origins.

[Digital_Duck]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

In 12 years here, I have seen countless episodes of transplants making fun of natives, while staying with "their own kind."

ahhh ... southerners ....

Think it's bad here?

back when I lived in New Orleans ... I got a job BECAUSE I WAS NOT FROM THERE! (no joke)

a boy from Mississippi refuses to hire the locals there - according to him - they are useless ...

perhaps there is an element of fact to how others see Southerners ...

...... Now How Do Ya' Like Me??

Some Southerners are desperate to be actually insulted ... so there ya' go!

darn stereotypical southerners are all the same

do they feel better now??

[geoff2v]

Originally Posted by Francois

In the meantime, watch virtually ANY media portrayal of someone with a Southern accent, and he/she will almost without exception be shown as either ignorant and/or super-religious. Even if the show or movie doesn't even take place in the South, a super-religious or doofus character is often given a Southern accent "for laughs". I can think of very, very few cases where a character is specifically given a particular "Northern" accent "for laughs", except maybe Fran Drescher in "The Nanny" or a few other exaggerated "mafia" types. I'm not aware of someone with a Southern accent actually being shown as intelligent since Julia Sugarbaker on "Designing Women", 20 years ago, and it is almost unheard of for someone to "incidentally" have a Southern accent that is not deliberate--Holly Hunter's character in Broadcast News is the only time I can think of where a character was played Southern (due to the actress herself, of course) without it being a particular plot device.

Kyle Chandler on Friday Night Lights is from Georgia, still has a southern accent, and he's certainly not portrayed as an ignorant fool (and the accent is at least somewhat in character). And Kyra Sedgwick on The Closer has a southern accent, and though I don't really watch the show, the premise is that she's this intelligent detective/crime-solver person. There's also Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, etc. All southern accents, not shown to be bumbling fools.

So I assume you're primarily focused on persons who don't have southern accents who nevertheless fake one for a movie or TV show in which they play a character who seems to be a blithering idiot. Are there some you could name? I don't watch a lot of TV these days or see a lot of movies, so the examples escape me.

Now excuse me while I go point and laugh at some natives...

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by geoff2v

Now excuse me while I go point and laugh at some natives...

I thought you lived in Chapel Hill? You won't find any natives there.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.