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Yes, the South has its own peculiar culture. That culture is made up of traditions wh/ often were established in the 18th Century and have evolved over the centuries. Some of the cultural aspects of the South were formed b/c of traditions the early settlers brought here f/ their native countries (most often Scotland, Ireland, England, Germany, Switzerland) as well as from native Americans and from blacks who were brought here as slaves in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Part of the culture of the South has emerged from communities wh/ were heavily influenced by the church affiliations of the residents . . . and includes a very rich religious tradition wh/ grew out of slavery. Other cultural traditions include food and food preparation wh/ is thought of as peculiarly "southern."
Newcomers incorrectly use the word "culture" when they typically mean "entertainment."
Many of the cultural traditions of the South are not readily apparent to the visitor, as so many of those traditions are practiced only w/in homes, churches and close-knit social groups.
I really don't find culture to be an important part of life in general. I really don't care what the people around me do with there lives. I have ZERO religious beliefs, but I don't care what religion other folks have, as long as they don't push it on me or my children. My family is really the only thing that matters to me, other folks can live the way they want, no skin off my back. Folks shouldn't move somewhere and expect everything and everbody to change to suit them. Life is what you make it, and we are not here very long, so folks should start living and stop complaining.
I really don't find culture to be an important part of life in general. I really don't care what the people around me do with there lives. I have ZERO religious beliefs, but I don't care what religion other folks have, as long as they don't push it on me or my children. My family is really the only thing that matters to me, other folks can live the way they want, no skin off my back. Folks shouldn't move somewhere and expect everything and everbody to change to suit them. Life is what you make it, and we are not here very long, so folks should start living and stop complaining.
Carolina Guy, the Puerto-Rican who inspired you to start this thread never came on to reply to your statement. I think, I might be wrong, but I think they meant to say "DIVERSITY", they meant to say Charlotte lacks "DIVERSITY".
Carolina Guy, the Puerto-Rican who inspired you to start this thread never came on to reply to your statement. I think, I might be wrong, but I think they meant to say "DIVERSITY", they meant to say Charlotte lacks "DIVERSITY".
I think,not sure, she came back w/ a resp. in her thread. She didn't want to divert too far from home.
I have been reading this thread with interest. As a transplanted northerner who has travelled extensively, I am usually very good at asimillating into other cultures. When I first moved down south, I tried to do just that. I learned about the history of the area, made my stab at a southern accent, and pretty much relinquished my own roots in favour of adopting my new home. This went on for several years.
Then, a personal situation that was very difficult happened in my life and I suddenly became a single parent. The church that I was attending made it clear that I was no longer welcome in their congregation. At the same time, I was working several jobs to support my sons and myself when the "final straw" came. At one of those jobs, the owner of the company was from a very small town in GA. He told me unabashadly that I was "too much of a Yankee" and that I did not belong here, nor would I ever belong here. Unfortunately, his opinion was one that I had heard many times before, although not quite so directly, over the previous years of trying to assimilate.
That incident woke me up. I am who I am. I was born and raised in the city among people from all over the world, with smog & pollution & public transportation, never having seen chickens or cows or pigs outside of a zoo before moving here. From that point on, I was not necessarily disparing of the culture/diversity here (or lack thereof), but, I am also not apologizing for who I am. Nor do I try to assimilate any longer. Since that incident long ago, I have been undermined and stabbed in the back, blind sided and treated like dirt by many self-proclaimed southerners, all without apology and most with an air of disdain for my heritage. I had never heard the word "yankee"; most certainly not directed to me before moving here. (technically, I am midwestern and not a yankee anyway)
Now, I have very few, if any, true friends that are southerners. My friends are either other transplanted northerners or people that live outside of this state/country. Fortunately, there is now a huge variety of cheap communication devices that can keep me in touch with them. Life in Charlotte is pretty much a solitary venture these days and this is just a form of self-preservation, not a statement against anyone in particular. Just trying to keep myself from being beat up again.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chicagocubs
I have been reading this thread with interest. As a transplanted northerner who has travelled extensively, I am usually very good at asimillating into other cultures. When I first moved down south, I tried to do just that. I learned about the history of the area, made my stab at a southern accent, and pretty much relinquished my own roots in favour of adopting my new home. This went on for several years.
Then, a personal situation that was very difficult happened in my life and I suddenly became a single parent. The church that I was attending made it clear that I was no longer welcome in their congregation. At the same time, I was working several jobs to support my sons and myself when the "final straw" came. At one of those jobs, the owner of the company was from a very small town in GA. He told me unabashadly that I was "too much of a Yankee" and that I did not belong here, nor would I ever belong here. Unfortunately, his opinion was one that I had heard many times before, although not quite so directly, over the previous years of trying to assimilate.
That incident woke me up. I am who I am. I was born and raised in the city among people from all over the world, with smog & pollution & public transportation, never having seen chickens or cows or pigs outside of a zoo before moving here. From that point on, I was not necessarily disparing of the culture/diversity here (or lack thereof), but, I am also not apologizing for who I am. Nor do I try to assimilate any longer. Since that incident long ago, I have been undermined and stabbed in the back, blind sided and treated like dirt by many self-proclaimed southerners, all without apology and most with an air of disdain for my heritage. I had never heard the word "yankee"; most certainly not directed to me before moving here. (technically, I am midwestern and not a yankee anyway)
Now, I have very few, if any, true friends that are southerners. My friends are either other transplanted northerners or people that live outside of this state/country. Fortunately, there is now a huge variety of cheap communication devices that can keep me in touch with them. Life in Charlotte is pretty much a solitary venture these days and this is just a form of self-preservation, not a statement against anyone in particular. Just trying to keep myself from being beat up again.
Chicagocubs, a jerk is a jerk wherever you are. whoever you are. I am also a midwesterner & have been insulted & derided in the Mid-Atlantic.
I am not so delusional that I think that I will not be insulted by the occasional jerk when I get to the Charlotte area. So what? At least they won't be telling me to "hurry up & spit it out" when I speak, complete with "speed it up" hand movements.
However, that doesn't give me the right to insult other people. That's what the thread is all about. I hope that you can get to the point that I'm at & just "go with the flow"
Life in Charlotte is pretty much a solitary venture these days and this is just a form of self-preservation, not a statement against anyone in particular. Just trying to keep myself from being beat up again.
Wow. While I do feel your pain, don't give up on all southerners. People are people. I know that northerners also look with disdain upon southerners. Or better yet, people from any place look with disdain on people who are not from where they are from. I think this is all a manisfestation of people's own defense mechanisms, so they don't get "beat up again". Although it is very hard to do (I struggle daily with it), don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole pie. Try to take everyone on their own merits, but if they do fit the "mold" distance yourself, quickly.
While the two posts above, I believe, make reference to the incident with the work situation, I find it more interesting, from what ChiCubs claimed, that his church excommunicated him.
While the two posts above, I believe, make reference to the incident with the work situation, I find it more interesting, from what ChiCubs claimed, that his church excommunicated him.
I think they were just cold and unsupportive and showed no charity or genuine caring. I have seen it happen . . . but not exclusively in the South. Amazing how judgmental people can be when they think they have all the answers - especially in a church filled w/ people keeping score rather than showing brotherly love. I have seen a lot of stones cast in churches - when no one should have been standing in judgment.
I suspect that is more likely what happened.
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1 bad apple
