Upper/ Upper Middle Class Southerners more subtle about their Southern pride? (houses, income)
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Something I have noticed. In Sociology class I did a paper about Southern pride, and how different socio economic groups view their idea about what being Southern means to them. Now this is a study done in my area of Virginia- so it may not be universally true across the South
What I found was blue collar Southerners, are much more outspoken about how proud they are of their Southern heritage. They see it as a badge of honor. Many of them carry a rebel flag decal on their car, something like "I ain' comin' down". Now, I see this not only as "Southern" pride- but more relative to a James Dean anti-establishment type thing
Middle Class Southerners seem to do the same thing, only not quite as in your face.
Upper Class/Upper Middle Class Southrons while they are proud to be Southern, seem the least likely to display any outside recognition of such. They would never have a Confederate Flag on their car or a bumper sticker saying "Yankee go home". But they may put a flag on a grave of one of their ancestors . It also seems, maybe being more travelled, they have a more World View of things, and being Southern gets put on the backburner.
However, this is not to say that the Upper Class Southerners are any less Southern. Some are even more so. But the way they display their pride is much more subtle and understated, than those of the blue collar persuasion
I think you're too stupid to realize that people will reply to your thread with all kinds of disparaging comments AGAINST Richmond & the South, as you've given them some bait.
Something I have noticed. In Sociology class I did a paper about Southern pride, and how different socio economic groups view their idea about what being Southern means to them. Now this is a study done in my area of Virginia- so it may not be universally true across the South
What I found was blue collar Southerners, are much more outspoken about how proud they are of their Southern heritage. They see it as a badge of honor. Many of them carry a rebel flag decal on their car, something like "I ain' comin' down". Now, I see this not only as "Southern" pride- but more relative to a James Dean anti-establishment type thing
Middle Class Southerners seem to do the same thing, only not quite as in your face.
Upper Class/Upper Middle Class Southrons while they are proud to be Southern, seem the least likely to display any outside recognition of such. They would never have a Confederate Flag on their car or a bumper sticker saying "Yankee go home". But they may put a flag on a grave of one of their ancestors . It also seems, maybe being more travelled, they have a more World View of things, and being Southern gets put on the backburner.
However, this is not to say that the Upper Class Southerners are any less Southern. Some are even more so. But the way they display their pride is much more subtle and understated, than those of the blue collar persuasion
What do y'all think?
I would say that that is a pretty valid assessment.
I agree completely. The old-money part of Memphis looks very Southern (the houses, the tress) but the people don't seem very Southern at all. They have very slight Southern accents, but that's it. I never see confederate flags in that part of Memphis as opposed to my hometown where there are confederate flags everywhere. Also, the old money Southerners (the ones here at least) aren't the in your face Evangelical types either. I mean, they are religious, but most of them are Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Catholics & Jews. As opposed to my hometown where everyone is Southern Baptist. And many aren't hardcore conservative. Many might say they're conservative, but it's usually fiscally conservative & socially moderate, even liberal in some places.
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Ehhh, I don't know if I necessarily agree with the accents thing. The same is said about metro NYC: The thicker the accent, the more working class someone is. It probably goes for southern accents too. I have a friend whose parents are very wealthy owning a business in the Hamptons, and they've got thicker accents than I do. So yeah, probably the same with southern accents.
Ehhh, I don't know if I necessarily agree with the accents thing. The same is said about metro NYC: The thicker theaccent, the more working class someone is. It probably goes for southern accents too. I have a friend whose parents are very wealthy owning a business in the Hamptons, and they've got thicker accents than I do. So yeah, probably the same with southern accents.
I agree; that is IMO even true in the UK, where the higher your caste is, the less pronounced your accent. Prince Charles has a very understated accent, for example.
Something I have noticed. In Sociology class I did a paper about Southern pride, and how different socio economic groups view their idea about what being Southern means to them. Now this is a study done in my area of Virginia- so it may not be universally true across the South
What I found was blue collar Southerners, are much more outspoken about how proud they are of their Southern heritage. They see it as a badge of honor. Many of them carry a rebel flag decal on their car, something like "I ain' comin' down". Now, I see this not only as "Southern" pride- but more relative to a James Dean anti-establishment type thing
Middle Class Southerners seem to do the same thing, only not quite as in your face.
Upper Class/Upper Middle Class Southrons while they are proud to be Southern, seem the least likely to display any outside recognition of such. They would never have a Confederate Flag on their car or a bumper sticker saying "Yankee go home". But they may put a flag on a grave of one of their ancestors . It also seems, maybe being more travelled, they have a more World View of things, and being Southern gets put on the backburner.
However, this is not to say that the Upper Class Southerners are any less Southern. Some are even more so. But the way they display their pride is much more subtle and understated, than those of the blue collar persuasion
What do y'all think?
Yeah, I agree with that for the most part, with the caveat that "class" is not always determined by income.. there are tons of 'rich rednecks' out there, and plenty of 'old south' type folks in the middle class. Much of what you're describing has to do with manners. I think saying "Yankee go home" or flying the Confederate flag is bad manners. I think part of the upper/middle class southern culture is to not draw attention to yourself, so they express their pride in more subtle ways.
Yeah, I agree with that for the most part, with the caveat that "class" is not always determined by income.. there are tons of 'rich rednecks' out there, and plenty of 'old south' type folks in the middle class. Much of what you're describing has to do with manners. I think saying "Yankee go home" or flying the Confederate flag is bad manners. I think part of the upper/middle class southern culture is to not draw attention to yourself, so they express their pride in more subtle ways.
Yes, that is so very true!
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