Why the South?

[Lamplight]

fftopic: http://pewsocialtrends.org/maps/migration/

I ran across this today. Seems quite a few folks are heading South. Chart is a few years old I guess so may of changed.
I know about half of California seems to be moving to Arkansas where I am at.

That's definitely interesting. My town is living proof of how many people have moved here in the last 20 years. In 1990 we had about 45,000 people, and now we have over 100,000. However, it seems we get a LOT of transplants from Alabama, Georgia, and even Kentucky and Florida. I don't hear as many northern accents as I used to in the 90s, but when I do they are almost always nice people. I'm hoping to move either Northeast or Northwest. I'm sick and tired of the summers here. It was 74 here today and I hated it. It's like I was meant to be born in Greenland.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I love the south and come from a southern family that has spent its life in the north, I guess would be the best way to explain it. My brother and sister are twins, their names are Robert Lee and Dixie. Our house is filled with Confederate Civil War Relics, and everybody always says we're the friendliest, most polite family they have met. It's just part of good old fashioned old-fashioned-ness I guess you'd say haha.

And that's part of the manners of the south in my opinion. The south wasn't affected as much by the industrial revolution, and thus was not as affected by all of the change that came from it. It was much more of an agricultural-based society versus the industrial hubs such as New York, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc, etc.

 

[jwalls]

Another thing that differs in the south from other parts of the country is that manny of the later waves of immigration bypassed us for the large cities of the north. Southern tradition has a longer and more stable history, than that of our cousins to the north.

 

[Viola]

Just wanted to add that early on much of the south was settled by upper class Royalists and the the North was settled by well "anti-establishment merchant class religious types". Don't call us puritans, for we don't want to purify the church, but tear it down to the ground and build anew.

The Philadelphian in me will not allow such a New Englandist view of the North to pass!:rage:

 

[Alexi]

The Philadelphian in me will not allow such a New Englandist view of the North to pass!:rage:

hey Quakers fit into what I said also! Heck I had a Quaker ancestor hung on the Boston common!

 

[Viola]

hey Quakers fit into what I said also! Heck I had a Quaker ancestor hung on the Boston common!

The whole hanging bit sort of goes with the ain't-the-same thing doesn't it? Pennsylvania was a comparative hotbed of multiculturalism. Not much like the Puritans.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I agree that is is both southern and rural. I have been in cities in the south, and find them less polite/slow/genteel than the rural counter parts. I've found northern cities to be worse -- except Milwaukee ?!

Interesting that you say that. I spend a fair amount of time in Milwaukee and I have come to exactly the same conclusion. The folks in that city are some of the most open, friendly people I've ever met. They're always happy to help in any way they can...and Milwaukee women seem to love to hear me talk. And I do. As long as they will listen.

AF

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'm from Milwaukee, and I oughtta know, Blatz beer tastes great wherever you go!

Ha but seriously. I was born in Milwaukee, as was my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and my great-great-grandfather came to Milwaukee from Poland. It's a wonderful town, but history is what it is and 'white flight' being an ugly part of that history. I see no reason why races can't live together, but this is not a race discusion, that leads to politics and none of us want that. My family like most others, moved from Downtown, for those who are familiar with it, 3rd and Resevoir, near Schlitz Brewery (now Martin Luther King Drive and Resevoir) to 60th and Hampton, the to 52nd and Bluemound. And then to suburbs such as Germantown, Menomonee Falls and now we all live quite aways from there, I'm 2 hours away.

Milwaukee isn't like the typical big city in the midwest. People are much more caring and kind and willing to talk. Not to mention that great accent (which I have myself. Using phrases like "aina" and "hey" after everything. It's a very special town and very dear to my heart. If anyone ever gets a chance to visit, I encourage them to do so.

Interesting that you say that. I spend a fair amount of time in Milwaukee and I have come to exactly the same conclusion. The folks in that city are some of the most open, friendly people I've ever met. They're always happy to help in any way they can...and Milwaukee women seem to love to hear me talk. And I do. As long as they will listen.

AF

 

[Alexi]

The whole hanging bit sort of goes with the ain't-the-same thing doesn't it? Pennsylvania was a comparative hotbed of multiculturalism. Not much like the Puritans.

Well not really, both groups settled out of England due to religious prosecution and were mostly middle class merchant stock. The south was settled by 3rd sons, and later people fleeing political persecution.
and on top of that: I said don't call us puritans! oh and it was fine to be a quaker in RI & NH, just keep it out of the Bay Colony!

 

[Viola]

I love the sort of arguments one has here, they're not like the rest of the internet. Cheers, Alexi, for arguing about the settlement patterns of colonial America instead of about whether Selma Hayek is soooo totally fat now.

:eusa_clap

 

[Lamplight]

I love the sort of arguments one has here, they're not like the rest of the internet. Cheers, Alexi, for arguing about the settlement patterns of colonial America instead of about whether Selma Hayek is soooo totally fat now.

:eusa_clap

So true!

 

[ladybrettashley]

fftopic: http://pewsocialtrends.org/maps/migration/

I ran across this today. Seems quite a few folks are heading South. Chart is a few years old I guess so may of changed.
I know about half of California seems to be moving to Arkansas where I am at.

That's interesting (i love charts and maps, so doubly so). And hello to a fellow Arkansan! Though i'm an immigrant here also.

 

[Foofoogal]

Hello. Did not expect all the rain though it is like the 4th wettest Oct. on record for Ft.Smith area.

Gorgeous Fall leaves though so makes up for it. lol fftopic:

 

[Lorrel Mae]

This may be fftopic:

I was born in North Carolina, and raised in Oregon.

On one of my trips to visit dad, in my "hometown" of New Bern, I always felt that his peers/coworkers never regarded me as a person.

He would mention our plans of a motorcyle trip across country, and they NEVER looked me in the eye, or asked me personally, anything about the planned trip. They ALWAYS looked to, and spoke with my father.

Maybe Southern Politeness is very gender oriented?

Or maybe dad's co-workers/ friends were just plain????


Sandi

 

[Atticus Finch]

Sandi,

I live in New Bern, (well...Pollocksville, actually) and I'm almost willing to bet that I was living here when you visited. Of course, I've no idea who your father's co-workers and friends are, but I can say with certainty that I have never noticed anyone in New Bern treating a stranger as if he or she were not a person.

On the other hand, I can tell you that a Southerner's most common response to impoliteness or rudeness in another...is aloof disdain.

AF

 

[Foofoogal]

Makes perfect sense to me. If it was your dad and you are a pretty young lady they wouldn't want to be put in a position of ogling you. If they looked they may be tempted to be swept away.
"the power of a woman" lol
Respect for a mans daughter used to also be huge in the south or maybe everywhere.


offtopic: this reminded me of when I fixed my dropdead gorgeous girlfriend up with a friend of my husbands. this guy was a huge chatterbox. He didn't speak one word all night. Looked like a doofus. He said he couldn't speak she was so pretty.
so funny. Needless to say she was not impressed.

 

[Lorrel Mae]

Atticus: I hope I wasn't rude to him! This was quite a few years ago, I was about 25. My dad worked at the Weyerhauser pulp mill. (Smart enough to not get too high in the ranks, and always able to spend a couple of months traveling every year!)


FooFooGal: I was looking my best at the time! Maybe...!

Quote: "...this guy was a huge chatterbox. He didn't speak one word all night."

Sounds like me and interviews lately!



Sandi

 

[Atticus Finch]

Atticus: I hope I wasn't rude to him! This was quite a few years ago, I was about 25. My dad worked at the Weyerhauser pulp mill. (Smart enough to not get too high in the ranks, and always able to spend a couple of months traveling every year!)


FooFooGal: I was looking my best at the time! Maybe...!

I expect that FoofooGal has hit the nail on the head. I'm betting that those good 'ol boyz out at Weyerhouser were a bit intimidated by an attractive woman from somewhere other than Vanceboro or New Bern. And they probably weren't trying not to look at you. They were probably just trying not let you see them looking at you!

AF

 

[Foofoogal]

see how different cultures and even areas see things so differently. They were not only respecting you most likely but showing great respect for your father.

 

[quickerNu]

see how different cultures and even areas see things so differently. They were not only respecting you most likely but showing great respect for your father.

That was my first thought. There are so many levels of "proper" interaction. If she was with a boyfriend or other same-age peer, I would be very warm and polite and include her in conversation as best as possible. If with a father or grandfather (especially a well- respected man) I would deffer to him. If he routed conversation thru her or really involved her, I would chat, but if not, I would do exactly what those other gentlemen did, out of respect for the father.