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Is it normal to think that people in the deep south-eastern US are culturally superior to other Americans, especially to residents of the far northern states that border Canada? I see no other explanation for behavioral differences I see everywhere.
I've always thought that life in the south (Florida does NOT count as the south) was a bit more relaxed and classy. That is if you are not gay, black, Hispanic, female, different or strange.
When I first got to Charleston, it is true that if you turned on your turn indicator, folks would open a spot for you, unlike any northern or western city in the US, where they close up even the tiniest hole, once they see your turn indicator. More courtesy in general and a bit more laid back than the western/northern "rush, rush, rush" mentality, to be sure. Unfortunately, the northers are moving south, and instead of integrating into the southern ways, they are bringing their harshness, discourtesy and "rush, rush, rush" mentality with them, destroying the very thing they moved south to find. If you don't believe me, ask any southerner!
I have been to the South and I found it pleasant. Everyone was nice an friendly, and sure they have some cool culture and history, especially compared to my beautiful Wyoming. But I wouldn't say the south is culturally superior. The south may be more culturally rich, but I think superior is the wrong word.
I live in south eastern Texas right now and I was born and raised in Washington state. Whenever I visit my family in Washington, it is easy to tell the subtle differences in manners and politeness. People in Texas seem to be a lot more easy going and easier to talk to than people in Washington who seem a lot more distant. For example a lot of people, even younger people still use "yes mam" and "yes sir" a whole lot more than in places like Colorado and Washington. I am not saying this is fact, it is just what I have observed.
Culturally different, yeah. I don't think it would be easy to argue with that. But culturally *superior*? That's just opinion. It's normal to believe cultures you like and identify with are superior, but you've got to remember that they're superior to you subjectively, not superior in some objective sense.
I'd be a hypocrite if I told you off too much for it, though. If there was an equivalent of Southern pride in England, it would be Northern pride. The North of England has its own distinct culture which I identify with, and if I don't catch myself sometimes I can find myself feeling a bit of cultural superiority too. You have to be careful not to come across as arrogant and make sure you judge all the ideas your culture has without rose-tinted spectacles.
It's hard to really put words on the difference. There's a different recent and distant history in the North and the South. Generally, the South is more wealthy, more middle class and more conservative. The North is more rural and until about thirty years ago was more associated with manual labour, especially industries like mining. Northern towns and cities often have an individual industrial heritage which is less evident in Southern communities. Even today studies show that even Northern accents are generally perceived as more warm and friendly, but Southern accents are generally perceived as more intelligent and business-like.
I never got the North / South divide thing in regards to culture, except as an inaccurate oversimplification. I'd say each corner of England is pretty distinctive historically and culturally.
For example the South West, especially Cornwall, is pretty distinct from the South East. And the Midlands is pretty distinct from the North East.
It especially irks me when people say Southerners are less friendly, rude, conservative etc. or use London as a representation of everywhere and everyone south of Birmingham.
But I'm speaking from personal experience.
Oh, it irks me too. I've always felt it because growing up in the South West because my accent was considerably more "Northern" and less middle class sounding than my friends (although I sound like a Southerner if I go up North, and a ponce when I'm in Wales :P). It became part of my identity.
It is a generalisation, but you can look at any map of voting behaviour if you want indication that the South is more Conservative with a capital C (although how much the culture reflects conservative values is obviously a different matter). Rudeness is an even bigger generalisation and definitely a stereotype that isn't true, especially once you leave the cities.
"Regionalism" is definitely one of the areas where my shell of objectivity cracks. I'm deeply loyal to the town and area where I grew up, and I'm also loyal towards the North and the Midlands because of family. A lot of negative stereotypes of places like London have filtered into my life, and it takes effort and self-monitoring to dismantle them.
Interesting, I know this is off topic but do you know anything about Wales? I'm ann American and that's part of my ancestry but I don't know much about it.
Wales is where I am right now, since I live here for university. I like it here and it treats me well. Geography-wise, it runs from north to south up the west side of England and most of population is along the south coast. Wales is quite unpopulated as you move away from the south coast, and you get a lot of very nice countryside. Again, the culture is very different and a lot of Welsh culture defines itself in opposition to England. National pride is a very big thing, and a lot more people are proud of being Welsh than English people are proud of being English. Symbols of nationalism are everywhere. Dragons, daffodils and leeks are traditional Welsh symbols.
A lot of the Welsh culture is wrapped up in the Welsh language, which they teach in Welsh schools. Most Welsh people don't use the language in their daily lives, although I know a few who count Welsh as their first language. There's a bit of rivalry between the rural North and the urbanised, Anglicized, cosmopolitan South in Wales, just like there is in England. As a whole, Wales bears a lot more resemblance to the North of England than the South. It's more working class than middle class, and there's a lot of industrial history.
Wales is also the rainiest part of the UK. If you ever find yourself here, you'll want an umbrella :P
The southern US is a more pleasant place than the cities of the North or any city really. It's because they have antiquated notions of living and mostly small town areas where everyone knows everyone else and everything about everyone else(which sounds horrible honestly).
I can see where people from the South would think so, because it does have its good point. But it has bad aspects too.