One would certainly have to evaluate the Southern definition from
several different point of views. Southern perception of its self has
always interested me. Trying to reconcile all that honor and pride they
are always talking about with the fact that in essence, their heritage
is a conquered one. In the nineteenth century US perspectives would
certainly be cut on the North-South divide. In contem****ary America the
descendants of Southern's live all over, and the population growth of
the West, and its varying degrees has complicated this. How would an
average San Franciscan youth perceive the south versus a Bostoner
Youth?
I have met several Western Europeans who, when asked to make an
American accent, imitate the Southern drawl or spew a Texan twang.
It would be of great use to isolate what the former definition was..
from that it can be extrapolated what about the Southern definition is
not today..
In my opinion it is about time the South readjusted its perception of
its self.. clinging to the coattails of Robert E. Lee and the lost
glory is a cliche. Creating a new, perhaps more progressive self
definition might well do away with many of the pejorative stereotypes
often associated with the South and its denizens.
Brooks Simpson wrote:
> I'm curious to know what folks here might make of recent efforts to
> explore anew the notion of southern identity, especially Jim Cobb's
> Away Down South. Here's a link:
>
>
http://www.us.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/HistoryAmerican/Cultural/?view=usa&ci=9780195089592
>
> What do you think is the best way to explore this question? Cobb looks
> at this both in terms of how southerners defined themselves and how
> non-southerners (primarily northerners) went about the same enterprise
> (and how these two endeavors interacted). What's the relevance of such
> studies for historical interpretation/explanation/understanding?
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