Attitudes Toward the South

[BroomJockey]

It's a lack of education of cultural differences.

Yeah, but is it even possible to educate someone on all the differences in areas? Take just the US. You've got the Deep South, Appalachia, California, the Mid-West, the North-West, New England. And that's just painting with some very broad strokes. Even within those areas, there's more differentiation. Now broaden that to other countries. It gets incredibly complex incredibly quickly. I think rather than cultural differences, it's better to focus on individual differences. Not "people from X are Y." But "person X from Y is Z." And then remember that just because person X from Y is one way, person A from Y is still his or her on person. Generalizing cultural knowledge is what leads to stereotypes.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Couldn't have said better than you BroomJockey.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc
After therefore because of
a great logical fallacy

E.x.
Amy is a redneck, she was born in Virginia
Because she was born in VA before she became a redneck, being born in VA caused her to be a redneck.
Not hard to see how stupid that is.

And then we go into correlation and causation, same crap different toilet, really.

I think in the end cultural misconceptions are caused by the same things as any other misconception, lack of logic.

[Nyoibo]

the only thing teens have the option of doing is having sex in the cornfields or cow tipping.

Or have sex with cows.

[Pedersen]

Oh darling, I have. People think that Midwesterners are bible thumping farmers who have nothing better to do than wake up at 2 am to milk good ol' Bessie or spew bible quote and the only thing teens have the option of doing is having sex in the cornfields or cow tipping.

The midwest... Traveling through Nebraska is when I had an "Children of the Corn" moment. Now, to set the scene: I'm on Interstate 80, about 5pm, and hungry. I come to some random exit (I think the town was Hadleyville, but am not sure). Figure I'll just find a place to stop and have dinner. Nothing right at the exit, so turn left. Pass down a road with cornfields high on either side of me. About a mile later, enter a town that appears empty.

I mean empty. I do not recall seeing a single person, dog, cat, bird, bicycle, motorcycle, car, not even a light turned on in one of the buildings on the street that I'm on, and this looks like Main St. Business, etc. And the entire street appears devoid of human life.

And then I come to the church. The church which has some 50+ cars in the parking lot. On Thursday evening, at dinner time.

I didn't actually peel out, lay rubber, etc. But I did refuse to even consider stopping for dinner for 20 miles on the grounds that I would still be within walking distance, and I did not want to meet He Who Walks Behind The Rows.

Not so much a stereotype as it is living a moment out of a Stephen King story, though.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Or as the great Foamy has said:

"It wouldn't hurt to think like a serial killer once in a while, just for the sake of prevention."

Am I the only one who runs potential shoot-out scenarios among the people around me while waiting in line? Cuz every once in a while I find myself thinking stuff like:

"If that guy pulls a gun and starts shooting at the clerk, I would have to dive behind that counter and grab that box cutter so I can stab him if he gets close... but if that woman pulls a knife and rushes me, I should probably start by putting this Bic pen through her throat..."

Or is that weird? Cuz if it is I might need some help...

[Nyoibo]

Not really wierd, no wierder than having a zombie apocalypse action plan.

Yes I have several.

[BroomJockey]

"If that guy pulls a gun and starts shooting at the clerk, I would have to dive behind that counter and grab that box cutter so I can stab him if he gets close... but if that woman pulls a knife and rushes me, I should probably start by putting this Bic pen through her throat..."

Or is that weird? Cuz if it is I might need some help...

*I* think it's weird. Why can't you be normal like me? I just plan how I'd rob the place.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Am I the only one who runs potential shoot-out scenarios among the people around me while waiting in line?

Just in lines? You under-prepare. I am ALWAYS doing that. Hell, I have plans in mind for if my 60+-year-old editor who's a deacon for her other job snaps.

[McDreidel09]

Broom, of course everyone is different. I'm not saying that every person from X region has B trait. I do know that it is difficult to understand/learn all cultures, which is why stereotypes will never go away.

When I went to Portland, everyone was different, but a good majority had a different attitude towards life than what I am used to in the Midwest. There were things being talked in public nonchalantly that one cannot talk about in public where I live. The culture there is liberal and open-minded. Not everyone is, but a good majority.

However, one cannot deny that a lack of understanding does lead to negative stereotypes.

[Kalli]

Or as the great Foamy has said:

"It wouldn't hurt to think like a serial killer once in a while, just for the sake of prevention."

Am I the only one who runs potential shoot-out scenarios among the people around me while waiting in line? Cuz every once in a while I find myself thinking stuff like:

"If that guy pulls a gun and starts shooting at the clerk, I would have to dive behind that counter and grab that box cutter so I can stab him if he gets close... but if that woman pulls a knife and rushes me, I should probably start by putting this Bic pen through her throat..."

Or is that weird? Cuz if it is I might need some help...

http://xkcd.com/337/

Not really wierd, no wierder than having a zombie apocalypse action plan.

Yes I have several.

It's IMPORTANT! I wish someone would tell my husband this. Every time I talk about zombie preparation he looks at me like I'm nuts.

[BroomJockey]

http://xkcd.com/337/

www.xkcdsucks.blogspot.com

[Kalli]

www.xkcdsucks.blogspot.com

Hahaha, that's hilarious. I like xkcd, but I mean if you can't laugh at something, even when you think it's brilliant, then you're just a turd, right?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Seems like that idiot on xkcd sucks hasn't heard the phrase 'simplicity is bliss' or if they have, they don't understand the value.

XKCD (that's how it works, all caps at the start of a sentence and either anywhere else) works because it's simple and yet a little weird... sorta off-center. No... wait... this person has managed to consume some of my time...

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Anyway, zombie plan. Yep, I got some:

1) grocery store +ladder +tent for rooftop sanctuary...

2) freind's apartment complex that has an awesome all-encasing fence and is packed to the brim with ex-military republicans with guns.

3) Leather jacket, leather pants, riot pads and other misc. protective equipment + pickup truck + firepower + Mad Max movies.

Thoughts?

A little back on topic, uh, yeah. Individual people are all, after all, individuals. But as in nature there is a certain slant that comes with the same group spending time away from other groups but close to each other, and there are always idiots that are going to take the extreme and spray it all over everything...

[BroomJockey]

Hahaha, that's hilarious. I like xkcd, but I mean if you can't laugh at something, even when you think it's brilliant, then you're just a turd, right?

I dunno about a turd, but I have to say, I've enjoyed xkcd a lot more since I've found that blog. He makes a large number of very valid criticisms more often than not.

[anriana]

http://xkcd.com/337/

I tried finding that one! I am impressed with your skills.