You Might Be a Redneck

[AdminAssistant]

Been meaning to post this for a while...but my internet was slightly borked this weekend.

In some ways, this is a continuation of my "Attitudes Toward the South" thread a while back. But, this has come up before, so I'm just going to say it, loud and clear.

I am a redneck.

Ah, you ask, "But, you are a doctoral student, in the arts, no less, so surely you must be a refined intellectual." Yeah, sure. I love theatre, clean up okay, and can hold my own at a social function (although I frequently feel out of place). However, I'm equally at home sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck, out in the middle of the country, drinking whiskey from the bottle and talking about the crops. I drove a truck for 9 years, and I'd still be driving it if I hadn't wrecked it.

Oh, and by the way, "refined academics" aren't always smart. Some of the folks out here couldn't find their way out of a paper sack without a GPS and a flashlight.

Perhaps it's because of my upbringing, being surrounded by people who work outside for a living, some of whom were illiterate. Learning, first hand, what it is to work outside for long hours during the summer. Y'know how the term "redneck" was coined? Farmers and such frequently get sunburnt on the back of their necks. Red. Necks.

So, when I hear the term "redneck", I think about summer nights drinking on levees, going mudding, riding 4-wheelers, playing in cotton fields. I picture hard-working people with little in the way of formal education - like my Dad, my Aunts and Uncles and Cousins. My BIL, who is definitely a redneck...but he makes my sister happy and provides for his family. So what if there are two deer heads on the wall? So what if he drinks Bud Lights with his buddies and goes to NASCAR races? Y'know, I've watched NASCAR races and I've watched football games and I fail to see how one can be considered so "superior" to the other. NASCAR is driving in a circle, and football is taking a funny shaped ball in one direction and then the other direction. "Oh, but that's different, football has strategies." You think those drivers don't come up with strategies and plans before a race? Your average NASCAR fan is no worse or better than your average fan of any other sport. You show me a redneck in a camping trailer with a Bud in each hand and I will raise you a Packers fan in little more than body paint in 15 degree weather with a cheese on his head.

Oh, and I believe somewhere that somebody mentioned how a "redneck" would break down if they had to go to a fancy dinner party, not knowing which fork to use. Well, when this little redneck had her first fancy dinner, she sat politely and waited to see what other people did and followed suit. In my family, learning how to operate a module builder took precedence over learning which freakin' fork to use with the salad.

[LadyMage]

Sounds about right to me, I consider myself half and half

I CAN go to a dinner party and be all nice and polite and stuff, I like theatre and shakespeare more then your average joe, I like classical music and can read the writings of the greats with no headache, but I also love watching nascar with my dad, sitting outside looking at the stars (without mosquitos) like country music and cars in general (hot wheels over barbies for me as a little kid) I love hayrides and being able to grow my own food (although I don't get to often) bonfires and pumpkin picking in the fall

honestly I don't get why anyone has to be one or the other, lets be both and have twice the fun

[Slytovhand]

Erm... isn't 'Redneck' also supposed to relate to ideology??

(and I think you should clarify which football.... I look at most of them, and wonder seriously about what's left in their heads...although, we did have a show 'Sale of the Century', and the Aussie Rules guy won!! Go figure!)


So.. AA's a 'redneck'... cool.. I'll remember that when I go visit the states... <wave>

[Pedersen]

Y'know how the term "redneck" was coined? Farmers and such frequently get sunburnt on the back of their necks. Red. Necks.

That etymology is in dispute (yes, I used wikipedia, go check their references if it really bothers you, or check Google for other sources if it really bothers you).

Since you are a doctoral student, I'd expect that, in the process of writing (and researching) your thesis, you'd have references, including counter-references, instead of just putting in the version you like best.

[guywithashovel]

I did most of my growing up in Southeastern Ohio, which is somewhat of a "redneck area." For those not familiar with Ohio, Southeastern Ohio is more of a part of Appalachia than it is a part of the Midwest (I think so, anyway). Right now, I live in Columbus (central Ohio), which is where I was born, and it has a different "feel" to it than Southeastern Ohio does.

Anyway, I grew up in a stereotypically "redneck culture." My family lived on a road that wasn't paved. We lived in an old farmhouse that had been built sometime in the late 1800s. In spite of that, I went to college and grad school, and I probably do have some "redneck" traits that go along with the traits I picked up while getting my education and going through other aspects of my life.

However, I've never been much of a "country boy." I've always preferred being in the city to being in the country. My parents moved me from the suburbs to that farmhouse on that unpaved country road when I was nine, and I was a little peeved about that for a while. I missed being in the city where I could ride my bike to my friends' houses and walk to school instead of riding on a bus for 30-60 minutes to get to and from school. Honestly, I never got into a lot of the hobbies that country people are supposed to get into. I've never ridden a dirt bike. I think I've ridden a four-wheeler two, three, or maybe four times. I've never been hunting.

Honestly, I'm more of a city slicker than a redneck or a country person or whatever you want to call them. But, I've never been to a fancy dinner party, either, so maybe I'm still somewhere in between.

[Flyndaran]

I heard it's descended from terms used against those of rural Scot descent.

[BroomJockey]

I will say this, and only this:

You can claim the word all you want, but the word's current usage is a pejorative, and it will continue to be used in a degenerative aspect. Don't expect other people to suddenly become enlightened, and don't be offended when people use your magical word that evokes such fun in your brain as an insult. They're not mind readers. I've seen more crusades to stop aspects of word usage (off the top of my head, redneck once already, retard, wench, witch) and not a one's come anywhere close to being effective. Why? Because literally any word you pick that can be insulting will have a few people embracing that word as a positive aspect of their identity, and want you to stop using it negatively. So, claim to be a redneck all you want, I'll settle for not confusing people and listening to them say "but that's a bad thing. Surely you don't mean that."

[Mr Slugger]

You know I think some cultural words as up for alot of debate. I mean for instance there's alot of people that are now coming out and being proud to be a redneck. On the other hand it's still bad to be trailer trash. I mean personally I'm a headbanger/metalhead. And if you watch pretty much any movie that has a headbanger in it they're some half brain dead moron that like to play the albums backwards looking for satanic lyrics, and always wear concert shirts. Oh and love to play air guitar.

Now I don't dress the metalhead way. Sure I'm more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, and I have been known to do air guitar and drums (rockband2 has kinda stopped that though) But I'd like to think I'm smart. I'm a computer geek, I don't have long hair, and cleaning up for a business meeting only requires a change of clothes. I'm more like the metalhead in the jetta commercial they once had. The one wear a young business kid is driving some business execs somewhere and one of them touches the stereo and it's thrash metal.

But getting back to redneck I think to each his own. I'm sure some will use the term redneck to bash someone and others will use it to describe their way of life. To me redneck has always been a lifestyle. And if you wanted to insult a southerner white trash, or trailer trash was the correct phrase. But then again that is here. I mean down south there could be areas where to be trailer trash is a cool thing too.

[Boozy]

"Redneck" is a derogatory term in all parts of Canada that I am familiar with, and I can't imagine anyone willingly identifying themselves as one.

When I hear the term "redneck" I think think of someone who is racist, ignorant, irresponsible, with poor personal hygiene, and with possible problems with alcohol and the law. People who fit that description and live in a rural area are called "rednecks". People who fit that description and live in town are called "white trash". But the terms mean mostly the same thing where I live.

[Cat]

Hmmm, while I love the outdoors, county fairs, country stores, pumpkin picking, apple picking, corn mazes, tractor pulls, horse pulls, horse shows (horses in general, really) and I'd love to grow my own food and raise chickens and alpacas, I don't consider myself a redneck. I'm a dirty granola-eating hippie.

I have heard that the term "red-neck" comes from either the sunburned neck or wearing red bandanas.

Now I am trying to think if I ever used the turn redneck....postively or negatively....I cannot remember

[AdminAssistant]

Since you are a doctoral student, I'd expect that, in the process of writing (and researching) your thesis, you'd have references, including counter-references, instead of just putting in the version you like best.

I do that for papers, assignments, homework. Posting on Fratching and the OT board of CS is a hobby that I do for fun, so forgive me if I didn't do thorough and proper research.

I didn't realize I had to treat these posts as a dissertation.

[blas87]

For most of us, AA, Fratching is a hobby and a way to relax or pass the time before work and school, and to let out how we feel and have a good old fashioned debate.

I personally prefer using my own words and my own beliefs instead of citing multiple links and websites.....but there are others who think otherwise.

I'll openly admit, there are some link overloads and I'll just scroll scroll scroll and scroll on past because it's so much I just don't want to bother.

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, if I'm going to have to back up every. single. thing. I say here with citations from peer-reviewed journals, then I won't be able to post anymore. Simply don't have the time or the want-to.

All I wanted to do here was point out why I, personally, do not associate the term "redneck" with the same image that other people do. That's it. That's all.

[DrFaroohk]

I've never had a good experience with so-called "rednecks", I suppose that's why I'm slightly predispositioned to not like them. To me, a redneck is...the guy who used to fuck my car all up. It's the neighbor who terrorized me because I wasn't a junkie like him.

It's my parents for making me feel inadequate because I didn't "work" for a living. After all, a "real man" WORKS for a living. He doesn't sit down in a chair and work at a computah! Dee kise dea, (Jesus Christ, dear) a real man, dea, yessah, he goes out inta woods dea! A real man, yessah dea, he goes fishin' dea! Yessah bub!

It's everyone I know for making me feel like a "loser" because I like to play video games. I'm sorry I'm not cool enough to do something completely mind numbing like staring at someone else playing a game all day. I'd rather do it myself. I'm sorry I'm not cool enough to watch some guy drive around in circles, or watch to gigantic men tap on each other in the most boring fashion possible. I'm sorry I'm not cool enough to drink Natural Ice like you do, and just stick to weed. I'm sorry I get high and fall asleep, unlike most who get drunk and kick the shit out of their kids.

While I'm sure OP is none of these things and yet still fancies herself a redneck, that's great, but keep in mind you're the exception, not the rule. If I had a choice between going into a hip-hop club full of angry-as-fuck black people, or a redneck bar full of drunk rednecks, I'd take the hip-hop bar any day of the week.

[the_std]

I'm sorry I get high and fall asleep, unlike most who get drunk and kick the shit out of their kids.

Whoa whoa whoa. I understand you're having fun with generalizations and such, but this is a stretch, even for rednecks. Sure, the stereotypical redneck might not be the best parent in the world, but child beating is a completely different animal.