SOC112 2-1 Discussion_Exploring Subcultures
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Apr 3, 2024
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2-1 Discussion: Exploring Subcultures
Since I was born and raised in South Carolina, I chose Southern Culture as the subculture for this
discussion. As with any other culture, there are good and bad aspects of southern culture. Some positive fundamentals of this culture include good food, hospitality, manners, historical architecture, a strong work ethic, a strong sense of family and community, strong ingrained respect for personal freedoms and liberties, and some really good music (Weaver, 2023). Religion has been recognized as a key factor in the culture of the South. The main religious groups of the South are the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, as well as Pentecostal and holiness groups. In recent years, there has been more diversity within the religious demography and practice with the presence of Roman Catholics and Jews. Southerners tend to be more active in religious organizations and more orthodox in measurable belief than any of their fellow citizens (Owen & Wilson, 2006). For many years the South has been called the Bible Belt, which
shapes national understanding and misunderstanding. H.L. Mencken first used the term "Bible Belt" in the 1920s to refer to regions of the country where puritanical mores and a belief in the Bible's literal authenticity are prevalent (Wilson, 2006). He did not assign a specific location to the term, but he did link it to the "Baptist backwaters of the South." Religion plays such an important role in southern culture that Blue Laws were put in place to prohibit work on “the day of rest.” Blue Laws still exist in most of the southern states, some more prominently than others. Blue Laws prohibit worldly business and diversion, except when deemed necessary or charitable,
on the traditional day of rest (Weeks &Wilson, 2006). Enforcement today is haphazard and sporadic. The blue laws linger on most law books, but some southern states don’t recognize them
today. However, there is one sabbatical restriction that most southern officials insist on - except in large cities, resort areas, and at private clubs – the prohibition of the sale of alcohol.
Before the Civil War, the most popular sports in the South were cockfighting, hunting and fishing, card playing, prize fighting, and horse racing. But these sports faced moral condemnation from southern ministers and churchwomen because of their association with gambling (Owen & Wilson, 2006). Most southern states allow gambling of some degree, but where I live in South Carolina, it is against the law to participate in any form of gambling. Today
southerners devotion to sports is identified with football in Texas and Alabama, NASCAR in the
Carolinas, basketball in Kentucky, and baseball in Florida. Traditional southern cooking, whether
it’s healthy or not, makes it hard to push away from the table. Three items that definitely originated in the South are barbeque, grits, and cornbread. Southern food incorporates a wide variety of aspects from other cultures, but it most likely originated in the South if it’s fried! Values govern our behavior, and principles govern the consequences of our behavior (
Know Southern History::culture,
n.d.). Most of our beliefs are based on biblical teachings. For example, the underlying principle that guides all good manners can be summed up from a quote by Jesus Christ that reads “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, …”(
King James Bible
, 1987, Matthew 7:12). Southern culture means we treat everyone with
kindness, courtesy and respect. We say “yes/no, sir/ma’am” as well as “please” and “thank you.” Again, the originating source for this next principle is The Holy Bible, actually the Ten Commandments, where we’re told not to lie, cheat or steal. That means not getting involved in anything that isn’t moral, ethical, honest, or legal. As with anything else, there are always consequences or ramifications when you participate in actions that aren’t legal, ethical, or honest.
Legally, you could go to jail or have to pay a fine. People of the South may deal with ill-
mannered or disrespectful individuals using negative sanctions such as gossip, public ridicule, insults, or social ostracism for violations of social norms. Southern history is tarnished with racialized violence, discrimination, slavery, and segregation. Unquestionably, the trauma of slavery and the blood of slaves have stained the south's history. On the other hand, a lot of people in the South recognize that racism and oppression are not yet history and are actively working toward it. The South has also come to be defined by perceived stupidity. Although there are some areas with low graduation rates and high dropout rates, these are not typical of the entire population. In addition to fifteen US presidents, the South has produced some of the brightest minds in American history. It is home to more than a dozen of the world's top universities, and despite popular assumption, these universities are not overrun with transplants from the north.
References
Gregg, J. M. (2021, March 16). The problems with the “southern” stereotype — FOREIGN AFFAIRS REVIEW
. FOREIGN AFFAIRS REVIEW. https://www.foreignaffairsreview.com/home/the-problems-with-the-southern-stereotype
King James Bible.
(1987). Thomas Nelson Bibles. (Original published 1970).
Know Southern History::culture
. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2024, from KnowSouthernHistory.net: https://www.knowsouthernhistory.net/culture/
Owen, D. E., & Wilson, C. R. (2006). Protestantism. In S. S. Hill (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Religion
(Vol. 1, pp. 121-125). University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved 03 13, 2024, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9780807877166_hill.31
Weaver, E. (2023, November 15). 25 Subcultures Within The United States That Fascinating | List25
. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from List25.com: https://list25.com/25-subcultures-
within-the-united-states-that-are-truly-fascinating/#google_vignette
Weeks, L., & Wilson, C. R. (2006). Blue Laws. In S. S. Hill (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Religion
(Vol. 1, pp. 172-173). University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9780807877166_hill.45
Wilson, C. R. (2006). Bible Belt. In S. S. Hill (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Religion
(Vol. 1, pp. 171-172). University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from https:www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9780807877166_hill.44
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