Do Northerners hate Southerners in the U. S?

[Anonymous]

I've heard that Northerners and people from some other parts of the country tend to dislike Southerners and Southern culture and have negative stereotypes about us that people in Canada, the U. K., etc. don't have. Judging by experience, is that true?

Yes, it's true.

No, it's not true.

I don't know./Other./See results.

Updates

+1 y

To clarify, I'm mainly talking about the Northeast and, to some degree, the Northeastern Midwest.

[ChaosKilledTheDinos]

Definitely not hate, but judge a bit, yeah. I try not to. And for the most part, I'm successful but I do feel a bit biased against the south. And from what I've heard and learned while living in Canada, they judge the south harder than we East Coast people do. Any negative American stereotype they have seems to be based on a Southern "character" they built.

I think the South could be pretty cool, and there are lots of nice people down there I'm sure, just not for me. I would love to go to New Orleans someday though :)

[Asker]

lol. New Orleans is one of those Southern cities that is always more popular with Northerners than Southerners. But that's good of you to recognize a bias and try not to have it. I don't think many people honestly do that really.

[code3]

I have a pretty extreme dislike for Southern customs and culture. Stereotypes are born for a reason and I've witnessed a few situations that backed them up. Mostly racism, homophobia, and an unhealthy obsession with their religion. All things that I happen to despise! HOWEVER, I generally enjoy the company of the individual southerners that I've met and worked with. So maybe they're just awful in large, concentrated populations.

[Asker]

Well, it's a shame that you dislike our culture. I don't know your experiences, but as a whole and judging from my own experience, I don't think that we are more racist. Most people don't like homosexuality and we do tend to be very devoted to God and to their ideals. I don't know if I've ever heard anyone call that an obsession, but I'm glad that you can be friends on an individual basis. Thank you very much for your response.

[AmyB123]

Apply your opinions to your own society, friend.
And after that, leave Southern culture alone. If you don’t live there, why do you care and if for some weird reason you move there, why?

[lilsammyjo]

generally us notherners actally really like southerns. we basically do everything you guys do but have harsher weather conditions. its the the west coast people that generally dont like the southerns. but thats just in my experience. so i can't speak for everyone.

[Asker]

Oh ok. I've never heard that.

[WhatAreYouReading]

I'm from PA and I don't find this to be true.

[WhatAreYouReading]

Thanks for MHG!!

[ladsin]

To an extent both no and yes.
Yes there are a lot of stereotypes that people have of members of the deep south (I am actually from the state that started the Civil War, so I can see this)

Some people will judge you just off of being southerner or having that southern accent and some people won't. That's just life I guess.

[JoeCensored]

There are some negative stereotypes, but not hate.

[VirginiaBeachBum]

Likely no more than their own neighbors. I live in the south and some of my best friends are from the north. I've never heard any of them speak ill of southerners. I visited central Pennsylvania a few years ago and it was like visiting Alabama, just with different accents.

[Mesonfielde]

I've heard quite often that Southerners take their religions way too seriously, and are more likely to mutilate their kids as well, and enforce abstinence-only sex-ed unlike any other more civilized and more socially advanced region in the states.

Then again, I might just be making things up.

[Asker]

Thank you for your response. I don't know about mutilating children, but we do tend to be devout and devoted and sometimes idealistic, and we do, at least in my state, have abstinence-only sex-ed. (Abstinence is the only certain method of birth control, but that's another discussion.) I can't imagine how that would make us less civilized or less "socially advanced," but what gives anyone the right to declare their culture more civilized or superior? Why is Northern culture automatically better because it declares itself to be? Who has that right? This is probably the top stereotype that Southerners have against Northerners--they declare themselves to be superior to all other cultures, especially us. Of course, we also say to take these things with a grain of salt. Thank you again for your response.

[Mesonfielde]

Because it's proven that abstinence-only education is not as effective as telling kids that sex gets them pregnant, BUT if they want to reduce the risks of that and STD transmission they can use a condom, or there are many more options available for females. Instead of just relying on "lol don't do it because divine retribution once you die".

This is just proof that 1.) They rely on censorship over honest informative explanations and 2.) They rely on religious behavior control over giving a reason beyond fear of divine retribution.

Of course other regions will look down on them, just like how Time Travel stories are banned in China and atheism is punishable with jailtime for "terrorism" in some backwards middle Eastern countries.

[Asker]

Abstinence-only sex education does teach about STD's and birth control and gives statistics on them. The truth is that no method of birth control is 100% effective except not "making babies." Do you honestly think that teenagers in states with abstinence-only education don't know that birth control exists or that they don't know how to use it? It is not censorship to tell the whole truth. It is exactly the opposite, but anyone relying on a public school curriculum for uncensored, unbiased information is terribly naive. Have you read an American state-approved history textbook? Public schools in the South don't teach anything about God. The students and teachers may be mostly professing Christians, but it's not allowed to be discussed in a classroom setting. The censorship goes the other way in the curriculum. The South is actually very libertarian and genuinely respectful of other people's ideas. The idea of censorship or a biased presentation of information enrages people.

[Mesonfielde]

Interesting. I am pretty sure I've heard of people not being told about condoms at all. Maybe it was just particular regions then, more influenced by devoutness.

[Asker]

Oh my goodness! I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt. There's at least one church on almost every city street and country road, and everyone knows what condoms are! Just because someone is devout doesn't mean they're ignorant! No one "does the right thing" because they were unaware of the alternative. Do you think that most Christians in the United States are ignorant of Darwin's theories or put their fingers in their ears and hum when macro evolution is discussed? No! We may have faith, but we also have the God-given ability to think for ourselves. Being educated in a public school system censored AGAINST our beliefs is a pretty good motivation to do independent research, learn the value of a primary source, and never rely upon pre-digested facts, even if they appear to be in our favor. Do you think that Southerners or Christians are all ignorant, slobbering fools? We are human beings who can think and arrive at our own conclusions. Disagreeing with you does not make us ignorant.

[Asker]

Of course, not all Southerners are Christians, but most at least claim to "believe in God"?

[Asker]

I didn't mean that to be a question. Sorry.

[Mesonfielde]

Now the question is, what is the general consensus about people who don't believe in God, or isn't a Christian?

In fact, what if they identify as Atheist? What is the general consensus about a person who is not affiliated with any religious organizations?

I've heard that they "have no morals, because religion is the only foundation of morality"

[Asker]

There really is no "general consensus" on them. Different people have different opinions. Southerners tend to be stubborn and like to argue lol. That's one stereotype we usually don't dispute. Also, it's not that they have no morals. It's that they have no reason to have morals beyond what could happen to them if they aren't "good" or don't follow the law. I don't mean that they have no reason to practice their morals. I mean that they have no reason to have them except that they've been taught to have them and naturally have a conscience and pride. Christians believe that motive is more important than action because it's a pure heart that God wants, not being "good" in a showy way and that all action should be motivated by love of God and other people and that the ultimate basis of right and wrong is the character of God. Atheists obviously believe in morality, but some don't believe in love. I've never heard an atheist give a really good reason not to lie, just, "My dad taught me..."

[AmyB123]

What? How ignorant. I think this may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You need help.

[AmyB123]

Where do you get your information? Good grief, the South actually lives in the 21st Century, dude.

[AmyB123]

If Northerners dislike the South so much, why do they continue to move here? For the last 50 years of my life, the Northerners have invaded my homeland and erased my heritage. I’ve yet to meet one single Yankee that I like. They tend to be abrasive, opinionated and negative people.
I’ve known and had relationships with Yankees. I’ve yet to have a single, positive experience. They are mutts with nothing positive to offer Southern society. Because of that, they seek to destroy an unfamiliar culture and turn it into the hellhole they came from.

[lordeisqueen]

I don't think Northerners hate southerns but I just think they have negative stereotypes about us like our lifestyle (most of em think all southerners live on ranches, farms etc and we all listen to country music) and just how we talk.

[Dubhlann]

There's stereotypes like that going both directions...

[Asker]

Yes, definitely. I just wondered how common and how deeply held and what types they are.

[Dubhlann]

I don't think most people hold them very deep. It's more of a traditional "hatred" than a real one... Like how the Irish hate the English... Most don't REALLY hate them...

[Asker]

Oh okay. That's good to know:) It's the same here.

[Awesome2]

The stereotypes go's like this , Southerner are traditionalist, hillbillies. The Northerners are loud rude and overly liberal and live in bad neighborhoods.

[CupcakeKiller]

People in Canada and the UK are more critical of Southern USA than the North. I semi recently moved much closer to the south for law school and I won't lie... it's... very different.

[Asker]

I'm sure some of them are. I'm just basing that on anecdote, cultural kinship theory, and rates of travel between the U. K. and the Southern U. S. They usually don't like our politics, etc., but we have a lot in common with them culturally.

[Cosytoasty]

Our colonies never reached the south. I suspect you don't have that deep-rooted dislike of us that the northeast does. Politics aside, I've found southerners to be generally more open, curious and friendly once they hear my accent. I've struck up far more interesting conversations with coffee baristas and policemen down there compared to say Boston.

[Asker]

@Cosytoasty oh wow. I didn't know anyone hated Canada. Yes, we definitely don't have anything against Canada or many stereotypes. They're mostly positive anyway.

[Cosytoasty]

I'm not from Canada, I'm from the UK :-).

[Asker]

@Cosytoasty I'm sorry. I just read your reply. Oh sorry, yes. Southerners in general almost look up to British people. We seem to assume that they're better than us and kind-of take their history as our own (They're our "grandfather country.") and watch British TV shows and all of that. I didn't know until recently that the Northeast didn't like the U. K., but what do you mean about the colonies? Weren't Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia British colonies? Or do you just mean that they had a better relationship with Britain?

[Anonymous]

There's two widespread beliefs:

1 - people from the eastern seaboard believe anything important comes from where they live; and

2 - people from all over the world believe everybody in the southern u. s. is stupid.

so there you go

[Northeast106]

I dont. I moved from the north to the south, its better down here. Houses are much cheaper along with the taxes.

[Katy16]

No I don't think so, my boyfriend is a previous northerner so lol

Also when I've gone up north everyone is nice

[xXiTacoXx]

I'm from the Northern part of the U. S., but moved to the South, and I can honestly say that the South has their fair share of dislikable people.

[Asker]

Do you mean more than is usual in other places you have lived?

[xXiTacoXx]

About the same amount, maybe a bit more. Southern hospitality my ass. They have their own way of showing they dislike you. xD

[Asker]

Lol yeah, but we're not blunt about it.

[AmyB123]

That’s because the Yankee was visible/audible. Trust me, we treat our own much better than we ever would a Yankee. Southerner Hospitality truly does exist. Just not for loud, obnoxious non-Southerners.

[pavlove]

i reckon we just think the way y'all tawk is humorous and everything in the s o u t h g o e s a l l s l o w l i k e

[LaikaFreefall]

I kinda hate the south and I'm not even American :P

[Asker]

Thanks lol. If you don't mind my asking, where are you from, have you ever visited the Southern U. S., and from what sources have you drawn your conclusion? I'm just curious. I'm nor trying to interrogate you lol.

[LaikaFreefall]

Yeah, sure. I'm from Ontario. I've been to Texas, we drove (we had already driven to Virginia Beach). The people appeared to be nice enough, most anyway. But really... just not people I could agree with often.
Now, when I say I hate the south, understand that what I MEAN is I hate it as a whole. When it comes to individual people, I kinda like a good number of them. But too many bad apples have absolutely spoiled this American pie.

The south is almost without exception all red states... It's hard for me to respect someone either that willfully ignorant or just plain bad. Like, I dont see how it isn't either ignorance or they're just crappy people who vote these people into power? Like, these are not unintelligent people, not usually I dont think...
I guess that's my MAIN complaint about the south is these are the people who vote Republican consistently and Republicans abandon science and reason as a political strategy and, unfortunately in many cases, basic human decency.

[Asker]

Thank you for response. I think that it is silly to characterize people you disagree with as "willfully ignorant or just plain bad," but your response was helpful.

[LaikaFreefall]

It's not a mere disagreement... Would it be a disagreement if someone told you that they enjoy cutting the ears off of puppies and you said "you're one sick son of a bitch!" Is that silly? To say they're a little messed in the head, to say the least?

The only disagreement is that Republicans think what they do is okay and I think it is nothing short of morally reprehensible and disgusting.

Either the electorate in the south dont know what these people represent or they just dont care. They're ignorant or uncaring A-holes... Personally, I hope for ignorance on their part. But I'm sure in a number of cases at least, that simple is not so.

[Asker]

My goodness! That's exactly what a lot of people here say about Democrats lol, but are usually more inclined to think that they are desensitized rather than ignorant. I'm not trying to start a debate. I'm just saying that's a pretty popular sentiment.

[AmyB123]

Like any Southerner even cares. LOL!

[abundantlyrich]

They are just backwards with a traditional southern charm

[Asker]

Thank you for your response, but this is the kind of thing that I was asking about. If we are backwards from you, you are equally backwards from us.

[abundantlyrich]

I won't dispute that.

[mntwins66]

I do not hate southerners.

[mntwins66]

I'm about as north as you get in the US!

[ArtDent]

Nah... westerners do as well.

[Asker]

Westerners hate the Southern states?

[ArtDent]

Just the regressive people from the southern states.

[Asker]

Regressive?

[rgb008]

No. lol