TCS: Tech Central Station – Revolt of the Jacksonians
This is an article that sounds erudite. It seems pretty impressive as you read through….. except for one thing: it buys into and plays to the popular idea that Red States equals Rednecks.
This is entirely too facile. The article has loads of fun with stereotypes without real analysis. Rendering the large part of the USA’s support of President Bush to be unthinking “warlike disposition” cultural characteristics that are supposedly “”inherently”” pessimistic. I just don’t buy that. That there are ‘Jacksonians’, no doubt, that they form an impetus within American society? Probably so, but they are a subset cultural group and by no means is this representative of all of ‘Red State’ Americans and even less so if you add this statement: “although they have a coarse and sometimes even bawdy subculture of sex, drink, and honky tonk, the Jacksonians are virtually 100 percent Christian. And so, after a wild Saturday night, they are often found in church the next morning, hung over or not.” Think so? You’ve got facts and figures to back this up, I presume.
Are Americans more “Red State” stupid because they tend to have larger families? Are you a redneck because you have a large family…does it amount to ignorance on your part? These are some of the assumptions and implications.
Are we all ” fightin’ and votin’ Jacksonian masses”? Support your cause, because it is all pretty much a flim flam hack job on America and the move towards Conservatism, if you ask me.
I’ll try to fisk this later…. but if you are reading this sort of “analysis” I just want you to beware. Let’s dissect some of this before we swallow it whole, shall we?
I do think it is a good illustration of the expert use of popular presumption and prejudice.
If I didn’t know you better, I might have thought that you were baiting me here, Ilona! ;~)
I can’t be hung over in church as I have a Sunday School class of bright and inquisitive scholars to teach. They memorize important verses, know their Bible history, ask intelligent questions, and help to keep me “on my toes”!
I can honestly say that I don’t believe I share a single “redneck” trait. By the way–are “rednecks” monolithic?
Ah, Bonnie, I wish it were only baiting, but I think those who are writing such things are throughly convinced that they have insight and unquestionable logic. They believe their own spiel.
They really think that there are more conservatives because they “breed” more prolifically…. and now that I am repeating that it sounds very close to invective and accusations usually used to wage persecutions in the past.
These writers don’t seem to conceive of women having a family of a large size because they love and welcome their children.
And that is a great pity.
No culture is truly monolithic, and stereotype is only useful if used very loosely. IMO
And no, I doubt if you have a redneck bone in your body. I bet you don’t even know who Jeff Foxworthy is;)
But you are very cultured and sweet. I bet you know how to “give a soft answer”