Opinion of Redneck Culture

[DemPGH]

Around western Pennsylvania you certainly get your exposure to it, although there is a respectable mix of people these days. The culture is usually small and hyper social-normative with exceedingly limited interests. Gossip, hunting, American flags, NASCAR, you know. Had to vote H on this one. Often wondered about the similarities / differences between European rednecks and American rednecks, though. 

[DemPGH]

Around western Pennsylvania you certainly get your exposure to it, although there is a respectable mix of people these days. The culture is usually small and hyper social-normative with exceedingly limited interests. Gossip, hunting, American flags, NASCAR, you know. Had to vote H on this one. Often wondered about the similarities / differences between European rednecks and American rednecks, though. 

Good question. I wonder if European rednecks make up the racist nationalist parties like the BNP or FN, or if its one of those "Only in America" things.

Great question, maybe one of our Euro posters can enlighten us. I've heard in Europe they range from the very boorish to just simple, hospitable country folks. But here in the States redneck culture definitely lends itself to intense nationalism, mainly because, i think, it's so closed off and traditional in worldview.

[DemPGH]

Positively, there is a difference between rural or country culture, particularly where educated and affluent country people do live, and redneck culture. That's not to be confused.

Redneck culture is social-normative alone to a point that I think most posters here would find thoroughly objectionable, but also nationalistic, often sexist, and in pockets racist. The pastoral image of the noble thresher lamenting the lost love of his Celia or whatever is really not to be found in the boondocks of the USA.

[DemPGH]

Around western Pennsylvania you certainly get your exposure to it, although there is a respectable mix of people these days. The culture is usually small and hyper social-normative with exceedingly limited interests. Gossip, hunting, American flags, NASCAR, you know. Had to vote H on this one. Often wondered about the similarities / differences between European rednecks and American rednecks, though. 

Oh dear lord, yeah. Especially outside the city. When I was in high school, there was a house two doors up that used to fly the confederate flag. Actually, now that I think of it, most of the people on the block really despised that family....

Hunting is big, but you're wrong if you think NASCAR is preferred by Western PA rednecks. It's the Steelers and always will be the Steelers.... I don't really know about the preference for gossip, since I've never really been around any of that.

It's not rednecks that annoy me. I grew up in that sort of environment. It's those neo-confederate ones whom I really despise. Pennsylvanians who fly the stars and bars are beyond low in my opinion considering that the war has been over for 150 years, that side lost and Pennsylvania was a union state!

Yeah, and thankfully I've not run into many Confederate types, especially in Greensburg or Pitt, but positively, they populate the rural areas in pockets here. If you go up I-79 into no-man's-land you'll absolutely find that. It baffles me too, although I wonder if with many of them it isn't so much a political statement as just a symbolic "I'm a redneck and damn proud" kind of statement. Or else very misguided notions about the Confederacy.

Because western PA and OH and upstate NY and so forth are home to a lot of Amish, I'm tempted to go into a digression on that, but I'll pass. Suffice to say that despite their use of those awful buggies, which should not be allowed on two lane highways, they do partake in modern amenities. Somewhat hypocritically and certainly deceptively.

I'm still not especially clear on what is meant by "redneck culture." Is it Kid Rock and Ed Hardy clothing?

It's just woodsy, backward, and extremely social-normative. It's a little like defining "life."

Younger rednecks may be into that or Charlie Daniels or whatever, but maybe not. It's more one's worldview and lifestyle, I think.