A question for leftists in this forum: Am I a red neck?

[Spade]

Labels are just words. They cannot describe your reality, or mine, or anyone's. You either buy into the baggage of a label or not. You either let it confine you, limit your thoughts, direct your beliefs, accept or reject others based on these labels, or you don't! It's up to you!
Just as liberal may not define you, neither does red neck. You simply are.

 

[Spade]

Scott Free is correct. Red-neck is a "sophisticate's" or urbanite's label for the poor white farmer (generally from the South) whose neck is burnt red from working his land. Then the baggage tumbles on!

 

[karrie]

Isn't the evolution of an insult a neat thing to watch?

Red-neck. Many of the men in my family actually have them. From sun and alcohol. Farmers, oilpatch hands. Working class stiffs. No further education, aside from the odd boiler ticket, etc.

But the evolution of the thing... what a treat. To take everything that the 'upper class' don't like about these men who drive industry and agriculture, and turn it into an insult for anyone who doesn't meet the upper-class ideal. Those who are beneath, below, below, your way of thinking. It's bigoted, elitist, and downright ignorant.

Yet the origin, totally fine. The comedy clip included is a perfect commentary on it.

 

[Machjo]

Labels are just words. They cannot describe your reality, or mine, or anyone's. You either buy into the baggage of a label or not. You either let it confine you, limit your thoughts, direct your beliefs, accept or reject overs based on these labels, or you don't! It's up to you!
Just as liberal may not define you, neither does red neck. You simply are.

Now I understand. But we use words for communication. In that sence, 'dog' is a label. But if I don't know your meaning of 'dog', then how are we to communicate?

Same here. I'm just curious to know how people define 'red-neck', or liberal, or even leftist in this foru. If I have a better understanding of the meanings people attribute to these terms, then I also have a better understanding of what they mean when they use them.

For instance, I thought that my beliefs in capital punishment in some cases, or in the sanctity of life at conception, or in my opposition to same-sex marriage would be defined by some as red-neck. When I realised that many did not opine that to be red-necked, then I understood that I was misunderstanding them. Now it appears that red-neck has less to do with political leanings and more lifestyle choices such as sleepin with yur sista, at least among peopel in this forum.

One person asked what is leftist. Good question. I've heard people use the term many times. But to understand what the person means, I have to know his definition of the term. One person called me liberal. Again, if his definition of the term and mine don't agree, then we can't undrstand one another using that term. We first have to agree on the meaning fo various words to understand each other, and in this sence it's worth asking people sometimes to know what they mean when they use certain terms.

 

[Spade]

The labels- liberal, conservative, socialist, capitalist, neo-conservative, fundamentalist - are so amorphous on forums such as these that they become epithets rather than descriptors.

 

[Unforgiven]

Now I understand. But we use words for communication. In that sence, 'dog' is a label. But if I don't know your meaning of 'dog', then how are we to communicate?

Same here. I'm just curious to know how people define 'red-neck', or liberal, or even leftist in this foru. If I have a better understanding of the meanings people attribute to these terms, then I also have a better understanding of what they mean when they use them.

For instance, I thought that my beliefs in capital punishment in some cases, or in the sanctity of life at conception, or in my opposition to same-sex marriage would be defined by some as red-neck. When I realised that many did not opine that to be red-necked, then I understood that I was misunderstanding them. Now it appears that red-neck has less to do with political leanings and more lifestyle choices such as sleepin with yur sista, at least among peopel in this forum.

One person asked what is leftist. Good question. I've heard people use the term many times. But to understand what the person means, I have to know his definition of the term. One person called me liberal. Again, if his definition of the term and mine don't agree, then we can't undrstand one another using that term. We first have to agree on the meaning fo various words to understand each other, and in this sence it's worth asking people sometimes to know what they mean when they use certain terms.

Four blind men encounter an elephant. One grabs the leg and is convinced it's a tree trunk. One holds the tail and thinks it's a whip. Another touches the elephant's trunk and decides it's a hose while the fourth man pats the side and is sure it's a wall. The wise man tells them, "All of you are right."

 

[Tyr]

The acid tests!

Is your belt buckle bigger than your head?
Do you go to family reunions to meet girls?
Do you wear shoes just on Sundays when attending tent-revival meeting so you won't be bitten by the snakes??
Do you use "Ya'll" when talking to your hound?
Is your rifle more expensive than your wife's engagement ring?
Do you think Washington is in the "Yankee States of America"?
Do you think Grits are a breakfast cereal?
Can you name three foreign countries? Do you know at least one of their capitals?
Can you chew gum and whistle "Dixie" at the same time?
Did you vote for Harper?

cont'd

Is there a partialy disassembled 1970's washing machine in your front yard?
Is there morwe than twenty used tires scattered about your property?
Did you and your neighbour split on a 5 gallon container of paint for your trailer homes?
Do you have a George Wallace campaign button?

 

[Tyr]

The term red neck is a common term of abuse used among the left to denigrate the right. Based on my understanding of people's use of the term, it implies an ignorant, heartless person whose views on law and order are strongly influcenced by religion though his views on war and economics tend to be driven primarily by nationalism.

Is this in fact correct?

If so, then would I be classified as a red neck according to the left? Some of my views would fall into that category, while others of my views would be progressive enough to make the NDP blush.

As for my more conservative views, I am:

pro-life
pro-capital punishment in some cases
pro-opposite-sex marriage

My economic views are more capitalistic and conservative but not dogmatically so.

As for my more progressive views that would put even the NDP to shame, I'm in favour of:

a decentralized world federation with common citizenship
a world police force to gradually replace national military forces
a common world currency
a universal auxiliary language that is easy to learn by design and common a system of measurements, with all people free to learn the first language of their choice if a school is available.
global free trade
universal compulsory education
freedom of religious belief

So would you classify such a belief system as red-neck or progressive?

"it implies an ignorant, heartless person whose views on law and order are strongly influcenced by religion though his views on war and economics tend to be driven primarily by nationalism."

I wouldn't say heartless, just misguided

As for my more conservative views, I am:

pro-life
pro-capital punishment in some cases
pro-opposite-sex marriage

Being prolife and pro capital punishment is an oxymoron. People who ascribe to both tend to be heavily influenced by what they read and view and have shallow perceptions of true moral or ethical issues

So would you classify such a belief system as red-neck or progressive?

A NeoConservative. Rednecks don't use computers

 

[Tyr]

What is a leftist?

Anyone who doesn't believe in the screed of Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
Someone who thinks Rush Limbaugh is mentally challenged
Someone who picks up a book by Anne Coulter and their hands start to burn
anybody who believes Bill O'Reilly is a study in dementia

it goes on and on

 

[Machjo]

"it implies an ignorant, heartless person whose views on law and order are strongly influcenced by religion though his views on war and economics tend to be driven primarily by nationalism."

I wouldn't say heartless, just misguided

As for my more conservative views, I am:

pro-life
pro-capital punishment in some cases
pro-opposite-sex marriage

Being prolife and pro capital punishment is an oxymoron. People who ascribe to both tend to be heavily influenced by what they read and view and have shallow perceptions of true moral or ethical issues

So would you classify such a belief system as red-neck or progressive?

A NeoConservative. Rednecks don't use computers

A neo-conservative world federalist? That's new; never thought it was possible.

I'm enjoying this thread. Some would classify me as liberal, and now I have neo-conservative. But at least it's clear that I'm no red-neck.:lol:

 

[Cliffy]

A neo-conservative world federalist? That's new; never thought it was possible.

I'm enjoying this thread. Some would classify me as liberal, and now I have neo-conservative. But at least it's clear that I'm no red-neck.:lol:

You must be a bit of a dufus if you have to ask other people what you are.

 

[Machjo]

You must be a bit of a dufus if you have to ask other people what you are.

I do know what I believe, but just am not sure how my beliefs would be categorized by the general public. If I want to know how the general public would categorize these beliefs, then the best thing to do is ask:smile:

 

[Cliffy]

I do know what I believe, but just am not sure how my beliefs would be categorized by the general public. If I want to know how the general public would categorize these beliefs, then the best thing to do is ask:smile:

I can see the appeal but really, who cares what anybody else thinks? Other people can only see you through the filters of their own perception of themselves so really, their opinion is just about themselves. And most people are not happy with who they think they are. The only logical place to be is comfortable with your own self image.

 

[Machjo]

I can see the appeal but really, who cares what anybody else thinks? Other people can only see you through the filters of their own perception of themselves so really, their opinion is just about themselves. And most people are not happy with who they think they are. The only logical place to be is comfortable with your own self image.

I'm quite happy with my own self image. Perhaps this is the misunderstanding. I'm asking the quesiton more to know you than to know myself. Of course your answers will say nothing about me. But they will say something about you. If you say the ideas are presented are liberal, then I know something bout you, how you perceive my ideas. If you say my ideas are neo-con, again I learn something about you, not me.

That was the whole point of this, not to know myself better, but to know you better. What makes you think I was trying to learn something about me through this?

 

[Cliffy]

That was the whole point of this, not to know myself better, but to know you better. What makes you think I was trying to learn something about me through this?

Uuuh, because you asked what we thought of your beliefs. To tell you the truth, I don't categorize anybody's beliefs. When I offer my opinion on any subject it just to present a different perspective. I never expect anyone to change their beliefs or to express a truth. To me, anything anybody says is just opinion. I find that interesting in itself. It allows my to assess my own opinions using others as a mirror.
When it comes to politics, the NDP look right wing from where I stand. I believe all life is sacred so abortion sits somewhere between slaughter houses and capital punishment but then I do not feel any impulse to force my views on anyone.
As a spiritual anarchist, I believe that everybody needs to come to their own conclusions based on a personal journey of self discovery but I don't know too many who bother. Most would prefer to have their opinions handed to them. But that is only my opinion based on my observation of human behaviour and from reading these forums.

 

[Ron in Regina]

I'm a Redneck. Hard work doesn't scare me. I happened to have voted
Conservative in the last election. I live with a couple of dogs. I am neither
heartless or ignorant or overly influenced by any organized religion. My
views on Law&Order are based strongly on my sense of Right&Wrong,
and have nothing to do with religion. I am a Canadian. I'm against anyone
stepping on anyone else. To me, being called a Redneck isn't an insult at
all...unless it's thrown out by some thoughtless arsehole as an insult.

To me, a Redneck is someone who is ultimately resourceful, and willing to
make things work in tough situations using their resourcefulness, and their
own sweat to benefit themselves & their Families & their Friends. Being
called a Redneck, by a Redneck, is an honor. Anyone throwing out the
term Redneck as an insult (beside being just plain ignorant) had better be
sure of the crowd that their in. Just a word to the wise...

 

[Dexter Sinister]

The term red neck is a common term of abuse used among the left to denigrate the right.

Well... there's some truth in that statement, but it's not the whole story, or even most of the story. I find redneck is more often a kind of class distinction: people who consider themselves (usually quite unjustifiably, as it's based only on income, not quality) as being in the upper levels of the social scale use redneck to denigrate those they consider to be below them, and its general overtones suggest ignorance, lack of education, stupidity, lack of sophistication, lower incomes, thoughtless religious conservatism, rural living, stuff like that. But as Ron in Regina correctly pointed out, many people who choose to wear that label do it with pride, to them it means hard work, resourcefulness, independence, and other laudable values, and in my experience they *do* throw the best parties, as Ron's pictures suggest. Your views as you described them in the OP defy classification with a single label, and that's true of most people. I have some opinions that some would label redneck, and some opinions that others would label leftist, so do you, and so does everybody, except the ones who really *are* uneducated, ignorant, and stupid, who have no opinions worth taking seriously at all. And you're clearly not one of those.

 

[talloola]

I'm a Redneck. Hard work doesn't scare me. I happened to have voted
Conservative in the last election. I live with a couple of dogs. I am neither
heartless or ignorant or overly influenced by any organized religion. My
views on Law&Order are based strongly on my sense of Right&Wrong,
and have nothing to do with religion. I am a Canadian. I'm against anyone
stepping on anyone else. To me, being called a Redneck isn't an insult at
all...unless it's thrown out by some thoughtless arsehole as an insult.

To me, a Redneck is someone who is ultimately resourceful, and willing to
make things work in tough situations using their resourcefulness, and their
own sweat to benefit themselves & their Families & their Friends. Being
called a Redneck, by a Redneck, is an honor. Anyone throwing out the
term Redneck as an insult (beside being just plain ignorant) had better be
sure of the crowd that their in. Just a word to the wise...

When I use the expression 'redneck', I am not describing 'you' at all. My vision
of a redneck is someone who is older, non flexible, know it all, stuck in his generation, a bit of a smoker/drinker/ball hat/plaid flannel shirt/ baggy jeans,
(although the kids have adopted them now)/beer drinking/pick up truck/(dually),poorly educated and shows it/(some poorly educated are very intelligent)/racist/hates gays/hates all politicians/(could describe many of us),
head of the house/(he thinks),/(but his wife is most likely a red neck too)/
dog in the back of the pick-up/(a mutt)/looks down on young people, will not
understand them and cannot understand them, thinks his generation is the best
one, and it has been downhill from there, according to him.

 

[Cliffy]

Ron in Regina,

Nice outhouse. I never had one that luxurious.

Interesting that everyone has a different definition of a red neck, even the self professed. I know it has changed for me as I went through different fazes of my life. Mostly now it has something to do with being stuck in the past.

 

[Nuggler]

What is a leftist?

Thet ther be a fella what's lef one is bigger then whut he right one be.

Y'all.





Does anyone know what that intellectual gentleman in the plaid cut-off shirt and the Mohawk is doing or planning to do with that propane cylinder? Aside from refilling it to use as home (trailer) heating? His neck does not look too red. No doubt a theoretical mathematician.