Seeking a woman's opinion (for a subway harassment scene)

[Kelliezgirl]

KY/TN east of a line from Lexington - Chattanooga is absolutely Appalachia. There can be no dispute about that.

NC/SC are often referred to as 'The Carolinas'.

That map ain't far off a'tall.

We are discussing things in different contexts.
Oregon and Washington are "The Pacific Northwest".
Colorado/Utah/Idaho are the ""Moutain West". That super accurate color coded map doesn't seem to recognize that.

Kentucky and Tennessee are absolutely part of the South. Appalachia is a finer distinction.
You can also separate the Gulf Coast states from the South and so forth. But when talking about broad swaths of the country just saying "the south" is accurate.
Similarly, New England is a subgroup of the North East.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

KY was kind of undecided in the 1860s.

Both Lincoln and Davis were born in KY and not very far apart from each other; something like 100 miles or so.

Culturally, KY and TN are laid out wrong. Line should be north/south instead of east/west. E KY and E TN should be one state and W KY and W TN another.


"Appalachia is a finer distinction."

But culturally more distinct, almost like New Orleans is to 'the south'.

Appalachia is more a way of life than the northeast.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

KY was kind of undecided in the 1860s.

Both Lincoln and Davis were born in KY and not very far apart from each other; something like 100 miles or so.

Culturally, KY and TN are laid out wrong. Line should be north/south instead of east/west. E KY and E TN should be one state and W KY and W TN another.


"Appalachia is a finer distinction."

But culturally more distinct, almost like New Orleans is to 'the south'.

Appalachia is more a way of life than the northeast.

Being "the South" isn't strictly a Civil War thing.

I don't disagree that there aren't distinctions within the subgroups.
For example Texas is very culturally distinct in a number of ways, and was also a reluctant member of the Confederacy. Sam Houston, Father of Texas opposed succession for example.
However, when we are talking broader cultural matters over such things as Southern Hospitality then they both fall under the Southern umbrella.
Similarly, people in the Northeast can quibble over their claim chowder being red or white, but either way they are all Yankee Assholes to us.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Ah, the eternal debate about dividing anywhere into regions! You Americans really don't need to bother - you're all Yanks to us Brits. Also known as septics. Just accept it.

Meanwhile the location of the English North/South divide is hotly contested (especially by the delusional lot calling themselves Midlanders or Brummies). Somewhere between Leeds (Yorkshire) and South Mimms services on the M25 (which surrounds London).

Let's not get into Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a bunch of countries that were definitely Eastern Europe to Westerners now claim to be something called Central Europe and resent being lumped in with the East.

Or Scotland. Or Ireland, where the north and the North are very different things.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Ah, the eternal debate about dividing anywhere into regions! You Americans really don't need to bother - you're all Yanks to us Brits. Also known as septics. Just accept it.

Meanwhile the location of the English North/South divide is hotly contested (especially by the delusional lot calling themselves Midlanders or Brummies). Somewhere between Leeds (Yorkshire) and South Mimms services on the M25 (which surrounds London).

Let's not get into Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a bunch of countries that were definitely Eastern Europe to Westerners now claim to be something called Central Europe and resent being lumped in with the East.

Or Scotland. Or Ireland, where the north and the North are very different things.

Crap, they even changed continents!

 

[StillStunned]

Let's not get into Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a bunch of countries that were definitely Eastern Europe to Westerners now claim to be something called Central Europe and resent being lumped in with the East.

When I was growing up, "Europe" ended at West Germany, Austria, Italy and Greece. It's still hard for me to realise that there are some other countries beyond that line, and that I can actually visit them. Even though I've visited them.

My wife, who didn't grow up in Europe, has none of those prejudices. She'll say, "Let's visit Bucharest/Sophia/Tirana!" and to me she might as well be talking about walking into Mordor.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

And getting back on topic, Yes, there are subways in Appalachia.


OK, so they call them coal mine trams, but some of them travel farther (and certainly deeper) than most subways.

You probably don't want to grope anybody on one of them though. You may never see the light of day again. Literally.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Let's not get into Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a bunch of countries that were definitely Eastern Europe to Westerners now claim to be something called Central Europe and resent being lumped in with the East.

My friend has Czech heritage and both she and her parents insist it’s Central Europe

 

[EmilyMiller]

On the central question: I’ve never had to commute on the subway, and think I’ve only been on it once when in NYC. We’ve mostly stayed above ground.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Ah, the eternal debate about dividing anywhere into regions! You Americans really don't need to bother - you're all Yanks to us Brits. Also known as septics. Just accept it.

Meanwhile the location of the English North/South divide is hotly contested (especially by the delusional lot calling themselves Midlanders or Brummies). Somewhere between Leeds (Yorkshire) and South Mimms services on the M25 (which surrounds London).

Let's not get into Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a bunch of countries that were definitely Eastern Europe to Westerners now claim to be something called Central Europe and resent being lumped in with the East.

Or Scotland. Or Ireland, where the north and the North are very different things.

You guys keep claiming that this whole England/Scotland/Wales thing actually means something.
It doesn't.

 

[StillStunned]

You guys keep claiming that this whole England/Scotland/Wales thing actually means something.
It doesn't.

To millions of people, it means a great deal, for one reason or another. It's meant a great deal for a thousand years or more. I don't think you get to decide that it doesn't mean anything.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Wow. I see Brits are still as stuck up as they used to be. Looking down on other parts of Europe will never get old, it seems.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Wow. I see Brits are still as stuck up as they used to be. Looking down on other parts of Europe will never get old, it seems.

Just pointing out that it's all a matter of perspective.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

To millions of people, it means a great deal, for one reason or another. It's meant a great deal for a thousand years or more. I don't think you get to decide that it doesn't mean anything.

I think @Kelliezgirl was joking, making a comparison with US states.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Just pointing out that it's all a matter of perspective.

I agree. I'm just pointing out that the British perspective has apparently never changed.

 

[StillStunned]

I agree. I'm just pointing out that the British perspective has apparently never changed.

Was your comment aimed at me? Because I admitted in my post that it was prejudice on my part.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Was your comment aimed at me? Because I admitted in my post that it was prejudice on my part.

Not specifically. I was just replying based on the general feel I was getting in this thread, but also based on all the other experiences I had with people from England on the topic of Europe.

It might be just my impression, but even when they admit to having prejudices about this, it feels reluctant somehow. Again, it's more of a general impression rather than an individual thing.

 

[stickygirl]

Not specifically. I was just replying based on the general feel I was getting in this thread, but also based on all the other experiences I had with people from England on the topic of Europe.

It might be just my impression, but even when they admit to having prejudices about this, it feels reluctant somehow. Again, it's more of a general impression rather than an individual thing.

Meh. It's a well-worn joke to be snooty about Europe - same as jokes about the weather. There's way too much divisive propaganda churned out to fan the flames of social media and make a mountain out of a molehill. The Murdoch fucking press doesn't help.
Can we talk about subway harassment again please?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

To millions of people, it means a great deal, for one reason or another. It's meant a great deal for a thousand years or more. I don't think you get to decide that it doesn't mean anything.

When you show the same outrage over Kumquatqueen's joke as mine I'll take this seriously.

 

[SomaSlave]

When you show the same outrage over Kumquatqueen's joke as mine I'll take this seriously.

"Let's only joke about the Dog Star," Tom Swift said seriously.

(read it aloud and review your astronomy textbook)

 

[StillStunned]

When you show the same outrage over Kumquatqueen's joke as mine I'll take this seriously.

@Kumquatqueen's joke contained the special outrage repellent called humour.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

@Kumquatqueen's joke contained the special outrage repellent called humour.

Well, sorry your sense of humor is broken.

The simple fact is, offense is taken, not given.
- Ricky Gervais