My Superhero

A superhero can be many different things and represent many different causes. I believe that all of these superheroes can be traced back to one thing; religion. In the years before Christ the Jews were awaiting their savior to come and free them from their turmoil and persecution. Then Jesus came and he was not in any way what they were expecting. The Jews were looking forward to a powerful warrior-king who would save them from the Romans. Instead they received the son of a carpenter who was despised by the teachers of the law for his teachings and miracles. For so many people of the time, Jesus did not live up to their expectations. Since this time people have continued to search for the superhero that they feel is supposed to come. Humans in general have tendencies to be drawn to excitement. Whether this excitement is found in movies, partying, or other stimulations it is a void that craves to be filled inside each human. That is why Jesus’ blessings and peace are not always accepted.
But in reality Jesus is the best superhero that the earth has ever seen or ever could. Although he did not fly around killing criminals and saving beautiful women from the clutches of evil, Jesus did so many greater things. He brought peace to so many people who were living lives full of instability. Jesus offered himself as payment for the sins of everyone on earth and who would come to earth after him. He ensured each one of them a chance to go to heaven and spend eternity with him. Now I know that not everyone believes the same things I do; but at least to me, the earth has already had a superhero that is greater than anything that could ever be concocted by any comic strip or movie.
-Jordan Conant

Superheros

Superheros have definitely had a major impact on the media culture of America. Many of the movies I see have some sort of superhero or good protagonist that the audience admires and wishes to emulate. For example, Ironman 2 and Clash of the Titans are two recent movies that support this superhero ideal. I agree that it is difficult to determine why people love this mentality.

Perhaps it is because people inherently need someone to look up to. People need an example to copy to give direction to their lives. People like feeling safe and protected, and superheros provide this type of fantasy safety. Another possibility could be from something like the superstar effect. For example, people are drawn to the superstars of sports and their teams. The media could have invented superheros just to increase ratings and create sequels of movies with a different adventure of the same superhero. One of the new superhero movies coming out, titled Kick-Ass, is shown below.



It is about a group of normal humans who create superhero outfits and fight crime. People are entranced by these unique superheros. This movie shows how much people need heros in their lives and the effect that heros can have on society. Maybe I will see it and I will learn more about why people love heros so much.

Nicholas Keith

Southern Passion

I have seen many passions growing up in the South. It seems like some people here are just crazy about some things. I've seen half-naked men trying to climb the fence at a NASCAR race, women arguing over who makes the best fried chicken, and families giving a fourth of their income to the local high school football team. From my experiences, I believe that the most intense passions in the South revolve around sports, food, and music.

Sports, mainly football, basketball, and NASCAR, are some of the most popular sports in the South. Like Mitchell said, some schools have huge basketball fan groups, mainly Kentucky. However, football is the main passion in the South. Tailgates can continue for days on end, and each person seems to be forever tied to some alma mater, whether it be high school or college. Almost every SEC school's football team commands the attention of the entire state on game day.



Besides sports, I have also noticed that food is a big passion in the South. Many unique recipes have been created in the South, and there are myriad famous restaurants here. Typically, the South is known for more unhealthy cooking than other regions. In addition to food, music is an important passion, mainly country, gospel, and blues. I recently went to an Eric Church concert, and it was sold out days before it began. When I arrived, the arena was packed with thousands of men and women of all ages wearing flannel shirts, cowboy hats, and boots. I met people from all over the South- Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, etc. When Eric Church finally came on stage, the crowd went wild and it was one of the largest demonstrations of passion for music that I have ever seen.



Nicholas Keith

What is a /Super/Hero?

This post was actually inspired by a song I was listening to, "Locking Up the Sun" by Poets of the Fall. The lyrics went as followed: "Is there a hero somewhere, someone who appears and saves the day? Someone who holds out a hand and turns back time? Is there a hero somewhere, someone who will never walk away? Who doesn't turn a blind eye to a crime?" As I continued to listen, many more songs came up that referenced heroes. Consider "Superman" by Five for Fighting, or "Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down, or even "Land of Confusion" by Disturbed.

So now I am thinking, why are superheroes that important? I mean, four songs relatively close to one another all had mention of a superhero, with the last three that I mentioned mentioned referencing Superman. Heroes are pervasive in pop culture, which got me thinking. Is it really that nice to have someone else save the day for you all the time? Is it really that enticing to let one person do all the work for your safety while you (sometimes safely) sit and watch? Is it really that appealing to relinquish your own security to one (super)man?

I don't consider marvel heroes actual heroes. I see them as simply trying to use what they have to make the world a better place, which is human and mundane and ordinary as the rest of us. The fact that they have more to contributed doesn't earn them the right to be called a superhero.

In my humble opinion, the only people who have a right to be called superheroes are our military personnel oversees. This is because they choose to sacrifice more for our safety than any other ordinary human. And it seems that Superman agreed, when at the funeral of one of his detective friends (sorry I can't remember who, it's been a while since I watched Superman fight Darkseid. However, the quote he said is etched into my mind.), he said. "I am sorry, old friend. In the end, nobody needed a Superman. Just a brave one."

Therefore, I want to add one more song to our list of "hero" songs: "Citizen Soldier" by Three Doors Down.

-Akshaya

Locking Up the Sun : Poets of the Fall

Superman : Five for Fighting

Land of Confusion : Disturbed

Kryptonite : Three Doors Down

Citizen Soldier : Three Doors Down

Passion for the Air

I am from the north, and though I can't speak for everyone up north, one of my passions is flying. Yes, flying. No, I don't sporadically sprout wings whenever I want and take a little spin around the clouds. I am a private pilot, authorized to fly single engine small aircraft, with or without passengers, to anywhere in the United States. My love of flying is also what made me pursue Aerospace Engineering here at Tech.

Most of you, if not all, have flown on a commercial jet. Some of you may have even been lucky enough for a window seat. Have any of you ever looked out that window and looked down on your planet? On your home? If you have, you were flying at 35,000 feet and the view was most likely a blanket of clouds. Can you imagine looking down on the world from say 200o feet? Let me tell you, there is a world of difference.

The difference is that small details are visible. You use railroads and major highways to navigate your way in a small craft. You can see boats moving down a river, or bicyclists crossing the road (but if you do, you are far too low and need to gain some altitude, fast). I remember once while taking off, I saw one boy mowing his lawn on a sunny day in a white tee. As I circled the area performing my maneuvers, his formulaic mowing was actually a distraction.

And there is another thrill altogether when you realize you are in control. When you are fully encompassed in flying your craft. When you are making corrections for wind, turbulence, magnetic fields, and gyroscopic precession. Flying takes every ounce of your attention. Yet that's only when you are doing the difficult bit, such as landing or correcting. Otherwise, you can set your trim, and fly straight and level for a while, just looking outside. That view, is enough to make one passionate.

-Akshaya

Something Tough

Toughness is what shows in a person throughout a difficult situation. The way that individual responds to pain, either physical or emotional, portrays his/her toughness to anyone viewing the situation. Something that I have encountered throughout my life that has required a kind of toughness is football. Not just because of the pain during weight training workouts or contact drills, but mental strain that the sport puts on every player that buttons-up their chin strap and steps onto the field.
Being a quarterback, I have always been expected to be the leader. The hardest aspect of football to me has been to master the mental aspect of the game. The mental toughness it takes to shake off an interception and join the huddle confident on the next drive is unlike anything I can describe. The toughness it takes to get up after being sacked from behind, the most painful hit in football, and walk into the huddle and encourage the lineman is one of the toughest tasks I have encountered in my 18 years of life. The mental power that football requires often surpasses the physical toughness of the sport. Pushing yourself while doing sprints even when your body wants to quit, making a big hit even though it is going to hurt, knowingly sacrificing your body for the benefit of the team; all are required by the sport of football.
Although I do not believe that football is as tough as the life Anney had to lead, or the events Bone went through at all; I do believe that it is a sport that can only be played by tough individuals. None that aren’t would ever be able to make it through a single game.
-Jordan Conant

With the NCAA basketball tournament coming in the next few days I though t a relevant topic to discuss was passion. Although I would never consider myself to be a good basketball player, I love March Madness. The nest few weekends I will be glued to my t.v. watching nothing but basketball. Not only do we get to see Georgia Tech in the tournament, but it gives us a chance to see other teams that maybe we haven't been able to see yet. It is really one of my favorite times of the year.
This is where I'll lead into the topic of passion. I don't know if you watched the SEC basketball tournament this past weekend but if you did you more than likely saw a sea of blue in the stands. This would be the Kentucky Wildcat fans. This tournament was a perfect example of the passion some people have for basketball. It wasn't just college kids from the university or older alumni, but it was also whole families of Kentucky Wildcat fans that probably didn't even attend the college. It doesn't matter though that they didn't go there, they are from Kentucky and the Wildcats are their team.

It's not only in basketball thought that you see this passion. Go to any southern school (especially the SEC)on a Fall Saturday and you're going to see some passion. On game days, Auburn becomes the largest city in the state of Alabama due to the fact that people want to see the Tigers play. Take a look at "The Grove" on the campus of the University of Mississippi on Saturdays. It has often been described as the best tailgating school in the country.

My point isn't just to say that only people in the south have a passion for these things, but to only explain what some of their passions are. If you are from the South what are some passions that you see, and if you are not from the south what are some passions back where you're from?

Are we forgetting Bone?

Are we forgetting our resident bastard, who so kindly is narrating her life for us? Are we forgetting the abuse she is going through? Or are we forgetting how, despite her hardships, Bone refuses to bring any sorrow to her mother's eyes? She plainly says so herself. "More terrified of hurting her than of anything that would happen to me." (pg 118)

I admit that I find your definition of tough very appealing. In fact, that used to be mine. But now I feel that Bones should be considered the toughest. She chooses to take on any hardship herself to avoid letting the one she loves feel pain. She is, in essence, sacrificing her peace, her mind, and ultimately her body so that her mom may have the pretext of being happy. I think that is what makes one tough.

Anney is indeed doing the same. But the sacrifices she makes are more for the material happiness of her daughters. Food, clothing, these kinds of amenities are undoubtedly important. However, Bone is sacrificing for her mom's peace of mind. So she can live happily without worrying about her daughter being molested. Now I know I use the the term "live happily" loosely (I doubt they are happy being poor and unable able to eat) yet I still feel that Bone is the stronger of the two.

-Akshaya

Toughness

I think there can be many definitions of toughness. I certainly agree with you Nicholas that Anney is the toughest character in the book. I can't imagine living a life that she is living. Being so young with two daughters and having lost another baby, having an abusive husband. You've got to be tough to deal with that.

The first thing that came to my mind when you said tough was a story about Ronnie Lott. Lott played safety for the San Francisco 49ers back in the 80's. During a game he somehow managed to get his finger cut pretty deeply. He came off of the sidelines for one play where he told the trainers to just take it off. They wrapped his newly shortened finger with tape and he was back in the next play. To me that is the first thing I think of when I hear the word toughness.

I think when people hear the word tough they think off a biker gang or a boxer or something along those lines. Although those are good examples I believe that one of the greatest example of toughness would be Dr. Martin Luther King. During the Civil Rights movement King was constantly being threatened to just shut up and give up. He had much opposition, but he never gave up. He had a goal in his mind and he wasn't going to let anybody stop him. Toughness isn't always a physical description as it can also be a mental description.

Tough

I heard this song by Justin McBride a few weeks ago when we began reading Batard Out of Carolina, and it reminded me of Anney Boatwright when I listened to it. The Boatwrights have been through much hardship in their lives, but they continue to work hard and do what they can to survive. They know who they are, yet they put on this tough image so that people are afraid to make fun of them. For example, Bone's uncles are regarded as some of the toughest men in the county, especially Black Earle. They are said to be tough because they drink all the time, get in fights, and do not take any disrespect from anyone. They are said to be tough because everyone is afraid to mess with them or their family and they have "quick tempers". However, I feel that Anney is the toughest character in this book and this song reminded me of that. A few choice lines from the song read:

Tough is ur fingers bleedin when it's a 100 degrees and you're still underpaid
You keep on goin when you know you've had enough...now that's tough

This portion reminds me of the Boatwright women always working hard for their men and children and never complaining, but the next stanza seems to describe anney perfectly:

Tough is a single mom workin three jobs so her kids can eat
Readin bed time stories when your body's beggin you to go sleep
Givin all you got for what you love...now that's tough

This may seem strange, but I believe Anney is the toughest character in the book. I think this because she has always given everything she has to her children since they are all she has in the world. She made a bad decision and had a child at a young age, but she has always worked extremely hard to give her children the best life possible. I feel that giving all of your effort to another person is much tougher than being physically feared. For example, Anney says to Glen, "I was never gunna have my kids know what it was like. Never was gunna have them hungry or cold or scared. Never, you hear me? Never!" She works all day and never complains just so that her children have a better life than she did, and I think that is tough.

So my question is what is your definition of tough? Do you feel that Anney is tough or who do you think is the toughest character in this book?

Nicholas Keith

Reading

I have mixed feelings about reading for pleasure, although I suppose it depends on what I am reading. Throughout my educational career, reading has seemed to be more of a chore than a pleasurable experience. I have found that I rarely enjoy the books I am assigned to read in school, but I am not quite sure why. I'm sure part of it stems from my confusion with literary analysis. Most of my memories from English class in high school are about my teacher discussing some obscure, underlying meaning in a passage written by the author. Where I saw a girl rebeling against her mother, my teachers saw an underlying contempt for society and hatred of self in just a normal teenager. To be honest, I often wondered if the authors actually meant all of these interpretations in their books or if the teachers just made them up and overanalyzed everything. However, I do remember two books in high school that I thoroughly enjoyed reading: To Kill A Mockingbird and Animal Farm. These were by far my favorite novels because they were about historical topics that I was interested in.

On the other hand, I find much more enjoyment in reading when I read for pleasure out of class. Especially during the summertime, I love sitting outside with a good book and a glass of ice cold water. My favorite books are fast-paced action thrillers where the story progresses quickly and there is not too much unnecessary detail. My favorite author is Vince Flynn, as I have read most of his works. However, I have often wondered if my lack of motivation in reading for school stems from the fact that the assignment seems like more of a chore than my own choice. This diminishes intrinsic motivation in reading, and I think this could have some factor in my different feelings of reading for school and reading for myself. Intrinsic motivation is the personal reward that comes from performing a task. This can be diminished if a person is paid to do the task or is forced to do it. I believe that this theory of intrinsic motivation has something to do with my difference of feelings, and this is something I will try to work on in the future.

Nicholas Keith

Reading is FUN!

I've always enjoyed reading. I don't know why exactly, but I've always preferred reading to playing outside when I was a kid (might have something to do with me being at Tech). There was a great joy in leaving your contemporary settings and traveling through time and space, captivated by the fabrications of a stranger.

But there is such a thing as loving books too much. When one decides to take a book and read in a corner during recess, or perhaps maxes out his library card every week with books, you can border on obsessive. Reading is fun and great, but only up to a certain point. Once you let books run your life, you won't really be sure what your life is. You start wondering if your life is nothing more than a fabrication made for the amusement of some higher being. Literally translate that to: your life is a story created by you for someone else to read. Kinda like an autobiography, but instead of you writing the story, you are living it.

Once you start considering your life a story for someone else's pleasure, it's time to step back and go play in the sun. Something has to be said for running around, getting bruises and scars, and bringing back a boatload of dirt onto the newly vacuumed carpet. Books are great and an amazing escape, but they have their place and time.

Akshaya Srivastava

Pleasure from Reading?

There have been few things in my entire life that I have completely hated, but reading has always been one of those things. I always felt that reading was the most annoying and painstaking activity that any teacher could possibly assign. Therefore I rarely read by choice and never became fond of many books. When I came to Georgia Tech a lot of things changed. The work load from every class increased and especially classes in which I had always excelled in (such as math, physics, and chemistry) became extremely difficult. Adding football practices and workouts to this already heavy work load and my schedule was packed. Little sleep, and lots of stress have been all too common since coming to Tech and I have learned how to appreciate rest.
It is in these times of rest where I have recently begun to enjoy reading. Sitting down with a book, looking into the life story of another (whether fictional or real) has become somewhat of a getaway for me. It is almost like I can escape all of the stress and commotion in my life and be surrounded by feelings of the story. Has reading always been a pleasurable activity for you? Do you feel the same stress relief that it provides me?
-Jordan Conant
p.s. sorry this is so late! I thought I was next week!

It has got to be the Drawl

I obviously know that the portrayal of southerners as being stupid is completely false; however, I must admit that the southern drawl plays right along with that misconception. The drawl, to me, is like music to my ears. I always love hearing a heavy country accent telling a hunting story or talking of family. The sing-song flow and slow presentation put me at ease and massage my calloused ears of their eighteen year exposure to the sharp northern tone.
However, this slow beautiful presentation can at times present the deliverer as being precisely that; slow. The same can be said about northern families that live in the country as well. Their thick accents convey a feeling of ignorance and lack of education. Blue collar comedy isn’t just making fun of southern rednecks, but northern rednecks as well! Some may think that camouflage clothing, heavy accents, and a reputation of below average schooling is a stereotype confined to the south, but I can absolutely state the opposite. Books such as, You Know You’re a Redneck If… and 1001 Ways to Use Duck Tape poke fun at northern redneck stereotypes as well. So although I believe that the drawl adds to the stereotype of southern stupidity, the northern brogue elicits similar judgements.
-Jordan Conant

Southern Stupidity

I definitely agree with you that there is a stereotype throughout America that Southerners are less educated and stupid. I have become especially aware of this when people who live in the North come to visit the South. If these travellers actually lived here though, they would probably have a different opinion. I can see how years of agricultural dominance in the South could foster poor education since a man doesn't need books to grow crops. In the past, the North probably was much more educated than the South because they were more focused on industry, and education and innovation is needed to expand production. However, I feel that the South today has made significant strides in the overall education level of its population. I do not think there is a big difference in the North and the South today, but I can definitely see where this stereotype originated.

Although the South has produced fine universities and built large cities, the media still portrays Southerners in this old stereotype. Many comedies, such as Larry the Cable Guy, are centered around this idea of Southern stupidity and redneckness. Other outlets, such as the Family Guy episode shown in class the other day, show Southerners as backwards and idiotic. I typically find these shows funny, and I'm sure sports like NASCAR do not help the South's case. Today, I feel that the education level of the North and South is not as different as it used to be, but the media continues to portray this idea for entertainment purposes. But I doubt that there is a difference in the smartest individuals in the North and the South, or in the trailer parks and ghettos that scatter the regions.

Nicholas Keith

Since We Were on the Topic of Stereotypes...

What do you Gents have to say about the stereotype that folk down south are less educated. Now, I know this is a complete fallacy, as do you all. My question to you, then, is how you think this stereotype came about.

Back home in Jersey, I was always taught that it was due mainly to the economic differences. Since the South was so dependent on agriculture pre-Civil War, they were seen as backwards by the Northerns, who rushed to complete the factory down the road. Yet, to me, this seems to be a pretty shallow belief, mainly for the reason that everyone needs food. Imagine all your supermarkets running dry because you insulted the governor of the state that provides your food supply.

I always thought it had more to do with slavery. Even if one wasn't an abolitionist in the North, many were beginning to sympathize with the plight of the African Americans. The stories of lynching and KKK activities must have scared many Northerners. And fear leads to rationalization. In other words, "Only uneducated people would do something like that."

It also served to distance the Northerners from the spectacles of lynching and other such activities. This way, the Northerners became the audience for the show the African Americans and the Southerners were performing. This further solidified the Northerner's feelings of superiority to its current height.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

-Akshaya Srivastava

Common Guys!

All this talk about southern gentlemen is going to make me sick! I agree that northern men at times can obnoxious, but I feel that it is our women that are to blame. Back home if a man treats a woman like a gentleman he is often accused of being too soft. Women in the north are extremely independent and refuse to allow men to treat them how southern peaches wish to be treated. Coming to the south I have seen that nice guys can finish first; but back home nice guys are often chewed up and spit out by our strong-willed women. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love northern girls and at times am attracted to their independence. But I have definitely caught a fever for these beautiful southern sweethearts.
If holding open doors and taking the extra time to be more courteous to others, which I have always tried to do, will help me land one of these belles; IM IN! I feel that It has been an easy transition for me though because I have always been brought up to live by the “Golden Rule”. Although I am a Yankee at heart, I have been able to play the role of a southern gentleman without too much trouble. The last thing I need to learn is how to keep my mouth shut more often.
-Jordan Conant

Gentlemen, At the Ready!

I admit that Southern men are far more polite than anything I had expected. This topic brings to mind an incident I related to my parents over the phone last semester. I had dropped something or the other, and was searching for it on the stairs. A random person I hadn't ever seen or met before came up and got down on his hands and knees to help me look for it. I remember the next day telling my mom how in a similar experience in Jersey, people actually looked down at me searching and walked away. Southern men definitely are more polite then Jersey folk.

I have been taught to hold doors open for women. Yet the women I've held the door for don't really like it. The atmosphere is different in the North. Women want to be independent. Any attempt to be chivalrous is seen as an affront to the woman's empowered status. I am from a very feminist area, and as such, I tend to be polite only as a formality. It's not really a way of life for me, as it is in the South.

I don't know how to set the table. I still switch my knife and fork in my hands a couple of times to find out which one feel comfortable to me. I only use one spoon, no matter how many courses are in the meal. I rarely use "sir" or "ma'am," unless in a military setting. Yet, I still hold the door open for anyone. I am kind. And I think that defines a gentleman more than the formalities that he possesses. But the formalities set apart the gentlemen from those who are only performing the role.

-Akshaya Srivastava

Gentlemen

I agree that there is a definite image throughout the United States about "Southern gentlemen", especially among the women. While usually a favorable image, I feel that the media somewhat overrepresents the Southern male class. As a whole, I do feel that Southern men exhibit a more respectful, kind towards others, but this attitude is not as prevelent as it used to be. I appreciate the men that continue to uphold the tradition of "Southern gentleman" in this age.

Like Mitchell, I was raised on strong values of respect and politeness as a child in hopes that I would perpetuate the ideal of the "Southern gentleman". I learned to say "yes sir" and "yes ma'am" and to hold the door open for women. I also learned other concepts, such as respect for others and women always come first. My girlfriend is from New Jersey, and she frequently comments on the difference between men in the South and "Jersey Shore" guys. While I enjoy this compliment, I also take pride in our culture's values. Although I would not call myself distinctly "Southern" by any means, I am proud to represent the values that a Southern gentleman displays.

I do feel that there is a greater appreciation for these values in the South than elsewhere in the United States(perhaps it has something to do with the South's greater focus on religion?). Rrom my personal experiences of traveling West or North, people in general do not seem as open and respectful outside the South. Like you, Mitchell, I have been to New York City once and it was quite an experience. While it was interesting being around people out of my element, I did realize that individuals were not nearly as respectful as people are in the South.

Nicholas Keith

Southern Gentlemen

Rhett Butler from "Gone With The Wind", a true southern gentlemen.

Having been raised in the South I have acquired a few habits that have become second nature to me. I grew up in a home where if anything else was said other than yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes sir, no sir, you would be in trouble. I was taught to hold doors open for girls and to always be polite no matter the circumstance. If I wasn't taught in the home, my mom paid for me to go to Cotillion classes. Here I would learn such things as how to properly set a table, how to introduce oneself and another to somebody, and even how to dance (At the time it was the worst experience of my life, but now i greatly appreciate it).
While I haven't traveled much outside of the southeast, it would seem to me that Southern gentlemen have the best manners of anybody around. My evidence comes from those southern cities I have traveled to such as Charleston, South Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, and even Statesboro, Georgia. It is generally a much more pleasant experience than say a trip to New York City ( I have been once and will never go back again). People in the South are nicer and much more polite. I don't know if its the nicer weather or if its just the way southerners were raised.
It is a trend nowadays to be as cool as you can and be the biggest badass on campus. And for some reason girls go for this, but that's another point. It is up to us southern men to keep the values that have been instilled in us and to pass them on to our children one day.
I leave you with a quote from one of the greatest military leaders the south has seen:

"We have only one rule here - to act like a gentleman at all times." - Robert E. Lee

My question to you is, if you are from the south, have you had any experiences where being a southern gentlemen has paid off for you? If your not from the south, am I off base by saying having good manners is a southern thing or have you noticed a difference since living in a southern city such as Atlanta? Overall, what are your general thoughts on what a true southern gentlemen is?

Country Music, Oh No...

Country music has always been one thing that I have loathed. In my eighteen years of life not once had I ever sat down and thought to myself, “I want to listen to some country right now.” I had a few friends back home that listened to a lot of country, but I couldn’t ever bring myself to enjoy the twangy voices and sappy stories it seemed every country song was filled with. And then I came to Georgia. Now it seems like all anyone wants to listen to is Kenny Chesney or Toby Keith.
Out of all the country I have heard however, I have found one song that I thoroughly enjoy. It was a cool day during winter break, about 8am. I was catching a ride to football practice with my friends Corey and Sean. As we drove down towards Bobby Dodd stadium a song by Billy Currington came over the radio. I was shocked. I found myself first nodding my head, then smiling as I tapped my feet to the country beat. The song is called “People Are Crazy” and has a chorus that sings, “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.”
The song tells a story of a Billy running into an old man at the bar. While at the bar, and drinking plenty of beer, they start sharing everything about their lives; their opinions, stories of female conquests, politics, etc. After closing time they part ways and never talk again. One day however, Billy sees a picture of the old man on the front page of the obituaries. Billy realizes the man was a millionaire and that all of the money was going to be given to him. The song closes with Billy visiting the old man’s grave and leaving a six-pack on it for him to enjoy.
So there is hope after all! Maybe someday I will be able to find a few more country songs that I enjoy. Besides, I know these southern belles love country music… I had better start!
-Jordan

Southern Music

While country music isn't my favorite genre of music it certainly isn't my least favorite. I despised country music growing up. Whenever I thought of country music all I could think about was gettin' drunk and talkin' about your dead dog. It wasn't till high school when my weightlifting coach only played country music during wokouts that I started to like country music. I distinctly remember my coach telling my the meaning behind the Toby Keith song "How Do You Like Me Now". From then on I would occasionally listen to country music.
Going along with what you said Nick, country music has become somewhat more of a "pop" tune. I especially like what Dr. Hoefer said when he talked about country music not being about living in the suburbs and going to the lake for the weekends. I absolutely hate that song "Online" by Brad Paisley. It has gotten to a point that I will completely turn off country music on the radio if a song like that comes on.
To me the best thing about country music is the women that sing it. Southern women are by far the most beautiful women on the face of the planet. They always have the nicest voices especially when compared to the lip singing of Ashley Simpson. And what can I say about Dolly Parton...


If you ask me what southern music is I will tell you to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, and Marshall Tucker Band. You don't see too often new bands in the genre of Southern Rock. In my opinion, you will never be able to outdo the works of such aforementioned bands. They will always be enjoyed, you will always remember the lyrics to "Freebird", and nobody will put on a concert like the Charlie Daniels Band.

Northern Country Music

My exposure to country music has been very very limited. In fact, when Nick mentioned country music, my thoughts jumped to Miley Cyrus. But I think just that jump from country to Miley points to a change in country music. If you had asked me what I thought of country music before 2006 (when Disney Channel debuted Hannah Montana), my first thought would be Elvis Presley. His song Guitar Man easily was my definition of country music. Now I think of the overplayed song The Climb.

While the song is still pretty sentimental, I can't seem to reconcile this change in my thoughts. To redefine a genre's personification from a legend to another artist who is nowhere near that status in the field makes me question why I had the Elvis personification as a boy in the first place. The only answer I can come up with is the media I had been exposed to. When my family first came to this country, my dad bought an enormous collection of songs. Anything that was American and would help us get acclimated to this new world. Among this collection were some of Elvis's songs, which was my first exposure to country music.

However, lately my sister has been blasting Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus songs in her room since my junior year of high school. Somewhere down the line, Elvis morphed into Miley. A disturbing picture, I agree. However, I think that it is also an accurate picture. While the classics will never die out, they are slowly starting to be replaced by songs of the newer generation. Unfortunately, that means more loud music that isn't as heartfelt as the olden days. Sorry Nick. Seems like country music is taking a definite turn towards toward the contemporary and away from the classics that you enjoyed so much.

Akshaya Srivastava

Country Music

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards show is tonight, and seeing the advertisements got me thinking about country music and how it has changed over the years. Old country artists used to be men with banjos or guitars singing about their lives. These days, you can find country artists in fashionable clothes, cowboy hats, and expensive cars. They have become superstars in the entertainment world. While this a good thing in some sense, I feel that most artists are getting away from the ideals that country music was founded upon, and they are losing the traditions that made this genre great.

I've been a fan of country music for most of my life, but it seems that this genre has been changing over the years. I love country music because it is soothing and relaxing. The slow beats and low Southern accents always put me in a good mood. Most of the great country songs have an emotional side to them; you can tell that the artist is singing "through the heart" about something he/she cares about. As Dr. Hoefer described, country music should be about a man in a bar with a shotgun, whiskey, and a problem to solve. I agree that country music should be either about a problem, a woman, or just loving life and being grateful. However, country music seems to be moving away from these traditions in recent years. It is becoming much more contemporary and upbeat.

There are many categories of country music. The song "The Good Stuff" is a perfect example of country at its best. It's about a man who has a fight with his newly-wed wife and escapes to a bar. There, he meets the bartender and is reminded of all the good things he has in his life. He has a problem and solves it not over a glass of whiskey, but a glass of milk. Other songs, such as "Big Green Tractor" and "Alright" are simply about loving life and living slowly the Southern way. Songs like "All I Ask For Anymore" and "Lucky Man" are about being grateful for what you have and thanking God everyday. Loving women and having problems with women are also major topics in country music like in the songs "Love Like Crazy" and "Then". These songs are easy to enjoy because they are about emotional topics that the average person can relate to.

However, it seems that country music is becoming more of an entertainment business as of late. Newer songs such as "Last Name", "Online", and "Welcome to the Future" are louder and not as heartfelt as the past. It's sad to see that the focus of country is changing to more contemporary themes. Some songs like "Sweet Southern Comfort" and "Where I Come From" are good representations of the South. For example, Alan Jackson says the South is "cornbread and chicken, a lot of front porch sittin, and working hard to get to Heaven." Country used to be a distinctly Southern tradition, but it has been expanding to other regions recently.

So my question to you is do you feel that country music is still a distinctly Southern creation? Or has it changed over the years and what does it represent today? If you are not a fan of country music, why do you dislike it or what other forms of Southern music have you listened to?

Nicholas Keith

Time and Repititions

Many times I find myself thinking “ wait a second, I’ve had this conversation before”. It is a moment of great confusion. Déjà vu, in my opinion, occurs in instances where we are most comfortable. For example, there was a time I was playing cards with my family and I could’ve sworn that the conversation we were having had already been discussed. It are theses instances where we are really enjoying ourselves that this repetition occurs. I can never recall having a negative déjà vu moment.

Nicholas, your discussion as far as what “time” means, got me thinking. Recently I watched the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. To give you some background, George Bailey is a family man who just found out that his business was going to go bankrupt. As he knows this will ruin his life he contemplates suicide. It is here that an angel is sent to him who shows George what his hometown would be like if he had never been born. Throughout the scene you are able to see that George had made a huge impact on many lives whether he knew it or not. Because of him many peoples lives were changed for the better. Without George their lives went to shambles. What an experience it would be to see what life would be like if you were never born.

To me repetitions like the ones Binx Bolling had would be comforting. It shows how some things just don’t change. I know myself to like things just the way they are. A change would mean something new and different. I always eat Raisin Bran if I’m having cereal, I will always drink yellow Gatorade if I get a sports drink. I know that these things taste good to me therefore I stick with them.

Note: The clip above is the scene where George goes to his town having never been born.

Mitchell Scates

Repetitions and Performances

I agree with you Akshaya. The idea that postmodernism is “the fragmentation of time into a series of perpetual presents” really made me think too. I have often wondered about time and its impact on people, such as how different people view time, how people remember the past, and how our mind separates certain portions of our lives chronologically. Perhaps it is because our minds separate events based on time that we experience strange feelings of “déjà vu” when we complete “successful repetitions.” Our lives are so accustomed to being run chronologically in time that a similar action in a different time period may startle people. For example, I sometimes experience déjà vu when playing sports or walking around my home town (I’ve lived in the same house since I was three). A repetition gives me a weird feeling, but it also comforts me that things have not changed over time. However, it seems as though Binx enjoys these moments because he refers to them as “successful.” These moments make him feel alive, and lead him to believe that the time period between the repetitions does not exist.

*To check out a movie along these themes, see Denzel Washington's Deja Vu.



There are only a few moments in the novel when Binx admits that he feels “alive.” He mentioned that the first time he truly felt alive was when he was lying on the ground in Korea, among the battling soldiers, and he saw a dung beetle crawling across the ground. He felt alive because he was finally experiencing real, intense emotions. The soldiers were acting out of their primal instincts, as opposed to their everyday, calculated emotions and actions. They were finally real.

At times in my life, I have also felt this feeling of fakeness in others. It is a feeling that everyone is just acting; no one is real while everyone is just trying to be the “nice guy”. However, I can understand this performance because I have done the same many times. I have put on an act to not show my true emotions or opinions. I feel that this is just part of being human. We have the ability to plan our actions and social interactions, so people typically act in the way they think others want them to act. We’ve all been guilty of it, and it seems that Binx and Kate are well aware of this fact of humanity.

Nicholas Keith

Repetitive Time

I really liked the statement in class that led into this discussion: "the fragmentation of time into a series of perpetual presents." In short, there is nothing but the present. Which of course, brings to the table the necessity of the future and past. I mean you can look at the present as the divider of who were and who we will become. This concept could be kind of like a parallel between the Signifier and the signified, where the present is like the Chasm of Meaning separating the two.

Yet now the question becomes, why have the anything to separate? Why have any distinction between the Signifier and the signified or the past and the future? Honestly, communication would be much easier if the signified and Signifier were united. But i guess that's what the whole modernism movement was about.

Still, that doesn't explain why past and future events have to be separated. Imagine, if you can that is, seeing all of time. Meaning every single event that can possibly happen. If you remember the movie Next with Nicholas Cage, then you might be able to think on these lines. For Cage, there is no one real future; there are infinite futures. And since he can perceive all of those futures, his present, in essence, consists of his futures. Thus, the present and future has been reconciled. and since any event can be recalled from the past, and thus perceived, the past can be said to also have been reconciled with the present. Therefore, time hasn't been "fragmented" into multiple presents, it always has consisted of multiple presents. There was no fragmentation involved.

Akshaya Srivastava

Disclaimer: I know that the majority of my argument rests on a fictional movie, and the hypothesis that the concepts presented in the movie can actually be a reality. However, my intent was simply to provide a hypothetical instance where the boundaries between past, present, and future collapse.

Repetition, What do you Think?

Several times throughout Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer Jack “Binx” Bolling speaks of repetition. Not in the sense of practicing lines for a play or throwing a ball, but in acting out an experience in the same manner in a separate period of time. The first repetition he presents in the novel is on a fine winter night fourteen years previous he had gone to see a western movie entitled The Oxbow Incident at a movie house on Feret Street. It was now fourteen years later and the same time of year, and with camphor berries popping underfoot he watched another western movie, Picayune, in the same theater (possibly the same seat) and claimed it a successful repetition. These repetitions, Binx feels, isolate the time period between them and stitch the events together such as, “peanuts in brittle” (p. 80).

He later recalls a distasteful repetition of a Nivea Crème advertisement. He remembered seeing the exact same advertisement in a magazine on his father’s desk twenty years before. It was the, “same woman, the same grainy face, the same Nivea Crème” (p. 80). Binx then proceeds to say that none of the events over this 20 year period could have mattered, “the thirty million deaths, the countless torturing, uprooting and wanderings to and fro” (p.80), because nothing about the crème had changed.

Some may call it déjà vu, but there has been several times in my life that I find myself doing the exact same thing in the exact same place. The feeling is eerie. It could be the way the light is coming off the water as I play catch with a best friend or any number activities, but these happenings often make the hair on my arms prickle. My brain at that moment recalls an exact memory and it’s almost as if everything else around me fades away; making me unsure which time period I am actually in.

Have you ever experienced a repetition or déjà vu? How do you feel about it? Or how do you feel about Binx’s experiences?

Although it seems entirely cliche to use the confederate flag as an artifact that I feel gives a representation of the South, let me first explain my reasoning. I am a northern boy; what most of my southern friends at tech would call a "damn-yankee". I am very blunt, have the tendency to be loud, and am still polishing up my manners. I have begun to habitually use "yessir"'s and "no ma'am"'s but it took me a little while to catch on. "Ya'll" is another term that has begun to show up in my vocabulary; to my mothers disapproval I must admit.

Growing up in the north the south is, for the most part, represented by this flag. The only time I can truly say that I had discussed the south was in history class in correlation to the civil war. The "rebels" of the south were known to us as racist Klan supporters who still wanted to secede and re-institute slavery. Upon arriving at Tech however, and making friends with many southern country boys; I have found that the confederate flag actually gives a different representation of the south and its culture.

This flag, as I have observed, in essence represents pride. Pride in their land and their culture, in their women and their hospitality, in their produce and in their lineage. The spirit of the south and the feelings it conveys to its inhabitants it much different than in the north. The variety of races, the less obnoxious attitudes (which I will be the first to admit I can be), and the accents. I observe all of these differences and absorb them, learning about these people who seem to be so much different to what I know; at first at least. But I also feel that the more I learn of them, the more alike we all become. Yet I know that they will continue to pride themselves in their "differences" and in their flag.

Jordan Conant

The Southern Thing

The Southern Thing - Drive-By ...

The link posted above leads to a site which allows you to listen to "The Southern Thing" by Drive-By Truckers. I came across it while listening to the radio. At first, the mellow opening drew me in and I decided to give it a shot (usually, whether I like a new song or not is determined within the first 6 seconds of hearing it). However, it was the first line that kept me listening, and as I listened, I started wondering what the heck this song was about. Apparently not pistols, or boots, or guitars. Then what?

At first I thought it was about slavery and emancipation, simply because that is the image I have of the South. South = Slavery. That plain equation has been beaten into me by my northern education. The agriculture, the Civil War, the ideal of the Southern Belle, even the accent, come second to slavery. However, I soon realized that the song was about something deeper; it was about the pride of the South.

"The Southern Thing" is simply all of the accomplishments of the South. MLK, Robert E Lee, the sense of the majority of the population ("Did NOT believe in slavery"). Every one of those makes one feel proud to be a Southerner. The Southern Identity is a proud one. While he may have made mistakes, the Southerner has learned from those mistakes and helped shape his home into one of which is he is proud of.

Akshaya Srivastava

NASCAR

NASCAR, or the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, is a true representation of the South and its unique culture. NASCAR began in the Prohibition Era when alcohol was outlawed in many states. The first NASCAR racers were smugglers of moonshine who raced the illegal substance all over the southern United States (like "Smokey and the Bandit"). The South is typically viewed as a collection of "rebel" states, so this is a fitting beginning to this Southern sport. NASCAR was officially founded in the 1940s when it became an organized sport and gained public appeal across the South. Today, most of the professional racers come from the Southern states and most race tracks are in the South. Although NASCAR has expanded in recent years, its roots still remain firmly entrenched in the South and its culture.

NASCAR is unique in many ways. It is arguably the most regional sport in the United States, with the majority of its fan base in the South. It is also the only sport that hosts a Christian prayer before the competition begins. This reflects the strong Christian religious values associated with the South and its culture. In addition, NASCAR is the only major sport that allows spectators to bring their own alcohol and camp out in the middle of the track. I’ve been to a few NASCAR races before, and I have never seen men carry more beer cans. Prior to the race, the culture of the South can be seen everywhere around the track: country music, barbeques, Confederate flags, and fried food. Men are throwing footballs, women are making conversation, and everyone is welcoming each other’s company. The festivities before the race represent the South’s laid-back, slower lifestyle and open hospitality. However, some negative aspects of the South are also present. NASCAR is still a predominantly Caucasian sport with no African-American drivers. In fact, very few minorities are interested in NASCAR. This is probably a lasting effect of the deep segregation that plagued the South for years.


NASCAR is a representation of the South because it was created by Southerners for Southern entertainment, and it has evolved into a definite aspect of Southern culture. It does not merely represent the South and its values; it offers a representation of Southern culture and its people. At NASCAR races, people consciously try to portray Southern culture. They act like rednecks even if they aren't true rednecks and offer a representation of the South. NASCAR is a sport that the South calls its own. For example, some counties in North Carolina require new immigrants to take a class about Southern culture. This includes a seminar about the history of NASCAR! But I suppose this is possible in a region where Dale Earnhardt is God and Richard Petty is King. Only in the South.

Nicholas Keith

Above you see a picture of a pineapple fountain. This fountain is located in Charleston, South Carolina at Waterfront Park. At first you might think that it's just a nice looking fountain in which they decided to use a pineapple. When I first saw it that is exactly what I thought. I figured, "I guess people like to eat pineapples here in Charleston". Little did I know it meant so much more. The pineapple has long been a symbol of hospitality as well as expressing a sense of welcome.

To me the pineapple is a perfect representation of the South. The people of the South have long been known for being very hospitable to their guests. This is instilled into young southerners at a very young age. You are taught to be on your best behavior in front of others while being polite and being conscientious of your guests needs. To see a prime example of this one needs to look back to the time of the plantation. Plantation families would often entertain guests for months at a time giving them quarters and food all the while. In doing so this would help out the guests tremendously as it would often take months to travel to get to the plantation, depending on where their coming from. Letting the guests stay at the plantation house for long periods of time would allow the guests to stay and relax instead of getting back on the road for another long journey. These plantation families offered great hospitality.

If you look at the picture you can see in the background the Charleston harbor. I believe this is a perfect placement of the fountain because it would easily be seen by any person who is coming into the city by water. A person would look at the pineapple fountain and get a sense that they were welcome into the city and that they would be treated with much respect.

Mitchell Scates