I was remembering that one hallmark of Communist societies was that nobody, not even a waitress, would smile at you. And by “me” I don’t mean just a Westerner becasue he might be a spy.
What a SILLY idea!
But you did NOT smile at strangers. In old Russia smiles were as normal as in any other rural society outside New England. But when the Communists came in, you could literally DIE in the Gulags if you looked too familiar with somebody they were tracking. Their idea was to get EVERYBODY, and it was better to arrest a hundred — to supply free labor in Siberia, after all — than to miss one. So every expression, every peson a peroson being followed spoke to, was likely ot be picked up and precious few of those ever made it back home.
Russia was what I might call a Denunciation Society. But so was New England. Your shades were not to be closed at night, which wa a regulation laid down only for slaves in the South. You were to be watched at all times, and that was the CREED of New England. You were personal responsible for anyone you spoke to. If a stranger came into town and he happened to be a Quaker, he would be hanged (oneofhte few New England traditions I approve of) and you would be lucky to get your teth knocked out in pillory.
So in New England the height of society is “The Lodges speak only to the Cabots and the Cabots speak only to God.” In the South not speaking is considered trashy. But until after the Civil War, when we beecame the Bible Belt in reaction to defeat, there wasno denunciation society in the South. There was an amazing output of open denunciations of slavery in the Deep South, even, right up till the War, though most of those who denounced the institutions, like Robert E. Lee, fought on our side.
#1 by Peter on 02/08/2007 - 8:55 pm
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“The Lodges speak only to the Cabots and the Cabots speak only to God.”
Actually, it is the Lowells. While it may seem a minor to you it is huge here and on Beacon Hill.
Of course they are all part of the extended cousinage.
Back Bay Grouch
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#2 by Alan on 02/09/2007 - 9:25 am
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New England’s culture is muti-faceted, a hodpodge of various flavors all lumped together, they process nothing unique that can define who they are as a group. PC and other radical and destructive social trends flourish is a land made up of people of nothing. In New England the intellectuals point out how modern and sophisticated they are, we are evolve, we change they say. Those who do not share in this enlightenment are labeled rednecks, hillbillies, inbreds, etc, intellectuals worship words anything of substance is feared by the wordiest cults.
Southern culture is attacked and ridiculed because it is real, its is “Homogenous”, Southern Culture is, “UNIQUE”. Southern culture developed in a geographic region that was harsh in climate and not adaptive to traditional farming techniques, the people who toughed it out in the South were those who believed in individual freedom, hard work, creativity and perseverance. In the South, cotton became king and it was worth a kings ransom, towns became cities and trade was strong, they made something out of an area that many seen as worthless. Southerners rich and poor share what they have, it’s the esscience of who they are, it is truly theirs, it is “Kinship”, felt by those who exist in a real culture, no wordiest intellectual nit wit would understand something of substance, that’s to be feared.
#3 by Bob on 02/09/2007 - 1:30 pm
Hey Grouch, do the Lowells replace the Cabots or the Lodges?
Deep South Grouch
#4 by Peter on 02/10/2007 - 4:25 pm
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Lodges.
btw a century ago a Jew named somthing like Chavoski changes his moniker to Cabot.
The Cabots went to court to block it and lost in the Supreme Judicai in a hgih profile case..
Now you have to check brahmin names twice.
Example, A low life bookie, Doc Sagansky, has sired a line of Sages.
(The pun was likely unintential)
Back Bay Grouch
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