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Owning a derogatory term and turning it into a compliment is a good method to diffuse the negativity. Words are, after all, whatever we say they are... their meanings are so malleable that where I came of age, we used the word "bad" to mean good, and "sick" to mean incredible. Even the word incredible went through this reinvention... before my time somewhat, but incredible used to mean "not believable" and was primarily an insult. This witness is completely and utterly incredible etc.

I have personally watched as a number of negative terms got reclaimed... generally to good effect. I personally identify with such former derogatory terms as freak, hippie, geek, hoodlum, arrogant SOB... among many others. My close friends have adopted tons of terms that are better off now as well, like queer, cholo, pimp, nigga etc.

Many terms that are redeemed still don't sit right with me though, and even while a case could be made for my belonging to the group being described, it might just have too many negative connotations for me still, or I just don't like the way it sounds, or how it rolls off my tongue.

This is the way I feel about redneck. If defined the way some here are defining it, I would be a big time redneck. I love nature, am a roots person 110%, have survival skills, am a big fan of bluegrass and southern rock... I even love getting hammered around a campfire. But for me this is not the definition of a redneck.

It still is a term that has a racial component, as only white people get red necks from working in the sunshine. It implies that A) You are White B) That you are working class & C) That you tend to not like people who are not also both A & B.

I know that you don't have to be prejudiced to be a redneck... it is just that so many of the people who self-identify as rednecks are. I suppose it is no different than the lingering negative stereotype of hippies being dirty. You have lovely smelling, fresh washed hippies with immaculate hygiene... but still, the #1 prefix for hippie is still dirty. And, while I could say it is unfounded... if you have trouble plopping down in the dirt, wear clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and worry about ruining your manicure... you ain't a hippie.

Just saying. That's how i see it anyway. I am certainly not calling any of you rednecks racists. Y'all seem like a decent bunch of folks.

8)

<blockquote data-quote="Hyperspace Fool" data-source="post: 3580092" data-attributes="member: 10791">Owning a derogatory term and turning it into a compliment is a good method to diffuse the negativity.&nbsp; Words are, after all, whatever we say they are... their meanings are so malleable that where I came of age, we used the word &quot;bad&quot; to mean good, and &quot;sick&quot; to mean incredible.&nbsp; Even the word incredible went through this reinvention... before my time somewhat, but incredible used to mean &quot;not believable&quot; and was primarily an insult.&nbsp; This witness is completely and utterly incredible etc.I have personally watched as a number of negative terms got reclaimed... generally to good effect.&nbsp; I personally identify with such former derogatory terms as freak, hippie, geek, hoodlum, arrogant SOB... among many others.&nbsp; My close friends have adopted tons of terms that are better off now as well, like queer, cholo, pimp, nigga etc.Many terms that are redeemed still don&#039;t sit right with me though, and even while a case could be made for my belonging to the group being described, it might just have too many negative connotations for me still, or I just don&#039;t like the way it sounds, or how it rolls off my tongue.&nbsp; This is the way I feel about redneck.&nbsp; If defined the way some here are defining it, I would be a big time redneck.&nbsp; I love nature, am a roots person 110%, have survival skills, am a big fan of bluegrass and southern rock... I even love getting hammered around a campfire.&nbsp; But for me this is not the definition of a redneck.&nbsp; It still is a term that has a racial component, as only white people get red necks from working in the sunshine.&nbsp; It implies that A) You are White&nbsp; B) That you are working class &amp; C) That you tend to not like people who are not also both A &amp; B.I know that you don&#039;t have to be prejudiced to be a redneck... it is just that so many of the people who self-identify as rednecks are.&nbsp; I suppose it is no different than the lingering negative stereotype of hippies being dirty.&nbsp; You have lovely smelling, fresh washed hippies with immaculate hygiene... but still, the #1 prefix for hippie is still dirty.&nbsp; And, while I could say it is unfounded... if you have trouble plopping down in the dirt, wear clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and worry about ruining your manicure... you ain&#039;t a hippie.Just saying.&nbsp; That&#039;s how i see it anyway.&nbsp; I am certainly not calling any of you rednecks racists.&nbsp; Y&#039;all seem like a decent bunch of folks.8)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hyperspace Fool, post: 3580092, member: 10791"] Owning a derogatory term and turning it into a compliment is a good method to diffuse the negativity. Words are, after all, whatever we say they are... their meanings are so malleable that where I came of age, we used the word "bad" to mean good, and "sick" to mean incredible. Even the word incredible went through this reinvention... before my time somewhat, but incredible used to mean "not believable" and was primarily an insult. This witness is completely and utterly incredible etc. I have personally watched as a number of negative terms got reclaimed... generally to good effect. I personally identify with such former derogatory terms as freak, hippie, geek, hoodlum, arrogant SOB... among many others. My close friends have adopted tons of terms that are better off now as well, like queer, cholo, pimp, nigga etc. Many terms that are redeemed still don't sit right with me though, and even while a case could be made for my belonging to the group being described, it might just have too many negative connotations for me still, or I just don't like the way it sounds, or how it rolls off my tongue. This is the way I feel about [b]redneck[/b]. If defined the way some here are defining it, I would be a big time redneck. I love nature, am a roots person 110%, have survival skills, am a big fan of bluegrass and southern rock... I even love getting hammered around a campfire. But for me this is not the definition of a redneck. It[i] still[/i] is a term that has a racial component, as only white people get red necks from working in the sunshine. It implies that[b] A)[/b] You are White [b]B)[/b] That you are working class & [b] C)[/b] That you tend to not like people who are not also both A & B. I know that you don't have to be prejudiced to be a redneck... it is just that so many of the people who self-identify as rednecks [i]are[/i]. I suppose it is no different than the lingering negative stereotype of hippies being dirty. You have lovely smelling, fresh washed hippies with immaculate hygiene... but still, the #1 prefix for hippie is still dirty. And, while I could say it is unfounded... if you have trouble plopping down in the dirt, wear clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and worry about ruining your manicure... you ain't a hippie. Just saying. That's how i see it anyway. I am certainly not calling any of [i]you [/i]rednecks racists. Y'all seem like a decent bunch of folks. 8) [/QUOTE]