What is America's Identity?

This entire class has been focused mainly on the notion of a "Southern Identity," but what about the North? Does the North identify with their own set of cultural norms? The answer, while not an entirely black and white one, is fairly easy to ballpark with a simple trip to Google's search engine. Type in 'southern identity' on Google and it spits out a plethora of articles about the southern United States including news articles, books, magazines, and websites dedicated entirely to the South's pride. Trying 'northern identity' however yields nothing. Not only does the term not appear at all on the drop down menu, but the articles that appear after the search button is pressed lack any sort of affiliation with the United States. After searching for at least a half an hour, I still failed to find a single article about Northern identity. It's just not a term that is used. Northerners have a certain way of life, but they don't necessarily have that emotional bond to their way of life that Southerners have.

The North's missing identity then caused me to come back to the question that I've been neglecting all semester. Is identity in the United States properly applied? This class has showed me that identity is indeed important, and that a sense of passion for one's surroundings can create comfort, community, and a better way to live. However, in a way that is similar to the subject of my previous blog about the separation of the suburban and urban environments, the United States has developed an unhealthy separation of identities within itself. Two different articles about the decline of Southern Identity, one in USA Today and one in the Seatle Pi, look at the same problem with entirely different view points. The USA Today article surprisingly seems to look upon the South favorably, but the Seatle Pi tends towards the North. However, both articles have undertones that suggest the rivalry that is ever present between the two sections of our country. The Seatle Pi provides several quotations that scorn both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line then makes a couple comments about the South such as an unnecessary study on adult toothlessness. The USA Today article seems to try to remain as neutral as possible, but nevertheless dons a slight hint of resentment toward cultures other than those considered 'southern.' The North seems capable of developing an identity but only when it is needed to bash a Southerner or fend off a Southern critic. On the other end, the South's fiery opinions and intense attachment to their way of life feed off of their resentment towards the North. Both are constantly trying to prove better than the other. To futher the tension, the North and the South are constantly addressed as separate beings despite their unification under the American flag. Both articles, as well as my blog, capitalize the words 'Northerner' and 'Southerner' as if the words indicated members of different countries as opposed to members of different sections of one nation. The very name of our country insinuates unification, and yet we are not unified

Southern identity is something that will never go away, and I'm not contending that it should. I'm suggesting that it be looked upon as something to share with the North, not to fight it with, and that it be allowed to loosen a little. Would it not make more sense to strip ourselves slightly of our Southern and Northern identities and begin working toward an American identity? When taking into consideration the opposition that still resides in our nation 150 years after the end of the Civil War, the McMansionization and franchisation of America takes on a new light. It is true that different areas must have their own unique features, but wouldn't a sense of nationwide similarity be beneficial to us as a people? Slathering sprawl all over America may not be the answer, but something must be done to put to rest the illusion of separation that our nation suffers from. If America can break down the barriers that suffocate its community, or it can create surroundings that are to an extent similar throughout all of its reaches, no American will ever feel completely like an outcast.

-Andrew Van Deventer