Posted on 08/15/2011 12:00:45 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
People do stupid things all the time and they do them in all geographic regions, but as any regular viewer of Comedy Centrals "Tosh 2.0" can tell you, there does seem to be an uncanny correlation between certain regions of the country and the kind of risk-taking behavior that could get you seriously hurt or even killed.
Thats the premise of a new study out today in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. The three authors, all from the University of Oklahoma, found that states with a culture of honor - in the South, and the West, mainly -- also have higher rates of accidental death for white males: 42 per 100,000 compared to 36.8 per 100,000 in non honor states.
So whats a culture of honor? The relentless, and sometimes violent, defense of masculine reputation, according to the study.
This is an adaptation to what the Ulster Scots [also called the Scots-Irish] experienced over 800 or 900 years in southern Scotland, one of the studys authors, Ryan P. Brown, explained. Thats a breeding ground for the types of dynamics we are looking at.
Interclan raiding and warfare led to allegiance to family and a high value being placed on ones personal bravery; think Mel Gibson and his blue William Wallace face. Then, when those people came to the United States, they tended to move to some pretty wild areas.
During the 1700s they came to Appalachia and they were dirt poor, Brown said. So they didnt get the nice land, they got pushed into the back country where there wasnt exactly a cop on the beat.
They defended themselves against threats real or imagined, including threats to their reputations as manly men. Hence the fabled Hatfield-McCoy feud.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
bump
We will have a return to courtesy when we return to the code duello.
Brian AlexanderBrian, that's something you will never happen to worry about.
'Deadly honor? Macho guys more likely to get killed'
By the way, nice hair Brian.
Sissy.
Post Should Read: ..... you will never HAVE to worry about.
And you still have nice hair. Get a lot of hot dates?
With women, that is.
Those In-the-Heartland Americans AGAIN!!!
Clinging to their Bibles and Guns!!!!
More propaganda from the left.
What gets to me with 'guys' like this Brain is that I didn't grow up in the Wild West, or even close to where or what he's referring to. I grew up in Chicago.
And in my old neighborhood, which was middle class, nobody ever backed down from a one on one fight. If you thought you were right, you were willing to do something about it. Granted sometimes you lose, sometimes you win. But we'd never back down.
Now if that's 'Deadly Honor' or 'Macho', well, so be it.
I'm 62+ and still here. So 'Deadly Honor' hasn't killed me yet.
Mining. Forestry. Agriculture. Commercial Fishing. These are the jobs that have high rates of accidental death. In what states are these jobs located, for the most part?
So being macho is the same thing as not “living on one’s knees”? Strange definition of honor. “Being macho” often means taking stupid risks to impress one’s friends. What are some of the most common last words? “Hey, watch this!”
“I suspect theres a liberal feminyst movement to equate macho with stupid.”
Since 1970.
I do alot of genealogy, and found that I am about an 1/8 to 1/4 Scotch Irish (Ulster Scot). I will tell you that a much higher percentage of this group fought in CW, War of 1812, and RW than other parts of my family.
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs,even though checkered with failure, than to take the rank with those poor spirits, who neither enjoyed much, nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat......... Theodore Roosevelt
As a descendant of Scots-Irish immigrants, I understand why the author might conclude as he does if he looks at no other ethnic groups...But certainly there is plenty of machismo to go around?
Can’t say I agree with his conclusions; there are many other factors involved...Demonstrating a relationship is not the same thing as establishing cause...
A very good book on the subject of the Scots-Irish is “Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America” by james Webb...Interesting reading...
Webb is descended from Scots himself, fought in Viet Nam and is now Senator from Virginia.
His book makes the case for the taming of the West by the fighting Scots.
It is a fact that the good burghers of well-settled Pennsylvania encouraged immigration of impoverished Scots to pit them against the Indians on the western frontier.
While many went due west into the Ohio country, many drifted south along the Applalachians and then West.
We are the red-necks and damn proud of it.
Another good book, much more academically oriented, is Albion’s Seed which details the three great migration trails to the West that the Scots pioneered.
That was the impression I got from this article. Not noble and honorable folk fighting for what they believe in, but potential Darwin Award winners.
Hold muh beer and watch this!
Bravo!
You should check out the book and film documentary “Born Fighting”.
http://www.amazon.com/Born-Fighting-Scots-Irish-Shaped-America/dp/0767916883
I’m Ulster Irish/Scots/Danish and Welsh.
It’s dangerous just to be in a room with me.
LOL
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