The Path Forward

We think that the path forward for Southerners is to focus and becoming men and women of excellence.

However, this goal often feels like a lost cause.

Notice what the current "Western" culture wants from us... It claims that short-term pleasures are better than long-term joy.

Furthermore, it teaches that there's no standard of excellence and value is determined by the amount of attention something (or someone) receives.

In order to receive more attention (and thus feel valuable) many people spend all of their time pretending to be someone else. Then when reality shines through their facade, they react negatively in order to defend themselves.

We know, we were (and maybe still are) the exact same way.

Exasperating the issue is that there are very few excellent role models for people to follow. Perhaps more accurately, there's an abundance of negative role models that seem to be winning the war for our attention. 

But selfish, judgmental, prideful behavior is the path to neither happiness nor success. Success (for individuals and communities) comes from taking the high road, embracing your true identity, unleashing your passion, and making a commitment to live a life of quality.

And this is what made the South so great to begin with!

Strengthen Your Values

Determine what you care about and put your heart and soul into those things. When times are good, celebrate your values and the joys that they bring. When times get tough, you may have to make a stand to protect them.

Either way, don't try to become someone other than who you are; just try to become more of who you already are.

In particular, focus on developing stronger character and a larger heart. In fact, these two ideas constitute the core of both the South's past and its path forward.

Build Stronger Character: 

• Become a man (or woman) of class. Commit to taking the high road and set an example for those around you.

• This means becoming a "Southern Gentleman/Belle."

Expand Your Heart:

• Love things enough to fight for them. Do you love anything enough to die for it? If not, maybe you have been neglecting your heart. The more you embrace your passions the more alive you become.

• This means becoming a "Rebel."

Finally, celebrate the Southern culture. The South has many traditions and customs that, at their core, encourage you to embrace the above values. So enjoy them.

But just remember, the map is not the territory and true character and passion can't be faked. So don't neglect to work on yourself.

In fact, pretension is just one of several common pitfalls that Southerners should be especially careful of. Some people, in trying to pretend their way into being Southern, end up pretending their way out of it! Don't let this happen to you.

We believe that the more people embrace these principles, the brighter the future will be for all of us.