Seth Andrews said it best, "there is nothing sadder than a bird who has been in a bird cage his whole life and who is afraid to fly " Most in the deep South and elsewhere are put through the process of brainwashing at an early age. You are told what to believe, how to think, and how to act. Basically many are trained to be replicas of their fundamentalist parents. Most don't have the courage to go against the tide and be their own persona. For most on this website, you have taken that bold step and said that I am not going to be like everyone else. I will do my own thinking thank you very much. To those who have done that, be proud. You are awesome!
Proud yes. However that hubris has meant being proud and lonely. I was an extrovert who is becoming more and more an introvert. Not that there is anything right or wrong about either, but the difficulty arises when you do not know who that inner being is or wants to become?
I doubt if “most” in the Deep South have been brainwashed by religions. Most have probably been subjected to some sort of persuasive effort, but that’s not brainwashing IMO. If you were brainwashed, I am sorry.