Why is "going south" considered bad?

[Torrasque]

While talking to a friend of mine today, I suddenly got curious about this.
His response was "slavery. /thread" which is funny and may be true, but he isn't really serious, lol.

I think that "going south" could be considered going closer to the equator where it is warmer, so "going north" should be considered bad, because it is colder.

So my fellow Escapists, why is "going south" so bad?

Edit: at the request of my friend, I'll include an example that should help clarify what I mean.
Ex: "Mass Effect 3's ending has caused their appeal amongst their fans to go south"
So I don't mean literally going south, but the phrase itself when used in the context "WoW has really gone south since BC"

Hope that helps.

 

[Psykoma]

Because the cold is a lot better than heat.

I would assume it's probably the stereotype that people in 'the south' in the US are pretty simpleminded?

captcha: better half, fitting.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

To me at least, its an environmental problem. People move south because of the more arid environments. A lot of the time, this is a response to sinus problems. Arid lands are easier for people who easily get colds, so they move south.

The big problem is the availability of water in these regions. Pipelines need to be extended into the desert, and they ship water away from the natural environments, causing damage.

 

[Fappy]

Its hot as fuck here. That's all I got.

 

[Lucem712]

Es okay if you aren't coloured. [/racism]

I don't know, I live in the SW of the US. We don't actually have any surface water, so that's a pretty big issue. Also, the weather is a ***** with mood-swings.

Spoiler: Look at my little state, surrounded by a sea of red

 

[smearyllama]

South is down on a map, so that could be it. Possibly to distinguish from the connotations of "Going down"?

 

[Mr.Mattress]

I'm technically living in the South (Maryland), but I wouldn't want to really move further South. The Farther South you go, the poorer and fatter (In America) people get.

Map on Poorness in America:

(Yeah, Sorry it's for 2008, but it's basically the same)

Map of Fatness in America:

(This one's from 2007, but it's basically the same)

 

[Starnerf]

We live in a cartographer's world, so we associate South with down. Therefore, when things "go South" it means they're headed downward.

Well it makes sense to me, anyway.

 

[Torrasque]

We live in a cartographer's world, so we associate South with down. Therefore, when things "go South" it means they're headed downward.

Well it makes sense to me, anyway.

But isn't going downhill easier than going uphill?

 

[Starnerf]

We live in a cartographer's world, so we associate South with down. Therefore, when things "go South" it means they're headed downward.

Well it makes sense to me, anyway.

But isn't going downhill easier than going uphill?

Easier, yes. Better? That depends on the situation. There could be hungry alligators at the bottom of that hill.

 

[OneBrokePony]

The etymology dictionary I like suggests it originated either with the idea of fleeing to Mexico (going south of the border) when you were in serious trouble, or with a regional Native American concept that your soul journeys southward after you die. If I had to guess, I think the first one is more likely to have entered the American English language than the second.

 

[drmigit2]

South is associated with down, everyone wants to go up the ladder not down. Up has always had a positive connotation while down negative, as far as maps are concerned, south is down.

 

[JaceArveduin]

Spoiler

I'm technically living in the South (Maryland), but I wouldn't want to really move further South. The Farther South you go, the poorer and fatter (In America) people get.

Map on Poorness in America:

(Yeah, Sorry it's for 2008, but it's basically the same)

Map of Fatness in America:

(This one's from 2007, but it's basically the same)

hey look! my home county is one of 3 counties in OK that are in the extreme poverty level!

I'm not really surprised, as to be on topic, I've no idea, but now I wonder...

 

[BathorysGraveland]

I used to think it had religious meaning myself. South = hell. North = heaven. At least, that was my initial understanding of the term.

 

[Lionsfan]

I dunno really, I guess downhill is a bad thing and south means down? That's all I got anyways

 

[Giftfromme]

"Going South" on a fat chick is not a good thing

 

[smithy_2045]

South is down. Down generally coincides with bad. Therefore, going south is bad.

 

[Right Hook]

I think it may be that going South has been tied to going downwards, while North is going up, it obviously doesn't work that way but they've both become synonymous with down and up.

 

[viranimus]

South is down. Down generally coincides with bad. Therefore, going south is bad.

Basically this.

As I recall It has something to do with settling. Cream rises to the top, the rest of the crap filters to the bottom, So the desirable part is more north while the less desirable parts are left to feed at the bottom in the south.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Because people who live in the southern hemisphere are all idiots.

You asked a stupid question, you got a stupid answer. It's not a geography reference, it's a figure of speech. Why don't you go south and find out yourself.