[donpott]

> what is it with mountains that makes some men go macho..

I remember reading a hypothesis on this phenomenon in Steven Pinker's "The better angels of our nature". If memory serves, it was because mountain societies, like that of the appalachians, tended to be naturally more honor-based. So keeping one's family's reputation was very important. This resulted in more conservative societies.

I'm definitely not making justice to the argument, but I found it interesting. Can recommend the book for a delve on this.