Sim, ele é um velho fóssil do Sul.
O banco de dados oficial do Star Trek (em StarTrek.com ) usa sua escolha de palavras, quase textualmente, ao descrever a disposição de McCoy:
His temperament was sometimes argumentative, a cynic's outer crustiness masking deep caring beneath the surface. His "old South" roots led to the old-time physician manner of doctoring, with a Southern accent that was most apparent when under stress....McCoy played his role as psychologist expertly to the hilt — especially for the ship's two senior officers. As such an emotional watchdog he was not afraid to take on his captain, but it was his running battle of wits with Spock which became legendary. Spock showed his true feelings, though, as when inviting McCoy down to Vulcan for his "wedding" and in storing his katra with him before a known suicidal saving of their ship before the Genesis detonation.
( Fonte )
Em outras palavras, McCoy e Spock têm um respeito subjacente um pelo outro, mas McCoy exibe uma espécie de humor mordaz e "crocância" que mascaram seu respeito por Spock. Em suma, embora a humanidade tenha evoluído no tempo de McCoy para ter eliminado a maioria das manifestações públicas de preconceito, isso não significa que cada indivíduo adira a isso, e certamente não em medidas iguais.Mesmo no século 24, a humanidade ainda tem uma carga subjacente de preconceito. De "Encontro no Farpoint" :
RIKER: But your files, they say you're a —
DATA: Machine? Correct, sir. Does that trouble you?
RIKER: To be honest, yes, a little.
DATA: Understood, sir. Prejudice is very human.