3 statements never heard in Arg: "I'm sorry, I was wrong, It won't happen again"

[LostinBA]

Does anyone ever believe that any Argentine in power would ever say these words?

 

[thomas-french]

Well amigo, if they could my experience here (because of my school) would have been much better. But apparently some of them prefer to agres you and blame you for their own mistakes!
There is no point of making it a general theory for all argies but when i read what i read and i hear what i hear from people experience, seems that these type of bad behaviour is more frequent than let's say in Stockholm for exemple

 

[fifs2]

Does anyone ever believe that any Argentine in power would ever say these words?

Only those in power? Starting the business in 2002 we found some early employees had a Fail/Fix mentality and when an irate customer complained that instructions hadn't been followed or incomplete deliveries were made they'd say "Ok I'll fix it" as if fixing it was the issue....never an apology or a desire to change behaviour or performance.
Glad to say we tightened our recruitment procedures to try to screen out an attitude to mistakes that includes denial or arrogance...

All of this said do any politicians anywhere know how to say they're sorry other than the non apology of " I'm sorry if you were offended/disappointed etc " meaning Im not sorry at all...

 

[LostinBA]

I personally think the Porteno, and for the most part, Argentine culture is just too arrogant to admit any wrong-doing. Instead they rely on recriminations. A law student and I recently had a conversation in which I asked him why he chose law since he seemed to be more interested in business. His response was to give me a fictional scenario. He said that, for example, if he was ever involved in a serious automobile accident with an old lady that was 100% his fault, even if he were drunk driving, he wanted be able to sue and not only win but force her to admit culpability. He wanted to know the law, judges and actors so well that he would have all the power.

And this was a guy who wanted to go into business with me thinking somehow that I would appreciate his cunning as a potential business partner. I never distanced myself from someone so fast...

 

[KarlaBA]

This phenomenon is due to the importance of 'face' in the culture. It is very important to 'save face', to never appear to be a failure. This is definitely something that was brought to Argentina by the Italian immigrants. Italian culture is notorious for this phenomenon to the extreme. So don't think that most Argentinos have a bad attitude, it is just a different set of priorities than say someone from a northern European culture. You have to recognize the small things that indicate that they acknowledging that they are wrong about a particular issue; Things like "I'll fix it", or "It's normally just fine, but I can do it differently for you this time", etc.

This 'saving face' issue is particularly bad in India as well. No one ever says "I don't know". But then again it's also very prominent in New York City.

 

[LostinBA]

But then again...Yanqui politicians also like to say 'mistakes were made' which is a way of negating guilt and personal responsibility.

 

[thomas-french]

to KarlaBA : i've lived and worked in south of italy for years and loved it. 'save face' means exactly the opposite : in order to keep your dignity and save face, you must do your best to be responsible, assume your responsibilities and behave well towards the others because if you don't, people around will judge you and then you will not "save your face" (fare brava figura). Fare brava figura is an incitation to behave well, just the opposite of some argies do.

 

[KarlaBA]

to KarlaBA : i've lived and worked in south of italy for years and loved it. 'save face' means exactly the opposite : in order to keep your dignity and save face, you must do your best to be responsible and behave well towards the others because if you don't, people around will judge you and then you will not "save your face" (fare brava figura). Fare brava figura is an incitation to behave well, just the opposite of some argies do.

I am Italian. I have the passport to prove it. You are only half way there with your analysis, extend the thinking out to what an Italian might do if they messed up...... . Italians are skilled liars with a million excuses as to why such and such wasn't done or completed on time or whatever.

 

[thomas-french]

i am not saying that they all are angels i am just saying what 'save face' really or originally means. Some try to save face, some not.

 

[HenryNisental]

Yes, I am sorry, I voted for Nestor once and I swear I will never do it again!!!