Argentine Mysteries

[John.St]

I just hope you don't think all of us argentines agree with Brigadier's statements. However he somehow reflects one of the main reasons why Argentina, even though it has lots of resources available, still remains a 3rd world country. It seems to be a cultural issue around here to blame others instead of thinking about what we did wrong to end up where we are, plan a solution, implement it and improve it. But no... it is extremely usual down here to see parents go to the schools with complains to the principal blaming the teacher for the "F" grade their son got on the test. So according to them, it wasnt the kid's fault for not studying, it was the teacher who did not teach him properly. And then the teacher could also blame the government for not paying him a decent salary, stating that as the reason why he goes to class demotivated. And its all a game of blaming others... the illegal bolivianos that use our public hospitals, the "cartoneros", some even blame a TV show! Maybe some day this will change.

I can, of course, only speak for myself, and as previously stated I see the development of the country depending on the one third of the Argentinos, who hold a wider perspective and acknowledge that although a not quite small part of the country's problems stem from the outside, there are only the Argentinos themselves to remedy the deficiencies. They are here, I think they are going to win in the end, but it may be somewhat into the future.


As for Brigadier, if he relies on the Argentino history books, it is no wonder he thinks the way he do, and of course he also dislikes when foreigners critizise his country - most people do.

The Argentino history books - especially those used in the schools - are as full of outright lies, half lies/half truths and nationalistic crap as most history books in the first world were only 30-40 years ago. Today most of the outright lies have been removed from most first world history books, only part of the half lies/half truths and nationalistic crap remains.

An example: When I went to school, we were told that our country was among the three first to abandon slavery. An outright lie, known to the nationalist idiot author. Thruth is that it was one of the three first countries to abandon slave trade, but somewhere in the middle to abandon actual slavery, albeit 20 years earlier than e.g. the US of A. Today this has been replaced by a condemnation of the late abolisment of slavery and the exact data and dates.


I have two Argentino history books, neither of which describes Julio Argentino Roca as "El assassino", only briefly descibes the "Conquista del Desierto" and don't mention that it was genocide. They also don't mention that even late in the 19th century there was a shooting prize to anyone who brought in a pair of "indian" ears.

To find the truth about the "Conquista del Desierto" you have to turn to foreign sources, although a few Argentinos like Dr. Miguel Delmagro who descibes it as "La campaña del destierro" and also Herman Schiller, Osvaldo Bayer, Profesor de Historia Jorge Stitzman and Luis Bruschtein have written scorching accounts of the genocide - met, of course, with hate from flaming nationalists.

I am reminded of "La campaña del destierro" every day, as I live on the corner of calle Julio A. Roca

 

[syngirl]

Perhaps - just a guess - the salespersons in Mendoza are paid a percentage of sales, while they are not in BsAs?
- or it may be due to the general mentallity in the provinces?

I'd say it's because Mendocinos are just so nice and helpful compared to Portenos! I don't think Mendocinos would need a commission to motivate them -- whereas in Capital I don't even think a commission would get half the sales staff to actually help people out.

 

[Hache]

I'm glad all you guys found the escalators working.

 

[Sockhopper]

Still a mystery to me - The beginning of the end of one relationship with an Argentine male was on our way from BA - Villa Gesel for easter break. Apparently it is the 'done thing' to stop for a coffee at this service area where there is a petrol station, a McDs and a coffee shop. I suggested we try the McDs because it was almost empty and you can at least guarantee the mediocre quality of the coffee and cleanliness. But he insisted that as the coffee shop was that full, it must be good. Not only was it bad, the floor was swimming in the coffee that was so watered down it was light beige in colour and came from big urns a la church picnic style. There was almost no food and nowhere to sit. We stayed long enough to endure the large queue, pay for our undrinkable coffee and then got on our way again. I can't bear someone who so blindly goes with the flow like that.

Hmm. It's nice to know that choosing a McD's reflects a high degree of individuality and flair.

 

[Hache]

it is extremely usual down here to see parents go to the schools with complains to the principal blaming the teacher for the "F" grade their son got on the test.

I found this cartoon some time ago, and read a few stories from other countries. It seems to be a tendency in many places. I really wonder what's going through those parents' minds if they just jumped to the conclusion that the school's the culprit for their children's failure. When I went to school, my parents abode by the teachers' authoritative knowledge and discretion, and if I came home with a bad grade, it was because I didn't study hard enough. Period.

It is a mystery indeed.

 

[John.St]

I found this cartoon some time ago, and read a few stories from other countries. It seems to be a tendency in many places. I really wonder what's going through those parents' minds if they just jumped to the conclusion that the school's the culprit for their children's failure. When I went to school, my parents abode by the teachers' authoritative knowledge and discretion, and if I came home with a bad grade, it was because I didn't study hard enough. Period.
It is a mystery indeed.

Great find, Hache

In the "first" world it has at least something to do with the one child family - you only have one project for your future and it must not fail. Any failure must have an some ulterior source - to some extent in line with the 2/3 Latinoamericano "it's everybody elses fault".

 

[theargie]

more Argentine mysteries...

1) When Starbucks opened its first store in BA 3 years ago, there was a constant line ranging from 40 to 60 ft long OUTSIDE the place (yeah, in the street), waiting to get their starbucks coffee. Since I used to live 1 block from there, I saw the most insane situations such as seeing a 30ft line of people waiting under the pouring rain! just to spend 5 dollars on a coffee served in a paper cup, while you could see at least 4 or 5 traditional cafés almost empty across the street, where they serve you decent coffee and hot croissants for the same price.
I usually refer to this as a miracle of marketing. If some marketing analyst had said to me that he would make people wait under the rain just for a coffee, I would have laughed so hard... now I see that nothing is impossible in my country.

2) Lets say a club's guest list is only valid if you arrive there by 2:30 am. Well, almost all local guests will arrive at 2:25 just to find themselves in a huge line of guests hunting PR's like crazy! Of course, they wont get in till way past 2:30 and will have to pay the cover fee.

3) how come most of the people here don't have weight disorders even though 90% of our diet is based on beef (with all its variations... milanesa, asado, bife, etc) and carbs?

4) why people keep voting the same politicians over and over again?? I have seen the same faces for over 15 years at least.

5) why eeeverybody here (including myself) pronounces nike as "naik"

7) why is "pato" our official national sport? (google it)

8) where's the toilet paper or disposable toilet seat covers (okay.. with just toilet paper I'm fine) in public restrooms?

 

[Hache]

When Starbucks opened its first store in BA 3 years ago, there was a constant line ranging from 40 to 60 ft long OUTSIDE the place (yeah, in the street), waiting to get their starbucks coffee. Since I used to live 1 block from there, I saw the most insane situations such as seeing a 30ft line of people waiting under the pouring rain! just to spend 5 dollars on a coffee served in a paper cup, while you could see at least 4 or 5 traditional cafés almost empty across the street, where they serve you decent coffee and hot croissants for the same price.
I usually refer to this as a miracle of marketing. If some marketing analyst had said to me that he would make people wait under the rain just for a coffee, I would have laughed so hard... now I see that nothing is impossible in my country.

You must be much younger than me if you missed McDonald's grand opening in '86, on Cabildo Ave. The line went round the corner...

 

[John.St]

You must be much younger than me if you missed McDonald's grand opening in '86, on Cabildo Ave. The line went round the corner...

McAwfull?

I have been to one in 1984, 1999, 2000 and 2004.

 

[John.St]

more Argentine mysteries...

3) how come most of the people here don't have weight disorders even though 90% of our diet is based on beef (with all its variations... milanesa, asado, bife, etc) and carbs?

This one is soooo easy: Short 'large intestines'.

Born carnivores have short, herbivores long.

I have eaten more meat than the average Argentino all my life and still maintain my ideal weight/height ratio - have a slimline shirt bought 1976 or -77 which fits perfectly except being tight over the chest (I happened to find it in an old suitcase and use it to keep tab on overweight only).