Argentine Race/culture Vs. Spanish And Italian Race/culture

[yd_mtl]

Someone in another online forum, a white American (originally from Ohio) who has lived in Argentina for 3 years and has gone all over the country as well as in many other Latin countries, has pointed out that a white person from North America or Europe would stand out in Argentina, such that Argentines are racially a little different from many other whites (even those from Spain or Italy) in spite of being mostly of Spanish or Italian descent. He's pointed out that even in Buenos Aires and the Pampas (which received by far the most European immigrants at the turn of the 20th century), let alone the interior, there's much more American Indian ancestry and culture than, say, in the mainstream American (USA) population. To the point that in his opinion and experience, Argentine culture is somewhere between Southern European culture and that of the rest of Latin America. To the point that he considers Argentines (even around the Plate) to be Latino and not exactly white, whereas people in Spain and Italy are white, and to the point that Argentina (even BsAs and the Pampas) feels more like Mexico or Colombia than like Spain or Italy. (He does admit that he has very limited experience of Spain and Italy, having only gone there as a tourist.)

What's the take of any of you on that? Can such differences between Argentine and Italian/Spanish cultures (which are not in Argentina's favour, despite southern Italy's own reputation as a hotbed of mafia and pickpocketing activity) in part explain the seriousness of the crime epidemic currently gripping Argentina?

 

[HenryNisental]

Yes,your comments are approx. right. But we have here not yet been weaned from the corrosive and destructive actions of big goverment.
Here,they tend to believe that goverment is a big Robin Hood that will (somehow) pluck the rich and provive unlimited weath to each voter. Besides, we should not forget that only a generation ago Spain virtually self-destructed in a Civil War that left between one and two millions of their citizens dead, and Italy was leveled a few years later in WWII. These tragic experiences produced, I think, acertain respect for full democracy, justice and order, something that Argentines are not famous for.

 

[yd_mtl]

Yes,your comments are approx. right. But we have here not yet been weaned from the corrosive and destructive actions of big goverment.
Here,they tend to believe that goverment is a big Robin Hood that will (somehow) pluck the rich and provive unlimited weath to each voter. Besides, we should not forget that only a generation ago Spain virtually self-destructed in a Civil War that left between one and two millions of their citizens dead, and Italy was leveled a few years later in WWII. These tragic experiences produced, I think, acertain respect for full democracy, justice and order, something that Argentines are not famous for.

So even though Argentina has been profoundly tainted by Peronism these past 60-70 years, that has not quite destroyed Argentina the way that the above wars destroyed Spain and Italy in the 1930s and 1940s?

 

[nikad]

Here you have some information on Argentina's ethnic genetics https://en.wikipedia...ans.27_ancestry in contrast to US ethnic genetics https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mestizaje_en_Am%C3%A9rica#Mestizaje_en_Estados_Unidos BAsically the answer is that everybody in America is mixed, just with different ingredients and proportions. The Ohio guy is as mestizo as any white Argentine.

 

[nikad]

nevermind

 

[gostomper]

Though not the majority by any means, there are a lot of people with German ancestry or mixed German ancestry in Argentina. Next door to Argentina in Rio Grande do Sul there's a town called Novo Hamburgo, you can guess what that means. to add to the WW2 stuff don't forget about this: https://en.wikipedia...r_II_aftermath)

Pretty much watch this: https://youtu.be/1U0N4SGL46A?t=5m46s

Also I'd like to point out that I never thought about it until I watched that video that Chile is dry in the north and green in the south while Argentina is green in the north and dry in the south. Education is awesome.

 

[HenryNisental]

Of course that Peronism is the main culprit of this country's slide back in relation to its similar countries. But this party is nothing but a faithful representation of our people's theft mentality. Any political party here needs to preach some for of "redistribution of wealth", in one form or another; if it wants to have a chance of wining. Unfortunately, any wealth transfered ends up in the new president's bank account (offshore, of course)

 

[Girino]

The more the mixed, the more the difference with their ancestors. Anyway, in argentina some people have classic south Italian traits, but they dress more low key than in Italy and do not stand out that much. That said, most whites in argentina have italian AND Spanish ancestors, so it is really hard to come across somebody with distinct Italian or Spanish traits. In general, the population is darker than white but not as dark as in some spots of southern Italy. Americans do stand out because they are much more fair skinned and taller than a white Italian or a white Spaniard.
Which is also why they tend to live the worst adventures while they are in argentina.
Generally speaking, the way you dress, move and talk say a lot more about you than the color of your skin. When I tell people about argentina, I say they are not racist, but classist. If you have the money they won't discriminate you because your last name is Awada... they are also not obsessed about "whitening" their skin like in some African countries or the US.

 

[gracielle]

Serafina....[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Generally speaking, the way you dress, move and talk say a lot more about you than the color of your skin. When I tell people about argentina, I say they are not racist, but classist.[/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]My opinion.....in general, BOTH racist and classist.[/background]

 

[mulderfox]

The more the mixed, the more the difference with their ancestors. Anyway, in argentina some people have classic south Italian traits, but they dress more low key than in Italy and do not stand out that much. That said, most whites in argentina have italian AND Spanish ancestors, so it is really hard to come across somebody with distinct Italian or Spanish traits. In general, the population is darker than white but not as dark as in some spots of southern Italy. Americans do stand out because they are much more fair skinned and taller than a white Italian or a white Spaniard.
Which is also why they tend to live the worst adventures while they are in argentina.
Generally speaking, the way you dress, move and talk say a lot more about you than the color of your skin. When I tell people about argentina, I say they are not racist, but classist. If you have the money they won't discriminate you because your last name is Awada... they are also not obsessed about "whitening" their skin like in some African countries or the US.

i tend to agree.
my 2 cents, spanish (as well as portuguese) are mixed races you`ll find dark people there as well.
also keep in mind that massive migration to argentina stopped a long long time ago. unlike the us and europe where each year thousands of new inmigrants are added to the population, so argentina resembles somewhat what spanish and italians were like 80 or 100 years ago if not more, not what they look like now.
new inmigrants come in much smaller numbers and mainly from the rest of south america (bolivia paraguay peru and colombia mainly) and africa. although it is an smaller number it seems pretty steady year after year. europeans are not migrating here anymore (at least not significantly)