This thread pretty much touches on everything I would have to say about the subject, but as an open forum I'll throw in my two cents anyway.
Optimism and complaining:
Re:
the feeling of hopelessness that one senses in Argentina where people throw up their hands in a resigned way, thinking that they can't change the system, so why even bother trying?
I think that it's a strange duality, really.
In the U.S., I think people complain more, but this is how we get things DONE. (Not ALWAYS!) Noticing what is lacking and what could be better are the first step to improving things.
Porteños also complain but as noted, just accept that it's the way it is. The system is corrupt and accepts bribes. So they bribe. The system is corrupt and you can't invest money in anything safely, so they don't.
I do a fair amount of complaining but sometimes it helps, people give advice.
"I hate all the yogurt here, it's all full of crap, the only 'natural' flavor contains gelatine and chemical preservatives." (this is a real complaint of mine)
Response from lady in Dietetica: "I just make my own yogurt."
Bingo! Complaint -> advice ->solution.
Food:
Actually, I won't even get into my food-culture comparisons here. Maybe it deserves its own thread (or book). Let's put it this way: I miss Whole Foods. And not because I'm fat, actually exactly because I like healthy options.
And if anyone wants some really extensive advice on the dieteticas in Recoleta and Palermo, including where you can or can't get soy milk, spirulina, fake meat products, real yogurt, gomasio, wheat berries, organic tea, etc., let me know. I didn't give up at the lack of Whole Foods, it just makes life more difficult in that area.
Friendliness
I'm from New York. On my recent trip back after over a year in BA I really appreciated being the only one in a shop and not having to explain my life story to the clerk. That said, it's an aspect of Argentine culture that can be nice sometimes.
Security
I have a similar reverse culture shock story to someone in the thread. My first morning in New York I went out to breakfast, and left my camera on the table while I was eating. Just let it sit there. Couldn't get over the fact that I didn't have to hide it immediately after each shot. It was kind of glorious and kind of frightening.
Culturally, they are paranoid here but you have to be. They're traumatized, basically, as a nation. But it definitely does NOT HELP that all they ever show on the news is violence. Never anything good that happened, just villas and violent crimes.
Money and banks
-Agree that being able to use large bills with no hassle is nice
-That and Cash Back. Actually cash back is great.
-Also not having lines at ATMs, and it being unimaginable that the ATM would have no money
-AND, I was on my phone in the bank in New York. On the PHONE. Security guard said nothing. Why? Because obviously, why wouldn't you be allowed to use your phone in the bank.... (I am actually aware of why this is not the case in BA)
Consumerism
We're all victims of that. In the US and in Argentina. I see poor people with their fake designer clothes and women buying the latest fill-in-the-blank, the rich San Isidro kids with their white polo jackets and expensive perfume.
The problem is consumerism is like a drug and/or a religion, addictive and a sedative for the masses. It's just that the people here don't have as much cash lying around (or credit available) to burn. They would, if they could.
Spanish
In the US I really had to get a grip on not saying "gracias" to service workers. Actually sometimes it worked out okay. Also, I didn't speak Spanish before I came to BA, so being in New York it's like a third of the population became comprehensible. Like Sci-Fi where you have the gift of tongues. Cool.
No need for anyone to get upset in these threads, we're all just sharing our thoughts.
