Speaking as someone who lived here in his adolescence during the seventies , visited argentina in 94 and returned in 2008 , Argentina is a land of constants.
The status one poster refered to is verry real.
Most argentines are all about status, all about apearing to be something they may not be.
Shortcuts to acheiving that staus is evident in the fact that folks flock to places like Salada to purchase goods that are obviosly bootlegged. They dont want to pay for the real Mcoy , they just want the status they feel wearing it.
I am refering to the middle class.
There is a wonderfull book ( three actually) that pinpoint the origins and history of this. Its written by a fella called Jorge Lanata.
The first is a 2 volume set , Argentinos I and Argentinos II. The last is titled El ADN de los argentinos The DNA of the argentines. It elegantly describes those sublties of the argentine personality , and attempts to explore the reasons for their shortcommings.
Regarding some of the manifestes steps backwards that the current argentine goverment has taken in its progress .... Wel l, that is nothing new. I beleive that it has to do with the fact that goverment positions are sought not for the advancement of this country or its people , but for personal gain . Its viewed as a direct path to enrichment. This has been tradition in argentine politics.
The sad part is that its not the goverments fault . The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of its people and their inclination to be comfortable.
Rather than fighting corruption , people here are quick to hitch their wagosn to a corrup sistem to have a better time. Corruption here is RARELY questioned, and those who do are odd man out.
Ask any argentine and they will tell you its a wonderfull thing to have a corrupt joe that upon an under the table fee will issue them a drivers licence.
This country has the level of corruption that it has because the argentine people want it that way .
Its my opinion , and opinions are like noses , almost everyone has one .......
