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Well, I'm Taiwanese and I'm kind of offended when people just lump me into any random Asian ethnicity because they think it's funny. I must be wannabe something and shameful and delusional, right?
See, that's the thing (and I am not talking about the map on this thread--which I really don't understand, nor understand the point of it), no one was lumping Brazilians with Congo, etc. The main issue was how "offended" Brazilians were when the connection was not even obvious--to even imply such a thing was like committing murder.
The issue here is much deeper than just raising a simple sign.
About 95% to 99% of Brazilians descend from the country's indigenous peoples and Portuguese settlers, while near 85% to 95% also have African slave ancestors. Brazil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
that is true, and it's a shame, but it's a mutual thing.
Many latin americans say that Africa stars on the Pirineos, that we are the trash os Europe, that we go to their countries starved to dead or that we are a miz between gypsies and moors. Even yo can see it on this forum, how the latin americans living in USA speak about spanish accent or Spain.
And on the other side the same.
We call each other poor, 3rd world country and starved to death (not me, I mean some spaniards and some latin americans).
And as I said, It's a shame, when Spain has more in common with L.A. than to other country in Europe, and when we are like brothers, supposedly.
Anyway, speaking about that map, It's not really funny, but I don't think is really offensive, is just like that hundred maps of the world according to.
Africa starts at the Pyrinees...that's typical French, the French used to say that 100 times every day when Spain was about to become a member of the EEC. The rest of the things are also typically French, gabachos.
When some Latin Americans sling things at Spain, they are not attacking Spain but their white Criollo elites. According to them, they still dominate the continent. So everytime there comes a populist government, they trash Spain a bit. Family feuds, really.
As to say that Brazilians are Africans because there are blacks there, then Americans are also Africans, they even have an African president. Brazil received very recent mass migration from every European country, just as the US. Their current president is originally from Bulgaria.
Yes, I believe that "Latin" Europe has more things in common with L.A than with most European countries....but of course, now we have the EEC..just like a marriage..at the end interest prevails.
Last edited by Cocoricoco; 05-29-2012 at 04:13 AM..
I think the joke is that it's denigrating South America as to be at the same kind of poverty and strife that Africa is at--which is absolutely ridiculous. The guy is from Spain though, and I've heard a few times that sentiment from Spaniards.
Overall, blegh.
We have a saying in old Castilian..."no pidas a quien pidió y no sirvas a quien sirvió" (Don't beg who begged, neither serve who served).
Here in Spain we have been starving to death and killing each other during countless generations. Countless ships left Spain packed with millions of starving people until quite recently, not different from Irish "Death Ships".
Not only that, if Peron and Evita would have not sent his ships packed with wheat during the 40's, many millions would have starved in Spain..(we were under a blockade just because we defeated communists, Perón and Chiang Kai Shek were our only allies during most of the 40's).
But now Spain is richer than ever was...and we call them "poor", "disaster area", etc.
People have very short memories, more so now that many Spaniards will have to make the Americas again. The cultural level here is very low, public education after Franco is a mess. There are many ignorant people with the "new rich" syndrome (they are called "ressucitated lice").
There's another old saying..."es de bien nacidos ser agradecido" (Gratitude is the sign of the noble soul). Modern day Spaniards born in "democracy" are not precisely "noble".
Last edited by Cocoricoco; 05-29-2012 at 04:45 AM..
Is this one of those maps that's meant to mock peoples' lack of knowledge of geography?
i think the majority of people recognize countries in africa the least. often times, you sea/hear/read things like "(insert comment)...in germany, japan, china, brazil and africa". it's always the entire continent. rarely does countries in africa get mentioned individually. weird.
*It is amazing how hypersensitive many South Americans are--especially Brazilians and Argentines. The bigger question is (and it reveals a lot)--why are Brazilians/South Americans so "offended" about being loosely compared to Congo/Africa?
What ignorance you display. 80% of Argentina is "white". That is more white people than probably the U.S and certainly most of it's best cities....it's not wannabe, they just are German, Italian...etc.
I will say, a lot of older Argentinens are really big snobs about their culture and it annoys me as well.
The shock isn't that people are offended by being compared to the Congo but the fact that people think its appropriate.
Much of Africa is economically poor. Extreme poverty is the norm and educational attainment is low. Most people in Mali don't live to see their 60s.
Much of South America is considered a "middle-income country" in terms of economics and Africa has a long way until it reaches the productivity there is in South America.
I'm offended when people spew on about my culture who are clueless. I certainly am no "white wannabe". My family in South America is comprised of Italian Jews and Spaniards so technically I could be considered "white" but I identify more with vibrant tropical culture. I much rather tan myself and be tropical.
What ignorance you display. 80% of Argentina is "white". That is more white people than probably the U.S and certainly most of it's best cities....it's not wannabe, they just are German, Italian...etc.
I will say, a lot of older Argentinens are really big snobs about their culture and it annoys me as well.
The shock isn't that people are offended by being compared to the Congo but the fact that people think its appropriate.
Much of Africa is economically poor. Extreme poverty is the norm and educational attainment is low. Most people in Mali don't live to see their 60s.
Much of South America is considered a "middle-income country" in terms of economics and Africa has a long way until it reaches the productivity there is in South America.
I'm offended when people spew on about my culture who are clueless. I certainly am no "white wannabe". My family in South America is comprised of Italian Jews and Spaniards so technically I could be considered "white" but I identify more with vibrant tropical culture. I much rather tan myself and be tropical.
The Congo reference and links are referring to Brazil and the "Welcome to the Congo" issue.
I mentioned Argentines in the last sentence not because they "wannabe" white (they are mostly white), but because many have an inferiority complex and an issue with being lumped with the rest of Latin American and South America ("wannabe" Euro).
I like your post. I think what you say about older Argentines is true--but, I do think more than just older Argentines think that way.
And--I really like what you said about identifying "with [a] vibrant tropical culture." Rock on!
Commuter, I highly doubt that most Americans even have enough knowledge of South America for there to be such elaborate stereotypes on that map.
As large as the continent is, SA just isn't on the radar of many people in the U.S. I wouldn't doubt that many think it's just another name for Brazil.
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Wannabe Euro, Wannabe White, Wannabe American, Insecurity, Shame, Delusional...
