This will be the post for which Argentinians hate me and the post for which the Argentine government ever bans me from returning.
If you've read my posts "La Cultura Aqui" or the similar "Jumanji: The Demons Within"*, you know I've talked about how the culture here is "for today". People care about the money in their pocket today and not for tomorrow. You will find 30 year old men who still live with their parents. The people lack motivation. And, as I will discuss in yet another post, it can really suck you in. You can lose yourself here. Like Odysseus did on the isle of Circe. Five years felt like five days.****
Let me just say this in a much harsher way: the people here don't give a shit. I say the people, like, la gente. This is certainly not true of every single person. I've met some very dedicated, hardworking people. But it doesn't seem to be indicative of everyone. I don't take this from talking with/interviewing/examining lots of people, just with a few opinionated people. But I haven't heard much denial of this attitude, either. Let me give you some examples. Allow me to reiterate: this information is not firsthand. It comes from other people I've simply spoken with and I am not recording it here verbatim. It's what I remember.
La Policia (Police)
So, from what I've gotten of the police here, they're pretty lazy. The make I think 600 pesos a day, or week, or month, or something. From what I understand, it's not much more than minimum wage. And now they get a gun. Hooray. Murder cases here aren't solved; people just go missing. I'm sure if the police or mayor of Buenos Aires or Cristina Kirschner cared who I was and read this, there would be a huge denial of this. And maybe it's not true. Just what I heard. I have seen the police take some action here. But I understand typically they aren't going to care much. They may just be looking for a bribe.***** Maybe one day a year, 1 out of every 365 they give a damn and will go to the effort of doing all the paperwork just to screw you over. But typically not. So if someone steals your purse and you yell for the police to help, don't bet on it.
Taxis (Taxis)
My review of taxis here is pretty good. They're hugely abundant, easy to flag, easy to discern if they're open or not. But, sometimes if you find one to take you the airport for $200-250 pesos and he lives out near the airport, he might just pack it in then, call it a day and go home. The fuck?
El Subte (The Subway)
I've heard, but again don't know, the subway workers will just close lines because they don't want to work. They make good money for being subway workers but complain about wanting more. Or if they don't close a line entirely, they'll close it early. Why? They just don't care.
Dog Poop
The guidebooks will all warn you about the "ubiquitous" dog piles on the sidewalks. And it's true. There's lot of dog shit on the sidewalks. Why? People with dogs don't give a damn to clean up after them (though I have seen some people do it, I've seen even more not do it) AND the government doesn't care to have people clean it up, or enforce a "clean up after your dog" law. *Sigh*
This attitude amazes and fascinates me and...sadly...sucks me in. It would be easy to live here and not give a damn. I see why people have this attitude. It's very relaxed. But, no, I can't. I will get back to my world of money and offices and stock markets. I want to do something. I can do nothing in this world or in another world, but there is no option to do something in this world, in the world of caring about nothing. If I want to do something, something substantial, I must leave. I can do something outside of the world of stocks and bonds. But not in the world of not caring.
*Semi-biographical post on the quirky Robin Williams and how his various versions of facial hair cycle with the phases of the moon**
**Mr. Williams, Patch, sir, I am only kidding. Please don't sue for my libel. Or slander. Or whatever the written version of that is. If only you knew the things I've said aloud!***
***SERIOUSLY I'M KIDDING
****No idea if this is actually accurate. I just remember this from a pretty decent made-for-television movie version of The Odyssey.
*****Given that I heard nothing about bribes before coming here and heard a lot about them in India before going there, I imagine bribes are a much worse situation in India. Ipso facto, I'm not/haven't been that worried about them here.
If you've read my posts "La Cultura Aqui" or the similar "Jumanji: The Demons Within"*, you know I've talked about how the culture here is "for today". People care about the money in their pocket today and not for tomorrow. You will find 30 year old men who still live with their parents. The people lack motivation. And, as I will discuss in yet another post, it can really suck you in. You can lose yourself here. Like Odysseus did on the isle of Circe. Five years felt like five days.****
Let me just say this in a much harsher way: the people here don't give a shit. I say the people, like, la gente. This is certainly not true of every single person. I've met some very dedicated, hardworking people. But it doesn't seem to be indicative of everyone. I don't take this from talking with/interviewing/examining lots of people, just with a few opinionated people. But I haven't heard much denial of this attitude, either. Let me give you some examples. Allow me to reiterate: this information is not firsthand. It comes from other people I've simply spoken with and I am not recording it here verbatim. It's what I remember.
La Policia (Police)
So, from what I've gotten of the police here, they're pretty lazy. The make I think 600 pesos a day, or week, or month, or something. From what I understand, it's not much more than minimum wage. And now they get a gun. Hooray. Murder cases here aren't solved; people just go missing. I'm sure if the police or mayor of Buenos Aires or Cristina Kirschner cared who I was and read this, there would be a huge denial of this. And maybe it's not true. Just what I heard. I have seen the police take some action here. But I understand typically they aren't going to care much. They may just be looking for a bribe.***** Maybe one day a year, 1 out of every 365 they give a damn and will go to the effort of doing all the paperwork just to screw you over. But typically not. So if someone steals your purse and you yell for the police to help, don't bet on it.
Taxis (Taxis)
My review of taxis here is pretty good. They're hugely abundant, easy to flag, easy to discern if they're open or not. But, sometimes if you find one to take you the airport for $200-250 pesos and he lives out near the airport, he might just pack it in then, call it a day and go home. The fuck?
El Subte (The Subway)
I've heard, but again don't know, the subway workers will just close lines because they don't want to work. They make good money for being subway workers but complain about wanting more. Or if they don't close a line entirely, they'll close it early. Why? They just don't care.
Dog Poop
The guidebooks will all warn you about the "ubiquitous" dog piles on the sidewalks. And it's true. There's lot of dog shit on the sidewalks. Why? People with dogs don't give a damn to clean up after them (though I have seen some people do it, I've seen even more not do it) AND the government doesn't care to have people clean it up, or enforce a "clean up after your dog" law. *Sigh*
This attitude amazes and fascinates me and...sadly...sucks me in. It would be easy to live here and not give a damn. I see why people have this attitude. It's very relaxed. But, no, I can't. I will get back to my world of money and offices and stock markets. I want to do something. I can do nothing in this world or in another world, but there is no option to do something in this world, in the world of caring about nothing. If I want to do something, something substantial, I must leave. I can do something outside of the world of stocks and bonds. But not in the world of not caring.
*Semi-biographical post on the quirky Robin Williams and how his various versions of facial hair cycle with the phases of the moon**
**Mr. Williams, Patch, sir, I am only kidding. Please don't sue for my libel. Or slander. Or whatever the written version of that is. If only you knew the things I've said aloud!***
***SERIOUSLY I'M KIDDING
****No idea if this is actually accurate. I just remember this from a pretty decent made-for-television movie version of The Odyssey.
*****Given that I heard nothing about bribes before coming here and heard a lot about them in India before going there, I imagine bribes are a much worse situation in India. Ipso facto, I'm not/haven't been that worried about them here.
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