US/Brazil and the attention thing. I will be very honest to you.
1) The "Straw Dog Complain" is the most important reason for Brazil to dislike the US. There are others, see below, but this is the most important one. Brazilians, most the ones above 40 years old, have what is called the "Straw Dog Complain". People who has the "Straw Dog Complain" loves the under dog and dislikes the successful.
They don't think they can win. They think the others are always better and they think that the local stuff is inferior. Anything made out there is better. In one word: They are bloody losers.
Here are some other reasons:
2)The US doesn't do good marketing like the Europeans and others do. Examples:
Prince Charles comes here (to help Castrol) and go to the samba school and tries a few steps. The Brits get extremely good press and Brazilians think Brits are good.
Japan Prime Minister comes here and demands to see the Olympic marathoner who was blocked by a crazy guy 15 minutes to finish line. Lula brings him in, and Brazilians love the Japanese and Japan gets good press.
Those other countries play the "Straw Dog Complain" to their advantage.
3) It was almost a 100 years ago that US President Teddy Roosevelt said: "Speak softly and carry a big stick: you will go far." No one has forgotten! It stuck! People down here react against the US in a way they don't do against other foreign countries. Remember the mug shoots and finger printing? Remember the reaction for the NY Times article saying Lula drinks a few? "Straw Dog Complain" caused the brouhaha.
Perhaps Teddy wasn't so bad. Perhaps almost 100 years ago was a totally different picture. What was an US president doing in a place like here (in Curitiba) when there were only wood mills? I always wonder that when I see his huge photos in one mall here -a former rail station- during his visit to Curitiba. But no one digs in the history. The ones who do are academics and they are mostly left leaning.
De Gaulle said: "Brazil is not a serious country." 1962, when Brazil apprehended a few fishing boats fishing lobsters in territorial waters. No one remembers that and this people here love the French!
4) The US soccer is not as popular as in other countries. The masses here, get impressions about other countries, by watching them playing football, as soccer is called outside the US. US are not visible as much as other countries. This has improved a lot since 1994 World Cup. But the day we won, a friend watching, beside me said: "You see? Only vice-president Al Gore is there. Clinton didn't come to hand over the cup" !!!!!!
Before anyone starts reading my postings under a straw dog perspective: I lost my "Straw Dog Complain" because I read 'Selections of the Readers' Digest' when I was small boy and I get that 'can do spirit', freedom, endure on the face of adversity and such, they used to publish about Americans. I read issues since the 1945 all the way to 1968. I use to buy the old ones from the used books shop very cheap.
That's one oft he reasons I dropped out school and went on since I thought I could do anything I wanted to do. I said to myself I was not made to be poor. I was made to have money. Once I looked to the engineers for what they were able to do, I said to myself: "I can eat those guys for breakfast".
And I did it. I was brain washed to lose the "Straw Dog Complain". Yeah, OK, I got arrogant too :-) |
