Just back from a very stimulating first meeting with Ricardo Geromel, a fellow blogger and an Italian-Brazilian. Still only 23, he represents exactly the kind of talent that Brazil needs. Sao Paulo-born but in recent years a globe trotter thanks to a soccer scholarship in the US, where he graduated first in his year, then business studies in Paris, accompanied by work as a commodities trader in Africa and research in a number of other far-flung locations. He may soon be off to China.
As usual when I talk to such Brazilians, I am impressed by the combination of education and character; the most precious kind of "commodity". But once again there is the feeling that having created them, Brazil doesn't deserve them. Ricardo informed me that of the 40 youngest members of the new Government, 32 are related by blood ! That says it all about the mafia-like choke-hold that politics has over this country. There simply will not be any real democracy or real middle class until politicians and their corrupt cronies take their collective foot off Brazil's throat.
Such top-down corruption means that Brazil doesn't really behave as a country apart from every four years at the World Cup or perhaps for a few days a year at Carnival. The rest of the time it is every man for himself. The concept of working for the Greater Good remains elusive.
A quick anecdote, as related to me by Ricardo, to illustrate: a Brazilian policeman at a recent social gathering boasted of his R$ 3000 a month salary ($1800 or £1130). Now, this would be peanuts to a real Brazilian middle class. But to one of the "lower orders" it is good. Yet this wasn't the whole story. The policeman went on to boast about his unofficial income, an additional R$ 3500, ie more than his official earnings. How did he manage to generate such a healthy amount ? Was he doing business over the internet, as the "new middle class" articles like to relate ? Was he an out of hours taxi driver ? No. He was making money the old-fashioned way, the easy way, the Brazilian way. Law and order in this country takes its cue from the top.
On a less sinister note but equally troubling, my new contact also said something which struck a chord with me. As we bemoaned the constant refusal by so many Brazilians to do anything on time or to respond to things in a timely manner, Ricardo-the-commodities-trader exclaimed: "Time is a commodity ! When you walk down the street in New York you see rich people eating a slice of pizza because they are too busy to sit around having a long lunch. But there is no sense of urgency about anything in Brazil."
It's a cliche that "time is money" but a cliche that has yet to penetrate "God's Land". As discussed on this blog in a previous post, Brazil now has a commodities boom and a demographic (baby) boom running in its favour. But there is, as always, a ticking clock and a deadline by which Brazil must get its act together. Otherwise the "country of tomorrow" will once again become yesterday's news.
PS: For the short time that Ricardo is here in Sao Paulo, he and I would like to arrange a meeting with others to discuss these issues and make new contacts, perhaps over lunch. Let me know via this blog or email (robdwek@gmail.com) if you are interested.
As usual when I talk to such Brazilians, I am impressed by the combination of education and character; the most precious kind of "commodity". But once again there is the feeling that having created them, Brazil doesn't deserve them. Ricardo informed me that of the 40 youngest members of the new Government, 32 are related by blood ! That says it all about the mafia-like choke-hold that politics has over this country. There simply will not be any real democracy or real middle class until politicians and their corrupt cronies take their collective foot off Brazil's throat.
Such top-down corruption means that Brazil doesn't really behave as a country apart from every four years at the World Cup or perhaps for a few days a year at Carnival. The rest of the time it is every man for himself. The concept of working for the Greater Good remains elusive.
A quick anecdote, as related to me by Ricardo, to illustrate: a Brazilian policeman at a recent social gathering boasted of his R$ 3000 a month salary ($1800 or £1130). Now, this would be peanuts to a real Brazilian middle class. But to one of the "lower orders" it is good. Yet this wasn't the whole story. The policeman went on to boast about his unofficial income, an additional R$ 3500, ie more than his official earnings. How did he manage to generate such a healthy amount ? Was he doing business over the internet, as the "new middle class" articles like to relate ? Was he an out of hours taxi driver ? No. He was making money the old-fashioned way, the easy way, the Brazilian way. Law and order in this country takes its cue from the top.
On a less sinister note but equally troubling, my new contact also said something which struck a chord with me. As we bemoaned the constant refusal by so many Brazilians to do anything on time or to respond to things in a timely manner, Ricardo-the-commodities-trader exclaimed: "Time is a commodity ! When you walk down the street in New York you see rich people eating a slice of pizza because they are too busy to sit around having a long lunch. But there is no sense of urgency about anything in Brazil."
It's a cliche that "time is money" but a cliche that has yet to penetrate "God's Land". As discussed on this blog in a previous post, Brazil now has a commodities boom and a demographic (baby) boom running in its favour. But there is, as always, a ticking clock and a deadline by which Brazil must get its act together. Otherwise the "country of tomorrow" will once again become yesterday's news.
PS: For the short time that Ricardo is here in Sao Paulo, he and I would like to arrange a meeting with others to discuss these issues and make new contacts, perhaps over lunch. Let me know via this blog or email (robdwek@gmail.com) if you are interested.
Rob,
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the cop said he made extra R$ 35.000...
You are absolutely correct, Brazilians have not yet understood that time is a limited resource.
Anyway, I look forward to meeting you and other readers next week.