My son will, in August, be travelling back to the land of his birth for the second time without me. I expect the riots will have blown over by then but perhaps not. Maybe this "uprising" will be something unprecedented ?
Although in my last post I said I wasn't going to comment further, the fact that Brazil has been in the headlines this past week or so, and hearing the typically ignorant commentators in the UK, has provoked me to say a couple more things.
Some months ago,at the end of last year I think, ex-Monty Python turned world traveller Michael Palin did a TV series about Brazil. Now that Brazil was no longer a pressing reality for me, I watched most of it with a faintly indulgent eye, as someone who gets a certain kick from referring to my (exotic) "half-Brazilian" son. But even so, Palin's view of Brazil was so cliché-ridden and lazy that I couldn't help but get a little worked up.
Here was yet another very rich first-worlder playing at "going native" with these amazing "laid-back" Brazilians. What is the secret to their simple happiness, Palin mused, like a thousand other superficial tourists to that country. Ah, the joys of the simple life !
Yes, fantastic if you can jet in and out of the country, returning to the myriad conveniences of first-world modernity.
I think I commented in this blog (way back) about the frequency with which Brazilians ask outsiders "What do you think of Brazil?" or words to that effect. It sounds so innocent and charming but really it betrays a deep insecurity and is the product of a brainwashing that has kept most Brazilians in a state of arrested development, like children. Instead of taking control of their destiny and their country, they were told to be satisfied with an image of themselves reflected in foreign eyes. The "correct" response to "What do you think of Brazil?" is: "Oh, it's great, fun, sexy, laid-back, full of shiny happy people".
And this is exactly what the likes of Michael Palin are only too happy to provide.
But now, finally, it looks like Brazilians are beginning to break out of this hall of mirrors, this echo chamber, and start asking the questions that might lead them towards real happiness - the kind that only comes with the assumption of much greater responsibility and a refusal to be treated like children.
My shockingly "negative" blog is already full of criticisms of Brazil that don't need to be repeated. What I will say, in light of recent events, is that the country absolutely must get itself at least one major new political party. This new party, or indeed movement, has to commit itself unreservedly to a new way of doing things. And that means demonstrating intolerance for any and all corruption; being absolutely transparent and accountable; solemnly promising that democracy, meritocracy and the needs of the majority will always trump the self-interest of any one of its members. Such a party would make a dramatic and radical break with everything that has gone before it in Brazilian politics.
Will the mass-demonstrations result in such a party ? I hope so because if not, I don't see much reason to be optimistic about Brazil. The entire political structure and system is rotten to the core and needs to be cleared away, like the rain forrest they are so good at destroying (thanks to corruption).
It's time the Michael Palins of this world were told by Brazilians: "Thanks but no thanks for your lazy flattery and stereotypes. In fact we are not some strange exotic bird, we are not noble savages happy with our lot. We are just like all the other humans on this planet and want the same things. We have been kept ignorant and uneducated so that we wouldn't know what we were missing, while those at the top took it all. Just like any ideology, we were indoctrinated and told constantly how happy we were. Shame on you, "useful idiot" outsiders for making it even harder for us to change what needed to be changed."
Although in my last post I said I wasn't going to comment further, the fact that Brazil has been in the headlines this past week or so, and hearing the typically ignorant commentators in the UK, has provoked me to say a couple more things.
Some months ago,at the end of last year I think, ex-Monty Python turned world traveller Michael Palin did a TV series about Brazil. Now that Brazil was no longer a pressing reality for me, I watched most of it with a faintly indulgent eye, as someone who gets a certain kick from referring to my (exotic) "half-Brazilian" son. But even so, Palin's view of Brazil was so cliché-ridden and lazy that I couldn't help but get a little worked up.
Here was yet another very rich first-worlder playing at "going native" with these amazing "laid-back" Brazilians. What is the secret to their simple happiness, Palin mused, like a thousand other superficial tourists to that country. Ah, the joys of the simple life !
Yes, fantastic if you can jet in and out of the country, returning to the myriad conveniences of first-world modernity.
I think I commented in this blog (way back) about the frequency with which Brazilians ask outsiders "What do you think of Brazil?" or words to that effect. It sounds so innocent and charming but really it betrays a deep insecurity and is the product of a brainwashing that has kept most Brazilians in a state of arrested development, like children. Instead of taking control of their destiny and their country, they were told to be satisfied with an image of themselves reflected in foreign eyes. The "correct" response to "What do you think of Brazil?" is: "Oh, it's great, fun, sexy, laid-back, full of shiny happy people".
And this is exactly what the likes of Michael Palin are only too happy to provide.
But now, finally, it looks like Brazilians are beginning to break out of this hall of mirrors, this echo chamber, and start asking the questions that might lead them towards real happiness - the kind that only comes with the assumption of much greater responsibility and a refusal to be treated like children.
My shockingly "negative" blog is already full of criticisms of Brazil that don't need to be repeated. What I will say, in light of recent events, is that the country absolutely must get itself at least one major new political party. This new party, or indeed movement, has to commit itself unreservedly to a new way of doing things. And that means demonstrating intolerance for any and all corruption; being absolutely transparent and accountable; solemnly promising that democracy, meritocracy and the needs of the majority will always trump the self-interest of any one of its members. Such a party would make a dramatic and radical break with everything that has gone before it in Brazilian politics.
Will the mass-demonstrations result in such a party ? I hope so because if not, I don't see much reason to be optimistic about Brazil. The entire political structure and system is rotten to the core and needs to be cleared away, like the rain forrest they are so good at destroying (thanks to corruption).
It's time the Michael Palins of this world were told by Brazilians: "Thanks but no thanks for your lazy flattery and stereotypes. In fact we are not some strange exotic bird, we are not noble savages happy with our lot. We are just like all the other humans on this planet and want the same things. We have been kept ignorant and uneducated so that we wouldn't know what we were missing, while those at the top took it all. Just like any ideology, we were indoctrinated and told constantly how happy we were. Shame on you, "useful idiot" outsiders for making it even harder for us to change what needed to be changed."
You have been a visionary in foreseeing all this turmoil when the world was smug and comfortable with the cliches.I doubt the Brazilians have the spirit to see change through-it will be like the arab spring and take a very long time before anything like true democracy and accountability happens.
ReplyDeletepalin was not doing a critical evaluation merely trying to make an interesting programme as a travelogue. I doubt whether anyone would have watched the real brazil for a whole series-it would be too depressing. Your point about romanticizing is well made but the programme is just escapism and there are good people who want to welcome tourists and perhaps that was part of the agenda