¡Viva la plaza!
Re: Mexico and Mexicans
Having spent more than a year in Chile, and having traveled extensively throughout Central and South America (including two months in Mexico and Guatemala), I agree with Fred Reed, author of the above article, that "Latin societies are more livable if less prosperous than ours." He writes:
The author of the above leaves out one fundamental aspect of Latin society. One thing that does not exist in Anglo American (or Asian) cities or towns but that exists in every Latin American capital city or remote village is the plaza (called a zócalo in Mexico). The plaza usually has on two of its sides the seats of temporal and eternal power: the presidential palace or mayor's residence on one side, the national cathedral or village church on another. The plaza is a place were all the citizenry can meet, to buy ice-cream or food from street vendors, to watch performamces, to play dominoes or chess, or simply to people-watch (I don't know how many hours I spent in Santiago's Plaza de Armas doing just that). The plaza provides much more than a place for diversion, however; it provides a sense of community sorely lacking in Asian or American cities.
Asian and North American cities suffer from a dearth of public spaces. New York has its beautiful Central Park, but it encourages too much solitude (not a bad thing, mind you, but different from community). Seoul has its Pagoda Park, but it is the domain of elderly men; the plazas of the Latin World are multi-generational, as is much of Latin culture and society.
Every city in the world would do well to have a plaza.
¡Viva la plaza!
[link to article via A conservative blog for peace]
Re: Mexico and Mexicans
Having spent more than a year in Chile, and having traveled extensively throughout Central and South America (including two months in Mexico and Guatemala), I agree with Fred Reed, author of the above article, that "Latin societies are more livable if less prosperous than ours." He writes:
- "Mexicans and gringos have distinctly different views of the United States. An American explaining the attractiveness of his country will usually say, 'I have a big house in the suburbs, three cars, a home theater, and 300 channels on the cable. I can drink the water, and in the mall I can buy anything, absolutely anything.' He may talk of freedom and democracy, often having only the vaguest idea of whether he actually has them or what conditions might be in other countries.
"A Mexican is more likely to say, 'They are such a cold people. They don't know their neighbors. They don't know their children. They have no fiestas. Rules and being on time are more important to them than other people. They have no religion.' (To a robust Catholic, bland agnostic Protestantism isn't detectibly a religion.) Democracy means little to an illegal with a second-grade education; in any event, Mexico is probably as democratic as the United States. He knows the government left him alone in Mexico, which is his definition of freedom. And mine."
The author of the above leaves out one fundamental aspect of Latin society. One thing that does not exist in Anglo American (or Asian) cities or towns but that exists in every Latin American capital city or remote village is the plaza (called a zócalo in Mexico). The plaza usually has on two of its sides the seats of temporal and eternal power: the presidential palace or mayor's residence on one side, the national cathedral or village church on another. The plaza is a place were all the citizenry can meet, to buy ice-cream or food from street vendors, to watch performamces, to play dominoes or chess, or simply to people-watch (I don't know how many hours I spent in Santiago's Plaza de Armas doing just that). The plaza provides much more than a place for diversion, however; it provides a sense of community sorely lacking in Asian or American cities.
Asian and North American cities suffer from a dearth of public spaces. New York has its beautiful Central Park, but it encourages too much solitude (not a bad thing, mind you, but different from community). Seoul has its Pagoda Park, but it is the domain of elderly men; the plazas of the Latin World are multi-generational, as is much of Latin culture and society.
Every city in the world would do well to have a plaza.
¡Viva la plaza!
[link to article via A conservative blog for peace]
Redeemed by Our Savior, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling in Pohang, South Korea, where I live with my wife, daughter, and son and teach English at a science and technology university. Baptized a Methodist and raised a Missouri Synod Lutheran in Buffalo, NY, I spent six years as a guest of the Anglican Communion before being received by the Grace of God into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on the Feast of Saint Andrew, my patron, anno domini 2002.
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