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jerezano

Jul 20, 2011, 7:45 AM

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Poverty in Mexico

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Hola a todos:
Poverty in Mexico
North American gringos living here in Mexico, IMHO, are comfortable with our lives. If not, we would try to move elsewhere.
So we believe that many Mexican families not so fortunate as ourselves are living their lives in poverty.
Perhaps Mexico is not quite so badly off as we tend to believe. At least so says a study just completed of of the poverty levels in eight (including Mexico) Latin American nations: those nations were Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Mexico
I have translated here an article by Daniela Edith Rea Gómez of the Agency Reforma in the newspaper “24 Páginas)” page 24 of 20 July 2011 where she reports the study was published as “Índice Ethos de Pobreza 2011.” The study was conducted by Rodolfo de la Torre, et.al., coordinator for the United Nations Investigation of Development.
In that study poverty (pobreza) was defined in two ways: poverty at home and poverty of the ambient.

  1. Poverty at home: per capita income, education, potable water, sanitary services, living conditions, food to cook, snd electricity. According to this measure Mexico, due to lack of per capita income and sanitary services, is in SECOND place behind Chile as the nation with the LEAST POVERTY of the eight nations.

  2. Poverty of the ambient: availability of help and other organizations, democracy, security, género (type, class?),public health, economy and and surrounding ambient. MEXICO PLACED THIRD behind Chile and BraziL

Hasta luego, jerezano.



richmx2


Jul 20, 2011, 11:24 AM

Post #2 of 13 (1854 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Poverty in Mexico

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Also— not coming from extended families, and from a culture that prizes individualism over collective and collaborative coummunalism — many of us make the assumption that people elsewhere think and act the same way we do, which just ain't so. Economic condition may be an over-riding concern with gringos, but not with other people on the planet. I've always said we've got to get over the idea that just because the 4 percent of the human race that lives in the U.S. and Canada tends to do things, or think, in one way, doesn't mean the other 96 percent does or thinks the same.


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YucaLandia


Jul 20, 2011, 4:09 PM

Post #3 of 13 (1813 views)

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Re: [richmx2] Poverty in Mexico

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richmx2,
Are you implying that families who do things together, sharing meals and responsibilities could be happier than families where each child sits alone in their bedroom, chatting on-line, plugged into their i-pods, as each parent works long hours, and they live near solitary lives?

Are you implying that families and children who weekly or daily experience time with aunts, uncles, primos & primas, grandfathers and grandmothers might be happier and better-balanced than families who spend "quality time" together once or twice a year?

Are you implying that neighborhoods where families of 3-4 people live relatively affluent lives in beautiful homes, but do not really know their neighbors, are somehow less satisfying than neighbors who much enjoy each other's company while living as multi-generational familes under a single roof?

Are you implying that elders who are regularly visited by their children, nieces & nephews, and grandchildren could be better off than first world elders living in elaborate retirement communities or in a nice condo in Boca?

Are you implying that time spent playing imagination-based games, physical games like pick-up basketball, pick-up soccer, pick-up baseball with neighborhood kids might be healthier and better than kids solitarily playing video games or online video games with some other solitary kid on another continent?

Are you implying that families where grandma and grandpa play integral parts in their grandchildren's lives are less vibrant and less rich than first world families living lives of fierce independence?

Are you implying that homogenized first-world mall-culture and fast food might be less interesting or less nutritious than home-cooked meals?

Are you implying that some of our best memories can come from things that don't involve buying, acquiring, or consuming?

Are you implying that there is more to life than money, fancy cars, substantial retirement accounts, cool vacations, toys, and other things to flaunt?

Are you implying that love, wisdom, happiness, awareness, beauty, awe, joy, contentment, and well being do not come from money, power, and possessions?

Shocking....
-
Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/

richmx2


Jul 20, 2011, 11:43 PM

Post #4 of 13 (1750 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Poverty in Mexico

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I can see where you may well think that, but I, of course, could never say such a thing :-)


http://mexfiles.net
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robt65

Jul 21, 2011, 6:32 AM

Post #5 of 13 (1712 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Poverty in Mexico

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Well Said Steve,

. . . . . . and now you have covered practically every reason that probaly most ex pats have chosen Mexico as their today home . . . . . . . at least many of my reasons. As the old song says . . . . . . "when will they learn, when will they ever learn"

Thank you,

robt65

Reefhound


Jul 21, 2011, 7:46 AM

Post #6 of 13 (1681 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Poverty in Mexico

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In Reply To
richmx2,
Are you implying that families who do things together, sharing meals and responsibilities could be happier than families where each child sits alone in their bedroom, chatting on-line, plugged into their i-pods, as each parent works long hours, and they live near solitary lives?

Are you implying that families and children who weekly or daily experience time with aunts, uncles, primos & primas, grandfathers and grandmothers might be happier and better-balanced than families who spend "quality time" together once or twice a year?

Well now, if Mexico is so strong on family values and kids grow up so happy and well balanced, then explain the hundreds of thousands if not millions of youths willing to sacrifice their futures if not their souls for money and power and possessions?

And not all that much money for most of them. Many sicarios involved in kidnapping, torture, and murder report being paid little more than $100 per week.

Let's see, at least 40,000 dead in the last few years and it hasn't made a dent in the supply. Clearly the tip of the iceberg. All these thousands of youths engaging in some of the most vile and despicable acts imaginable - chopping off heads, dismembering limbs, peeling skin from faces, and other cruelly creative methods of torture - did they not play soccer in the street, live with extended family, hit pinatas together at large family gatherings?

YucaLandia


Jul 21, 2011, 3:00 PM

Post #7 of 13 (1619 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Poverty in Mexico

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In Reply To
Well now, if Mexico is so strong on family values and kids grow up so happy and well balanced, then explain the hundreds of thousands if not millions of youths willing to sacrifice their futures if not their souls for money and power and possessions?

And not all that much money for most of them. Many sicarios involved in kidnapping, torture, and murder report being paid little more than $100 per week.

Let's see, at least 40,000 dead in the last few years and it hasn't made a dent in the supply. Clearly the tip of the iceberg. All these thousands of youths engaging in some of the most vile and despicable acts imaginable - chopping off heads, dismembering limbs, peeling skin from faces, and other cruelly creative methods of torture - did they not play soccer in the street, live with extended family, hit pinatas together at large family gatherings?

There is good news: There are roughly another 124.5 million Mexicans who appreciate and highly value: time their families, time with friends, time with elders, good food and good laughs.

Xi’i kech yéetel utsil. Yu'um Bootik.
Mitakuye Oyasin !
steve
-
-
Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/

(This post was edited by YucaLandia on Jul 21, 2011, 3:26 PM)

cookj5

Jul 21, 2011, 3:20 PM

Post #8 of 13 (1605 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Poverty in Mexico

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Tut, tut, Reefhound...have you been neglecting to take your "chill pills" again? Nothing you had to say about the sicarios in any way detracts from the validity of the cultural comparisons that Yucalandia rather eloquently made.

Good job, Yucalandia!

whynotwrite

Jul 21, 2011, 3:47 PM

Post #9 of 13 (1592 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Poverty in Mexico

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deleted by TB as being irrelevant to the discussion or to Mexico.
Please read the message posted by our esteemed webjefe on this very forum.


(This post was edited by tonyburton on Jul 21, 2011, 4:13 PM)

Reefhound


Jul 22, 2011, 5:16 AM

Post #10 of 13 (1516 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Poverty in Mexico

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Ok, back on the chill pills. Carry on.

richmx2


Jul 22, 2011, 1:30 PM

Post #11 of 13 (1430 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Poverty in Mexico

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Reefhound:

Well now, if Mexico is so strong on family values and kids grow up so happy and well balanced, then explain the hundreds of thousands if not millions of youths willing to sacrifice their futures if not their souls for money and power and possessions?

The "hundreds of thousands" is overblown, let alone the "millions". At most 400,000 people make their living from the narcotics export business, but the vast majority are not involved in anything more than transportation, finances, packaging and processing, etc. Not that many (but certainly too many) are involved in the ... ahem... internal security ... division. But this is like saying everyone in the navy is a SEAL, or everyone who works for General Dynamics is a war criminal.

As it is, there is evidence that it is the erosion of "traditional values" (in the positive sense of extended families, cooperative, rather than individualistic, social development) that is creating the conditions for criminality. Yeah, I know, there are "traditional values" gangsters, like La Familia Michoacana, where the goal isn't something necessarily positive (exporting meth), but doesn't mean the social network is a negative.


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http://editorialmazatlan.com

Reefhound


Jul 22, 2011, 4:44 PM

Post #12 of 13 (1401 views)

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Re: [richmx2] Poverty in Mexico

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In Reply To
The "hundreds of thousands" is overblown, let alone the "millions". At most 400,000 people make their living from the narcotics export business, but the vast majority are not involved in anything more than transportation, finances, packaging and processing, etc.

I hope your numbers are right but then that would mean with 40,000 dead the cartels must be suffering deeply from attrition and thus the "war on cartels" has to be close to achieving it's goals.

dongringo_catemaco


Jul 23, 2011, 2:19 AM

Post #13 of 13 (1346 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Poverty in Mexico

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There are a 7.5 million "NiNis" waiting in the wings to replace them.
http://es.wikipedia.org/...eneraci%C3%B3n_ni-ni
Visit Catemaco News



(This post was edited by Rolly on Jul 23, 2011, 4:22 AM)
 
 
 
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