Last week I started classes again. All signs of Christmas and holiday fever have disappeared and the city is back to it’s normal rhythm of daily life. Most folks have gone back to work, businesses have re-opened and all universities officially resume tomorrow. Last week I started working part-time for a development company "ECSIM" in Medellin. I'm doing research with a team of 4 economists on how innovation, driven by entrepreneurship, is the single most important factor to growth and development. My boss believes that a big hurdle for Colombia is that this country - due to cultural, political and historical reasons - does not value or appreciate entrepreneurship. In fact, many business-owners and start-up companies are often condemned for being corrupt, exploitative and self-dealing money-hounders. While there might be truth to this in some specific cases, on a more general note, if Colombia wants consistent and sustainable growth people need incentive to start their own company and embrace globalization, science and technology. This isn’t to say Colombia should abandon its own traditions and culture to find answers only in the exterior, but there is certainly a deep culture here of maintaining the status quo which makes it really difficult to promote change. Development should be driven by adopting certain progressive strategies that other countries have successful employed and combining them with innovative Colombian projects specific to this country’s context.
Former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias recently wrote an article worth reading in Foreign Affairs on this very topic, namely why Latin American countries have struggled so much to rise above poverty and corruption and attain development:
Culture Matters | Foreign Affairs
http://www.ihavenet.com/Latin-America-Real-Obstacles-to-Latin-American-Development-Foreign-Affairs.html
This article makes me appreciate how entrepreneurship and creativity are truly valued in the United States. As many problems as our country has, we do place value on meritocracy, smarts and work ethic and it is possible (not easy) to climb the social ladder. In Colombia, on the other hand, I have really been shocked by the stark and rigid classism which seems virtually impossible to transcend. It appears here that economic standing and social clout are granted not so much by one’s inherent qualities and capacities, but more by family name, inheritance, beauty and what part of town one lives in, what car they drive, the clothes they wear, the circles they run in, etc. The prevailing system here is based on a centuries-old aristocratic model transplanted from Europe. It seems to me, however, that this colonialist tendency to, in Arias’ words, “protect established privileges” is most restrictive and confining to the upper class elite, though they tend to be the ones perpetuating it, whether consciously or not.
On a completely irrelevant note, this is a funny peace of mail I just got. Entirely unrelated to Colombia and my experience here, but good for a little chuckle:
WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?
SARAH PALIN: The chicken crossed the road because, gosh-darn it,
she's a maverick!
JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road...ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of crossing?
AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmers Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chick en cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
that is a very interesting observation. It would be interesting to find out more about that rigid system. Aren't there levels 1-7? Who assigns those levels, what are they based on, and who adheres to them? Are those few on the highest level holding the most power? If so, why would they want to change? Is there civic consciousness?
ReplyDeleteWho owns the land?
Sorry for asking so many questions.
Yes, mom, here socioeconomic levels range from 1 - 6. 1 being utter poverty, 6 being extreme wealth. One's level is based on income and is reflected by what part of town you live in, the amount of money you pay in services (water, gas, heat, etc). And yes, very few people in Colombia have most of the $ and power, leaving the vast majority with very little resources and opportunity. It's a very complex situation, and one in which most poor people lack access/outlets to social mobility. Folks are forced to maintain a rigid status quo. As for land rights: the conflict in Colombia has forced millions of people out of their homes and off their lands, creating a desperate and growing displaced population within urban areas, as is the case in Medellin. There are a number of social organizations working for land rights, but land ownership remains a very contentious and serious issue.
ReplyDeleteThis is the short and simplified (and depressing!) response to your questions... There are wonderful private groups and individuals trying to improve the distribution of wealth and create more equal rights and opportunities for the majority of marginalized citizens, but it's such a complex and multi-faceted situation... honestly it's hard not to feel helpless at times. But gotta stay positive.
Adelante, Colombia!