Fergus Hodgson discusses the deep-rooted problems plaguing Latin America and what he considers to be a red pill: that for now LatAm is practically a lost cause.
It seems to me that is the main message that he wants to convey, for what purpose I can not surmise. Stay where you are in your Known Misery and don't expand your horizons. Although not all of what he claims can be objected to outright - for the places that he has experienced, mostly urban I would guess - I find it to be a narrow view. Now that the bad pieces have been cut out of the apple, is there anything sweet in it to enjoy? I have a list of at least a dozen things that enrich my life and daily experiences that I find unique to living among people of the Andes. I am grateful..
Exactly! "Stay where you are." seems to be the new mantra... My surmise is that there is a concerted effort being waged by vested interests who are hell bent on maintaining the separation of values structures... in an effort (perhaps) to influence the value structures of those not yet under their control... as the act of separation is in itself a means of control.. (think solitary confinement of prisoners)... It's very much what I was eluding to when I spoke of the exclusive focus on urban living in my complaint earlier regarding the Internet's expatriation sites... Just in case you think I may have gone too far out on the tree's limb, allow me to quote from my favorite liberal, Gore Vidal... "I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am a conspiracy analyst." :-D
That's kinda what I was getting at yesterday in our group discussion... I follow a number of expatriation sites. ALL of them center EXCLUSIVELY on relocation to urban areas... and the focus of ALL of them are on the financial considerations of living abroad with absolutely no consideration whatsoever on the cultural aspects or experiences that abound in a foreign land... and NONE of them contain resources that allows one access to rural location opportunities... It's as if the general consensus is that westerners, Americans specifically, are only interested in saving a buck in their living expenses... and to do that they are creating islands of 1st world conveniences in a 3rd world sea... it's somewhat discouraging... It's as if we're being told at every corner "The Only Flavor of Ice Cream is Vanilla"
So much to say... So many questions to ask... my genuine suspicions are that we're being imprisioned in a psychological box... regardless of location.
As the old saying goes... "Just because your paranoid doesn't mean that everyone isn't out to get you."
UNFORTUNATELY TOO MANY "VOTED IN" HEADS OF STATE ARE ON THE TAKE AND THE LOANS NEVER REBUILT FOR PRODUCTION AND EXPANSION, THEN THEY ARE BACK NEEDING A FLIP OR REWRITE OF THEIR IMF LOANS., AND SO THE BAND MARCHES ON AND NOTHING CHANGES FOR THE BETTER.
I really appreciated this conversation. Lots of good thoughts and information. I have tended to agree with Fergus. I have plenty of issues with the U.S. government and make no bones about it, but I have seen Latin America (Bolivia, 1976-1986) firsthand and know some of the issues.
Bribes were expected. Since I was a child and others took care of the paperwork and I didn’t drive, etc., I didn’t experience it firsthand, but I heard about it. Paperwork could be held up for a long time. Money would keep it moving along.
The political unrest was serious enough a few times that we were warned to get ready to possibly need to be evacuated to the u s. We were told we would only be able to take one piece of luggage. We had normal (for there) households and would have basically had to leave with the clothes on our backs. I thought I would put all my stuff in my sleeping bag. I’d have been able to fit everything I owned in it and it would have been only one piece, but I wouldn’t have been able to carry it. ;)
I really agreed with what Fergus said about what will your children learn? What values, what influences…? I’m not a supporter of those things here in the us either, but at least I understand the language completely.
In Bolivia prices for gringos were automatically higher.
Going into a different culture and different language is not smooth sailing. Think how much antagonism there is, even between people from different states (New Hampshire and Massachusetts, for example) and multiply that by 1000 or so.
Very thought-provoking conversation. Thank you, gentlemen.
Constitutionally, the U. S. shouldn’t be sticking her nose into other countries’ business. I realize geopolitics is now much more complicated than it was in the 1700s, but I still don’t think the U. S. should be the monitor of the world, and certainly not the world’s biggest bully.
As some background, I grew up in Bolivia - 1976 - 1986. Although I was young and not knowledgeable about politics, U. S. dictates and involvement were problematic.
In 1998, we were at a church in Maine when a Cuban couple went there to speak. They had two young children, which the Cuban government would not allow them to bring with them for fear they would never return. The children were required to stay to make sure the parents went back. I remember a couple things the man said. Their neighbor had a cow, which she cared for and milked, but she was not allowed to sell or even give away the milk. To help them out, she had to sneak milk to them. The punishment would have been severe if she had been caught. I don’t remember exactly what, although he may have said. I DO remember he said it was the death penalty for catching a lobster and not turning it in to the government.
Add New Hampshire to your list of self-defense states. Amazingly, even wacky Vermont has friendly firearms laws, probably a hold-over from when Vermont (my home state) was much more conservative and had a pioneering spirit, which wasn’t really that long ago.
(I’m just adding to my comment as I listen.)
When we were in Bolivia, stealing was a big issue. We were told that they didn’t consider it wrong to steal if the thief needed the item more than the owner. I had things stolen - a nice winter coat that I forgot and left outside after dark when I was about 10, some practically new and very nice towels stolen from a clothesline inside a gated property, some jewelry stolen from by a maid who wasn’t supposed to clean or enter my room…. If you redefine right and wrong, it’s okay to steal.
What exactly does an “IQ test” measure? I don’t think it is mental potential. Does it measure the ability to take tests? I don’t like the whole idea of IQ. Does it determine a person’s value? I am sure I took an IQ test while growing up, but they didn’t tell us what our scores were. I don’t want to know. What’s the point? Some people brag about their IQs. I don’t want to be proud or humiliated due to a number from a test. Who made up the test? What are their values? What are they trying to prove by their test? What is the point of it? I know that the Olympics (or any “world championship”) does not showcase the best in the world. It only showcases the best of the people who had the time, the opportunity, and the financial means to reach that level. I am just not impressed with these things.
Religious groups moving to Latin America…. Yes, we visited a Mennonite colony in Paraguay in 1984-1985 - Filadelfia. There was also a Mennonite colony in Bolivia, although I never went there. We bought “Mennonite cheese” that I assume came from there.
Horses and family size…. I prefer the old ways. I wish I had a horse and buggy. Rural life encourages a family focus and children are more apt to be welcome additions to the family. Urban life with “higher education” encourages joining the rat race, pursuing wealth, avoiding things (including children) that will slow people down or take time and money away from acquiring THINGS. Sad. :(
For anyone who is willing and able to step outside their cultural comfort zone, you might start with the Andean nations, such as Ecuador and Peru. Some parts of South America still have communities of the original people, to greater or lesser degrees. You may be surprised. All of these political elements discussed here are not there in your daily life.,
James Corbett has some recent pieces on Peter Thiel, at The Corbett Report. I am not sure if they are videos or articles, as I didn’t look at them due to a serious disagreement I have with James regarding Israel, but maybe I will now. I do think James is right about a lot of things, so I already don’t like Peter Thiel.
LOOK NO FURTHER THAN DECADES OF IMF AND NATO INTERFERENCE. SEE THE BOOK "CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN". WHEN THESE GOV HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH IMF LOANS IT NEVER STOPS, THEY ARE THEN OWNED, AND OR DISAPPEAR IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT IS WANTED, YET THEY FLEE THEIR OWN COUNTRIES AND SELL OUT AND CAN NEVER MAKE THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO CHANGE.
Nothing like a good dose of realism to boost one's feelings of discouragement.
It seems to me that is the main message that he wants to convey, for what purpose I can not surmise. Stay where you are in your Known Misery and don't expand your horizons. Although not all of what he claims can be objected to outright - for the places that he has experienced, mostly urban I would guess - I find it to be a narrow view. Now that the bad pieces have been cut out of the apple, is there anything sweet in it to enjoy? I have a list of at least a dozen things that enrich my life and daily experiences that I find unique to living among people of the Andes. I am grateful..
Exactly! "Stay where you are." seems to be the new mantra... My surmise is that there is a concerted effort being waged by vested interests who are hell bent on maintaining the separation of values structures... in an effort (perhaps) to influence the value structures of those not yet under their control... as the act of separation is in itself a means of control.. (think solitary confinement of prisoners)... It's very much what I was eluding to when I spoke of the exclusive focus on urban living in my complaint earlier regarding the Internet's expatriation sites... Just in case you think I may have gone too far out on the tree's limb, allow me to quote from my favorite liberal, Gore Vidal... "I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am a conspiracy analyst." :-D
That's kinda what I was getting at yesterday in our group discussion... I follow a number of expatriation sites. ALL of them center EXCLUSIVELY on relocation to urban areas... and the focus of ALL of them are on the financial considerations of living abroad with absolutely no consideration whatsoever on the cultural aspects or experiences that abound in a foreign land... and NONE of them contain resources that allows one access to rural location opportunities... It's as if the general consensus is that westerners, Americans specifically, are only interested in saving a buck in their living expenses... and to do that they are creating islands of 1st world conveniences in a 3rd world sea... it's somewhat discouraging... It's as if we're being told at every corner "The Only Flavor of Ice Cream is Vanilla"
So much to say... So many questions to ask... my genuine suspicions are that we're being imprisioned in a psychological box... regardless of location.
As the old saying goes... "Just because your paranoid doesn't mean that everyone isn't out to get you."
Btw... I think I can surmise, but I'll save that thought for another time.
UNFORTUNATELY TOO MANY "VOTED IN" HEADS OF STATE ARE ON THE TAKE AND THE LOANS NEVER REBUILT FOR PRODUCTION AND EXPANSION, THEN THEY ARE BACK NEEDING A FLIP OR REWRITE OF THEIR IMF LOANS., AND SO THE BAND MARCHES ON AND NOTHING CHANGES FOR THE BETTER.
I really appreciated this conversation. Lots of good thoughts and information. I have tended to agree with Fergus. I have plenty of issues with the U.S. government and make no bones about it, but I have seen Latin America (Bolivia, 1976-1986) firsthand and know some of the issues.
Bribes were expected. Since I was a child and others took care of the paperwork and I didn’t drive, etc., I didn’t experience it firsthand, but I heard about it. Paperwork could be held up for a long time. Money would keep it moving along.
The political unrest was serious enough a few times that we were warned to get ready to possibly need to be evacuated to the u s. We were told we would only be able to take one piece of luggage. We had normal (for there) households and would have basically had to leave with the clothes on our backs. I thought I would put all my stuff in my sleeping bag. I’d have been able to fit everything I owned in it and it would have been only one piece, but I wouldn’t have been able to carry it. ;)
I really agreed with what Fergus said about what will your children learn? What values, what influences…? I’m not a supporter of those things here in the us either, but at least I understand the language completely.
In Bolivia prices for gringos were automatically higher.
Going into a different culture and different language is not smooth sailing. Think how much antagonism there is, even between people from different states (New Hampshire and Massachusetts, for example) and multiply that by 1000 or so.
Very thought-provoking conversation. Thank you, gentlemen.
Constitutionally, the U. S. shouldn’t be sticking her nose into other countries’ business. I realize geopolitics is now much more complicated than it was in the 1700s, but I still don’t think the U. S. should be the monitor of the world, and certainly not the world’s biggest bully.
As some background, I grew up in Bolivia - 1976 - 1986. Although I was young and not knowledgeable about politics, U. S. dictates and involvement were problematic.
In 1998, we were at a church in Maine when a Cuban couple went there to speak. They had two young children, which the Cuban government would not allow them to bring with them for fear they would never return. The children were required to stay to make sure the parents went back. I remember a couple things the man said. Their neighbor had a cow, which she cared for and milked, but she was not allowed to sell or even give away the milk. To help them out, she had to sneak milk to them. The punishment would have been severe if she had been caught. I don’t remember exactly what, although he may have said. I DO remember he said it was the death penalty for catching a lobster and not turning it in to the government.
Add New Hampshire to your list of self-defense states. Amazingly, even wacky Vermont has friendly firearms laws, probably a hold-over from when Vermont (my home state) was much more conservative and had a pioneering spirit, which wasn’t really that long ago.
(I’m just adding to my comment as I listen.)
When we were in Bolivia, stealing was a big issue. We were told that they didn’t consider it wrong to steal if the thief needed the item more than the owner. I had things stolen - a nice winter coat that I forgot and left outside after dark when I was about 10, some practically new and very nice towels stolen from a clothesline inside a gated property, some jewelry stolen from by a maid who wasn’t supposed to clean or enter my room…. If you redefine right and wrong, it’s okay to steal.
What exactly does an “IQ test” measure? I don’t think it is mental potential. Does it measure the ability to take tests? I don’t like the whole idea of IQ. Does it determine a person’s value? I am sure I took an IQ test while growing up, but they didn’t tell us what our scores were. I don’t want to know. What’s the point? Some people brag about their IQs. I don’t want to be proud or humiliated due to a number from a test. Who made up the test? What are their values? What are they trying to prove by their test? What is the point of it? I know that the Olympics (or any “world championship”) does not showcase the best in the world. It only showcases the best of the people who had the time, the opportunity, and the financial means to reach that level. I am just not impressed with these things.
Religious groups moving to Latin America…. Yes, we visited a Mennonite colony in Paraguay in 1984-1985 - Filadelfia. There was also a Mennonite colony in Bolivia, although I never went there. We bought “Mennonite cheese” that I assume came from there.
Horses and family size…. I prefer the old ways. I wish I had a horse and buggy. Rural life encourages a family focus and children are more apt to be welcome additions to the family. Urban life with “higher education” encourages joining the rat race, pursuing wealth, avoiding things (including children) that will slow people down or take time and money away from acquiring THINGS. Sad. :(
A resident of New Zealand, Canada & Ireland. Talk about hitting the trifecta of the Reset!
For anyone who is willing and able to step outside their cultural comfort zone, you might start with the Andean nations, such as Ecuador and Peru. Some parts of South America still have communities of the original people, to greater or lesser degrees. You may be surprised. All of these political elements discussed here are not there in your daily life.,
Just a thought.
James Corbett has some recent pieces on Peter Thiel, at The Corbett Report. I am not sure if they are videos or articles, as I didn’t look at them due to a serious disagreement I have with James regarding Israel, but maybe I will now. I do think James is right about a lot of things, so I already don’t like Peter Thiel.
Latin America belongs to the CIA and the Jews running it.
LOOK NO FURTHER THAN DECADES OF IMF AND NATO INTERFERENCE. SEE THE BOOK "CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN". WHEN THESE GOV HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH IMF LOANS IT NEVER STOPS, THEY ARE THEN OWNED, AND OR DISAPPEAR IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT IS WANTED, YET THEY FLEE THEIR OWN COUNTRIES AND SELL OUT AND CAN NEVER MAKE THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO CHANGE.
i've interviewed perkins thrice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgg6wnGcfAQ
https://tntradiolive.podbean.com/e/john-perkins-on-the-hrvoje-moric-show-28-october-2022
https://geopoliticsandempire.com/2023/03/24/john-perkins-china-west-both-creating-death-economy