May 20, 2010

Movies lied to me about Los Angeles

After spending a few days in the San Fernando Valley to attend a graduation, I'm struck by how unprepared for it I was, based on my cultural conditioning. Sure, I knew the statistics that Los Angeles has the largest concentration of Mexicans and illegal immigrants in the country, and that while some areas are nearly 100% this way, even the other areas (aside from really rich ones) are close to a tipping point, etc. But I didn't have any mental images or vivid experiences to this effect.

Here is a list of movies set in Los Angeles -- see how many of them from more recent years even touch on Mexican lifestyles, illegal immigrants, and so on. Maybe two or three, despite the astronomical rise in these populations in the wake of the 1986 amnesty. The resulting baby boom produced a generation of teenagers during the 2000s, and normally you'd expect a baby boom to command attention from the culture-makers. Look at how fascinated (or horrified) the media were during the Valley Girl's hey-day of the early 1980s when the 15-24 age group swelled to its largest share of the population in recent history.

And since the media are only giving their audiences what they're interested in, we infer that unlike the average news reader of the early 1980s who hungered for information about Valspeak -- whether to imitate it the better or to confirm their fears about how low the culture was sliding -- the news consumers of today find Mexican young people incredibly boring. This is not an effect of whites viewing a white vs. non-white group, since whites were and have been fascinated by the black culture of L.A. and other major cities, and this regardless of the black people's class -- upper-class families like those of The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were just as popular as the middle-class one in Family Matters and the lower-class ones of the gangsta scene in music and movies.

Africans are simply more culturally creative and dynamic than Central Americans. We can judge the success of each group by how widely their cultural products are adopted throughout the world. Even within Latin America, no one cares about ranchero music outside of Central America, while the more African-influenced music of the Caribbean Hispanic groups -- who are numerical underdogs -- thrives throughout the region. Outside of Latin America, I don't think anyone could identify a single genre of Central American music by name (mariachi perhaps) -- all those Spanish names they'd rattle off in hopes of getting it right would actually be Caribbean, or maybe Brazilian (another country with substantial African influence). "Cross-over" Hispanic musicians also come nearly exclusively from Caribbean groups or those from other places of heavy African influence (like Shakira's area in Colombia).

African-area Hispanics are also more exciting to interact with for the same reasons. Both sexes take more of an interest in their appearance, and it's an appearance worth taking an interest in. The girls have more curvaceous bodies and asses that are as armamental as they are ornamental -- in case she needs to knock that other bitch out of her way on the dance floor. And the guys have less body fat and more muscle mass. The typical Central American you see in Los Angeles (or I presume elsewhere) has a much more doughy build and the females have no hips, which is not unusual for Amerindian groups. Turning again to the judgment of the world's peoples, how often do you see Africans vs. Amerindians as models or in advertisements generally?

Really the only area of culture that Central Americans dominate in is junk food like tacos, bean & rice burritos, and other carboholic garbage. These mostly meatless meals reflect the lack of large game animals in the New World after the present-day Amerindians arrived and wiped them all out. In Africa, big game animals co-evolved with humans, becoming ever better at evading our (ever better) methods of attack and escape, thus avoiding extinction. Even in Europe where big animals were not hunted but raised as livestock, they still contributed to the diet (they did too for African pastoralists). So where Latin American culture is mostly a fusion of European and African influences, the food befits a human being and is full of animal flesh, while the more indigenous cuisines are hunger-causing heaps of grains, pulses, and vegetables. During the anti-fat, anti-animal products scare of the past 30 years, this junk has become more widely tolerated and Mexican food has exploded in popularity as a result. But deep down everyone knows that, however guilty they (wrongly) feel about it, chewing over Brazilian churrasco is more satisfying than shoveling Mexican grains down your throat.

Getting back to my main point about cultural depictions of Los Angeles, most of those image-makers come like I do from the east coast where Central American influence is tiny and African influence is huge. When Jewish directors who grew up in New York go out to film in L.A., they bring with them their expectations about who the non-white ethnic groups are. This renders Central Americans invisible in their movies, and thus invisible to the average American movie-goer, some of whom will go on to direct more movies set in L.A. that ignore Central American influences. Really the only way to break out of this is to just go there and see real life for yourself. It's no longer the mecca for energetic and sanguine white teenagers that you see in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (an accurate portrayal back in 1982), but increasingly a cultural no-go zone of embittered and demoralized Mexicans.

This lack of energy and palpable sense of resentment is something you have to go there to feel for yourself. All tribes say that their group is superior to the many out-groups, and in most cases they appear to believe it or at least behave as if they believed it. It fosters a certain cockiness, as when the young females of Tehrangeles unabashedly talk about how don't worry if you like us, i mean c'mon everyone knows persian girls are hotter. i mean i'm not trying to sound stuck up, but i'm not gonna lie, that's just how it is. Going back to Brazilian restaurants, their almost flirtatious enthusiasm is hard to miss -- they're confident that their food is going to make you orgasm.

But Mexicans serving you their culture (at least in the US) have a barely concealed look of resentment on their face, like it's curling their toes to have to interact with you. Again this is not an effect of being a Non-Asian Minority since any black-owned restaurant has the typical feel of a group that believes it's better than the others. There's that sense of pride and the confidence that they're going to knock your white-boy socks off. Just look for genuine, not forced, smiles. It must put a real chip on a Mexican's shoulder to know that non-Central Americans only eat their food when they want some quick junk rather than a fulfilling and civilized meal, and to always get asked whether they like the music of Shakira or Jennifer Lopez or some other superstar from a non-Amerindian region. That's the real sting -- to be beaten out by blacks. That's why they look at you like you're a traitor -- "Hey, you're white, you're supposed to be on our side, not the Africans'."

This expanding smoggy cloud of bitterness and dejection threatens to suffocate our culture's nervous system, but because it's being spread by high-fertility Mexican immigrants rather than a handful of white dorks who listen to Marilyn Manson, we cannot bring ourselves to talk about it -- or to see it -- at all.

13 comments:

  1. There's something else, what one might call a "fear factor." Many if not most white Americans are a bit intimidated by blacks, whether they'll admit it or not, and out of this low-grade fear comes a sort of fascination with black culture and lifestyles. In contrast, white Americans aren't much frightened by Hispanics, at least the non-African descended ones. In the absence of fear there's also an absence of any interest in their culture.

    I'll have to disagree on your characterization of Mexican food. It can be carb-heavy, but that's not invariably the case.


    Peter

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  2. 100% agreed. Ive noted many of these notions (media misrepresentation of demographic reality espeically in regards to LA, NY, Miami, Southwest) many times. The waiters surliness also. That "first look" generally reveals all in regards to implicit attitude.

    I quit going to Mexican resturaunts about 10 years back because I didn't want to help financially enable the transformation of America quicker than it was already happening.

    If California's course remains unchanged, there will be a tipping point in which many whites get uncomfortable and will leave. That may be 15 years or more away, but it will eventually happen.

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  3. I've been traveling to Mexico since I was 12. My current girlfriend is Mexican. I stay with her in Tijuana a few days a week (Tijuana is supposedly the WORST Mexican city. I like it.)

    Food:

    They eat so much meat. Ever tried Menudo? It's cow stomach stew. They eat that shit by the gallon. Mexico is the single biggest importer of cow stomach in the world. Almost every ounce of stomach coming out of U.S. and Canadian beef carcasses goes to Mexico. They eat pigs feet and tripe and cabeza (brains) and tons of adobada and asada. I would say Mexicans eat as much meat as any anglo-American if not more.

    This is all changing of course because even in Mexico the fat is bad and cholesterol is poison mantra has gained a foot hold. But the traditional Mexican diet, while perhaps not as rich in beef as Brazilian food because there is less green pasture, is still very proteinesque.

    If you perceive Mexicans in LA to be rude or standoffish remember that the races are not as integrated as they are in NY. In NY it is in vogue to intermingle and interbreed. And most of those Africans that everyone thinks are so beautiful are racial mixes. No surprise there. All data indicates that heterozygous humans are across the board more attractive, even to babies.

    Latinas:

    The women in Mexico do tend to be short but they are lovely. I have fallen in love upon eye contact more than once. Many are fat and I suspect some endorcine disrupting agents in the diets of people there. Overall the Mayan stock was stunted I believe because of over-reliance on corn as a staple. But there is a lot of heterozygosity there and when the Spaniards and Indians mix it does produce a truly beautiful human.

    Music:

    I don't understand your comment about the African influence being more 'creative'. Have you even ever been to Mexico? There is a rich culture there.

    Remember that Mexico and Central America have been traditionally among the most poverty stricken nations too. Haiti has a great African influence and what music do you know of that comes from that country?

    Columbia, and later, Mexico, have brought the art of drug smuggling and black market mafias to a level that no Italian has ever even dreamed. Estimates are that 50% of Mexico's economy is drug related. A whole culture exists there around the narcos. They control the entire country. There is more wealth in Mexico than in any other Latin country except for Brazil with all it's raw material wealth. The richest person in the world? Carlo Slim Helu. A Mexican. Richer than Bill Gates. So how are you judging success again?

    I think this might be a case of the observer effect. According to your personal definition of a successful country. You have a personal bias for African influences. I like them myself. Love Capoeira and Salsa and African women all day long.

    And the Natives have been severely suppressed. Often they were just butchered, whereas the blacks were brought later as slaves. The Native stock of central/south America was dessimated pretty badly, like the Indians of North America were.

    But don't underestimate the strength of Native stock. If you ever see some army troopers walking down the streets in a Mexican city you will know they are not to be trifled with. And at the 3rd street promenade in Santa Monica you can see some breakdancing crews that are largely Mexican or central American and they are as good as any black crew. These are a strong people. Their genes are good.

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  4. "In contrast, white Americans aren't much frightened by Hispanics, at least the non-African descended ones."

    Based on what I read in the crime logs in the paper, people ought to be frightened of Hispanics.

    "I quit going to Mexican resturaunts about 10 years back because I didn't want to help financially enable the transformation of America quicker than it was already happening."

    You need to quit going to any type of restaurant to stop enabling Hispanics; they're in the kitchen of every type of cuisine, and sometimes up front, too.

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  5. "They eat so much meat... I would say Mexicans eat as much meat as any anglo-American if not more."

    That sounds about right, but most Mexican restaurants in America are very carb heavy. Usually the tacos and burritos are stuffed with chicken, pork or beef, but Cavemen dieters don't enjoy the large amount of carbs, obviously.

    "The women in Mexico do tend to be short but they are lovely."

    Yup.

    "I don't understand your comment about the African influence being more 'creative'. Have you even ever been to Mexico? There is a rich culture there."

    Don't get me wrong. I'm sure there is plenty of diversity and creativity within Mexican musical culture, but its diversity seems pretty unremarkable to those outside of it. Americans might enjoy Mexican guitars for ambiance in a movie or restaurant, but on the whole blacks have had a greater cultural impact than Mestizos have. Even salsa is black.

    "Haiti has a great African influence and what music do you know of that comes from that country?"

    What is Haitian music? But the failure of Haiti to make a splash is insignificant compared to the music American, Brazilian, Jamaican blacks have produced. On the whole, blacks have created more popular music. (I myself don't enjoy black music, I'm almost strictly Classical in my tastes. However, it's undeniable that blacks have made important contributions to music, and have dominated popular music or helped develop styles whites would later utilize, like rock.)

    "Columbia, and later, Mexico, have brought the art of drug smuggling and black market mafias to a level that no Italian has ever even dreamed. Estimates are that 50% of Mexico's economy is drug related. A whole culture exists there around the narcos. They control the entire country. There is more wealth in Mexico than in any other Latin country except for Brazil with all it's raw material wealth."

    This is all a good thing? Even if you believe that drug use is acceptable, the way the money is used by drug lords is anything but.

    "The richest person in the world? Carlo Slim Helu. A Mexican. Richer than Bill Gates. So how are you judging success again?"

    The richest man in the world is in a poor country where half of their economy depends on drugs...

    "These are a strong people. Their genes are good."

    Mexican culture is not, on the whole, a bad thing. There are many aspects of Mexican culture which I admire and enjoy. The problem isn't with their culture, they're free to have it, but with how compatible it is with North American culture. Even though blacks in America have had an... uneven effect, it is undeniable that they've made many great contributions, most notably in popular culture. It's more ambiguous as to what important contributions Meixcan-Americans have made. Within itself, Mexican culture may be vibrant and enjoyable, but so far it hasn't really intermingled effectively with the greater American culture. In general, it looks as if Mexicans don't really assimilate into American culture, so much as being in cultural bubbles.

    In short, Mexican culture is a fine thing on its own terms, but it hasn't integrated itself with American culture the way black culture has.

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  6. "This is all a good thing? Even if you believe that drug use is acceptable, the way the money is used by drug lords is anything but."

    "The richest man in the world is in a poor country where half of their economy depends on drugs."

    I could care less if other people want to use drugs. So I suppose I find it acceptable. And if you think the way drug lords use money is bad just take a look at the way the U.S. government uses money.

    I brought up this example because we were discussing a matter of success. I would say that Mexican cartels are the epitome of tribalistic, capitalistic success. They are highly organized, arguably more so than any other mafia in history, on a bigger scale. Whether I like what they do or not is irrelevant. They are successful.

    (Furthermore, they would not even exist were it not for U.S. drug policy driving up the black market prices of cocaine and marijuana.)

    "In short, Mexican culture is a fine thing on its own terms, but it hasn't integrated itself with American culture the way black culture has."

    Besides Southern California and parts of the Southwest, blacks have had a far greater presence in history in the U.S. because we used them as slaves and bred with them. This could help explain why black music has managed to become such a part of white American culture.

    But again, the natives were decimated while the blacks were brought in to work on the land that was stolen from the locals. So black culture has been more integrated in many parts of Latin America from the get go.

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  7. Didn't see an email address handy, so posting here -- given your music and culture posts, wanted to throw this your way:

    http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/03/scatterbrain-here-comes-trouble/

    "Did something cultural make metallers lighten up en masse?"

    All part of the grim, self-consciously ironic No Fun/No Smile mentality.

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  8. Africans are pretty adept at eating junk carbs. Crappy dumplings, rice and peas, plantain, fufu. All utterly disgusting. Hardly anything to get bragging rights over various cornbreads.

    I also think that Native Americans tended to eat fucktons of deer and bison when they could (i.e. not the peak agricultural pops of Central America or to a lesser extent the rainforest populations ). Native Americans invented barbecue after all, not Africans or Europeans. There were still plenty of megafauna for them to eat and Africans really don't eat that many more of their species that survived the Ice Ages(eat hippos? lions? giraffes? elephants? rhinos? ridiculous). African pastoralists are a very poor reference for crappy junk starch munching fatty West Africans. African restaurants are orders of magnitude less popular round the world and are markedly less popular than almost any other cuisine (in Europe, where African and West Indian immigrants are very common, there is almost no interest in their food). Brazilian and Argentinian cuisine is really just a cheap massive grazing phenomenon. Nothing to do with Africans.

    I think the greater presence of West Africans in various media is a phenomenon due to slavery guilt and the fact that there have long been many of them in the US. And also, to the contrary, North Americans, at least, tended to see Native Americans as intimidating and good at fighting, in contrast to the cheerful, childish and docile "nigger". Certainly, fashion magazines show Africans like exotic animals.

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  9. Interesting post. But agnostic aren't you East Indian or East Asian?

    How does that affect how you perceive and are perceived by Mex-Americans in LA?

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  10. But Mexicans serving you their culture (at least in the US) have a barely concealed look of resentment on their face, like it's curling their toes to have to interact with you.

    "At least in the US" is a very important distinction.

    Some of the rudest and most thoughtless interactions I have are with Mexican-American kids working service sector jobs in my hood. I've brought this up with my parents. Why the surly and inattentive attitude? I'm painting with a broad brush, admittedly, but it's frequent enough to be noteworthy.

    Conversely, my dealings with the immigrant Mexicans in similar positions is nearly always a pleasant experience. The Mexican (untainted by the American influence) temperament is gentle, courteous, and well-mannered, and above all, friendly. It does not ooze of resentment or indifference.

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  11. If they kept better statistics, Central American countries would definitely rank among the top 10 in obesity. You see very few fit people like you do in the states, but you see even more morbidly obese people.

    It's not an endocrine problem, it's all the cheese and tortillas.

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  12. "It's not an endocrine problem, it's all the cheese and tortillas."

    Not true. Corn tortillas & cheese are hardly adding to obesity. It's the American food and drinks that do that. The obesity epidemic is a recent thing corn & cheese are not.

    Also carb heavy diets aren't necessarily a bad thing. A lot of asian countries have rice at every meal and they were fine until the introduction of processed foods from North America.

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  13. Hello Agnostic, you have a nice blog here. However, I couldn't make sense of this sentence:

    "So where Latin American culture is mostly a fusion of European and African influences, the food befits a human being and is full of animal flesh, while the more indigenous cuisines are hunger-causing heaps of grains, pulses, and vegetables."

    Define "befits" in this context. Befitting to whom?

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