Marzo 28, 2005
Defeatist Attitude
When Jose Alfredo Castillo found the back of the net during Saturday’s match against Argentina and put Bolivia up 1-0, there was a bit of uneasiness that the joy wouldn’t last too long. Almost as expected, the Argentines scored two unanswered and ended up winning in La Paz 2-1.
This is the story of the Bolivian soccer team. If something seems too good to be true, then brace yourself for some disappointment. After “Picaro” Castillo scored in his return to the National Team, the thirty or so minutes left in the game would seem like an eternity, and it was just a matter of time before the hammer fell.
There was almost an expectation that we would lose. So many of my Bolivian friends here in Virginia refuse to watch any game anymore, “Why?” they ask, “we’re going to lose anyway.” It is almost a pervasive attitude that not only applies to sport, but to daily life. The fatalist defeatist attitude is very strong throughout Bolivia from my observation.
There seems to be a philosophy of thinking first of the limitations, rather than the possibilities. Growing up most of my life in the United States, that practice seems so foreign to me. The U.S. wants to be #1 in everything, yet Bolivia is #1 in nothing.
Maybe it goes back to the days of colonization where the indigenous peoples felt helpless to the fate laid upon them by the Spanish. It was probably easier with less disappointment to accept things the way they were. With the large part of the country either indigenous or mestizo, part of that thinking is evident in daily life. Experiences with the lack of opportunities, corrupt bureaucracy and a perpetual state of conflict also may add to this attitude.
To say it is a bit depressing is an understatement.
Bolivia needs some good news every once in awhile.
Posted by eduardo at Marzo 28, 2005 05:00 PM
Comments
If it makes you feel better, Bolivia is no longer #1 in corruption. ;-)
Posted by: Miguel Centellas at Marzo 29, 2005 01:01 AM
I think you just have to look at the record. When has a Bolivian team ever been successful? only once (1967?). We have only qualified for the world cup once (I think) the other two times we were invited. You name it, copa america, copa libertadores, copa mundial, olimpiadas, etc. We have never won. It is really depressing. The only successful Bolivian team that I know is the glorious Tauichi!
That was the only time I remember going out on the streets and yelling, Viva Bolivia Campeon!
Posted by: MB at Marzo 29, 2005 04:03 AM
c’mon!
Bolivia is number one as far as blockades and problems. Give us some credit. It may not be a #1 on the good side of things but we are for sure #1 on f#$%#ing up our own people.
A few years ago, if memory serves me right it was 2002, a bunch of airport workers in VA were detained and incarcerated because they were working with illegal documents ( no big news there).
There were people from Mexico, Salvador and Bolivia. The Mexican government interceded for their people; the Salvadorian representation did the same. The Bolivians sadly had to wait in jail for a few weeks because nobody in the consulate or the embassy wanted to help. Finally, the family of some of them went to the church and started working towards the liberation of the Bolivian group. I lost track of what happened after, but that shows you that is not that Bolivians don't see the future and the possibilities, is that the Bolivian government and the system is never there to help anybody.
Is force of habit I guess.
Posted by: fernando at Marzo 29, 2005 11:19 AM
To be fair, what can the embassies and consulates do in those cases? Having false documents is a federal offense (I believe), and no foreign government can change that fact. All the consulate can do is make sure that its citizens are given a fair shake. Also, I am sure that the staff for Bolivia is far less than Mexico and El Salvador, even though there are more Bolivians than Mexicans in the Wash DC metro area. Both the consulate and embassy are in Washington, while all of the Bolivians are in VA or MD.
Posted by: eduardo at Marzo 29, 2005 03:18 PM
With compatriots like that, who needs enemies, right?
Posted by: MB at Marzo 30, 2005 03:52 AM