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Manana Forever: Mexico and the Mexicans ReviewThis book is the latest work in a pseudo-psychological/cultural genre popularized by Mexican writers who rely mostly on their imaginations and back their interpretations with little or no empirical data. These authors have taken great liberties in speculating that the violent Spanish conquest and subsequent 300-year colonial domination of Mexico left deep, seemingly never-healing wounds in the hearts and minds of Indians and mestizos. Supposedly a culture of victimization emerged among the citizenry, exemplified by the wearing of invisible personality masks to conceal pain, distress, and feelings of inferiority. Unhealthy and self-destructive attitudes and behavioral patterns purportedly became central to the Mexican character, a development that damaged Mexico's prospects for success.Castañeda continues the tradition of attributing endless negative value orientations to Mexicans as he gives credence to highly-suspect and controversial views that are rejected by most economists and other social scientists. His conclusions cannot be taken seriously because they (1) rest on the extremely shaky supposition that negative personality traits are found throughout Mexico and among all social and economic groups; (2) disregard the fact that traits attributed exclusively to Mexicans are actually universally found throughout the world, especially among peoples who live in economic contexts that manifest dependence, colonialism, and social marginalization; (3) explicitly or implicitly erroneously assume that the prosperity of other countries such as the United States must rest on a national characters imbued with wholly-positive cultural traits, and that, because of prevailing healthy values, the governments of these countries function efficiently and, as a matter of course, promote the common welfare; and (4) confuse cause and effect, assuming that negative economic and politically-related value orientations result in underdevelopment, when in reality it is underdevelopment that gives rise to negative traits.
It is regrettable that a political scientist who should know better has resorted to highly questionable cultural interpretations to explain complex problems that beset Mexico. The Mexican people, and readers in general, are not well served by this book.
Manana Forever: Mexico and the Mexicans OverviewWhy are Mexicans so successful in individual sports, but deficient in team play? Why do Mexicans dislike living in skyscrapers? Why do Mexicans love to see themselves as victims, but also love victims? And why, though the Mexican people traditionally avoid conflict, is there so much violence in a country where many leaders have died by assassination? In this shrewd and fascinating book, the renowned scholar and former foreign minister Jorge Castañeda sheds much light on the puzzling paradoxes of his native country. Here's a nation of 110 million that has an ambivalent and complicated relationship with the United States yet is host to more American expatriates than any country in the world. Its people tend to resent foreigners yet have made the nation a hugely popular tourist destination. Mexican individualism and individual ties to the land reflect a desire to conserve the past and slow the route to uncertain modernity. Castañeda examines the future possibilities for Mexico as it becomes more diverse in its regional identities, socially more homogenous, its character and culture the instruments of change rather than sources of stagnation, its political system more open and democratic. Mañana Forever? is a compelling portrait of a nation at a crossroads.
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