USEFUL STEREOTYPES

WASP: "White" Anglo-Saxon Protestant   

BALC:  "Brown" American Latino Catholic  Latin Americans  (partly applies to born-in-U.S.A.  Chicanos)

IN GENERAL:  WASP culture derived from temperate and arctic zone.  Struggle against winter and fleeting daylight hours during winter.  "Early to bed, Early to rise."

Latin American culture derives from tropics.  Nature provides easy food and renewable shelter.  Avoid heat, day/night hours about equal, enjoy cool evenings and easily stay up all night.

Work Ethic- "Live To Work":  Constant search for efficiency to get "free time" to work on other things.  "Early bird catches worm."  Disapproves of entertainment and dancing.  Values experience as in the words "How long you been farming?" on a picture of two babies regarding each other suspiciously.  White collar criminals forgiven as overly ambitious for "bending rules" to achieve financial success. 

"Work to Live" (seen by WASPs as Lazy and hedonistic), Siestas to avoid heat, Mañana mentality of procrastination (institutionalized inefficiency).  BALCs partake of what WASPs will eventually feel they missed a lot of "quality time" with family and friends.  Social ambition, to look good to family.

OUTLOOK- OPTIMISTIC: Bank and Save Money, and "put up food, put food by", faith in a better tomorrow.  In old age, often regrets not "stopping to smell the roses."  When you die, you go "out like a light" and get the final answer about the after death Afterlife and God.  Value political activism and membership in groups

FATALISTIC and Deterministic:  Anarchic, political apathy.  Flaunt danger, drive on wrong side of road around curves, etc.  Born into one's position, Spendthrift, hand to mouth.  Not concerned about future.  Mexico's famous fascination with Death.  Spanish verb "to be, temporarily" used in relation to dead:  "Está muerto." But not for long?  ¿Why not "Es muerto."?

ROOT Culture of Language: English language ("for talking to dogs") influenced by from Germanic and Sailors' island cultures.

Spanish language ("for talking to God") used by Catholics influenced by the Moors (Islamic) and Romance/Mediterranean cultures.

Personal Presentation-  Practical in fashion (often dowdy) serviceable clothes, sensible shoes, comfortable old car.  Can't tell who's really rich; might be a Latino.

Decorative (Superficial ostentation), "New car and clothes while children go hungry in a house about to fall down."  Everybody tries to look rich in polyester clothes.

Legal System- English Legal System "Innocent and free, till proven guilty."  Overly litigious, may sue for dangers perceived, erodes personal freedoms (i.e. no high dives in public pools, etc.).  Try to create Equality in a Meritocracy, therefore subject to bouts of self-righteous indignation when confronted with social realities.

Spanish Legal System "Guilty and jailed, until innocence proven."  Too much freedom (corruption and nepotism).  Not litigious, even the sidewalks unsafe.  Everyone has personal responsibility to keep out of danger.  "Let the barefoot watch where they walk."  Ruling class racists, practicing Social Darwinism, even though they don't know what that means.

Philosophical Orientation- Traditionally arrives at "truth" through heated debate and humorous wit.  Skeptical "Show me" attitude.  When doesn't know, will admit it and help look for information. 

Authoritarian and Oral Traditions (The Pope and Folk Medicine) prevail.  Wants to save face and be liked, "Caer bien", reluctant to admit "I don't know" and may utter inanities in mistaken attempt to look good.  (give wrong directions on street).  

Social Connectivity- Idolizes the "Lone Ranger" Individuality (although a false Icon that impedes personal success):  Values personal competency and innovation, tends to respect and trust idiosyncrasy.  May belong to a hobby group, HAM radio, Scouts, etc.

Conformist, follows conventions of local culture or socio-economic strata:  Actively maintains kinship and social networks.  Distrusts idiosyncrasy and individuality.  Usually undereducated in value systems that  measure excellence in sciences and arts. 

Social Consciousness:  Elitism.  Values active membership in civic organizations, social consciousness.  Behavior confusingly polite (watch driving habits).  Over-react when things seem crooked, shoddy, "communist", especially when sexually seamy (Pres. Clinton), yet excuse outright lies and deadly subterfuge (CIA covert operations, Pres. Bush and Iraq war, etc.).  "Classy" popular film and books often romanticizes England and/or "upper crust" Eastern US, especially University or literary society.  Any remotely "English" accent, Australian or low-class cockney, may be used to advertise luxury items.

Anarchic:  Politically apathetic except for Civil Disobedience to demonstrate against perceived victimization by "Anglos."  Respect efforts to become the "Chingón" who gets ahead by whatever means (watch driving habits), stop signs mere "hints" and no Driver's Education to determine Right Of Way (English boating, whomever to the right has Right of Way)  Many communities harbor successful families of Narco-traficantes, the number two source on National Income (after petroleum).  Popular music and film full of narco-stories of violence, murder, rape, and sexual situations. 

Interpersonal Style- English influenced houses have "widow's watches" on roof, evidence of when fishermen husbands often didn't return from sea.  This gloomy, rainy, WASPs culture favors emotional distance and to suffer in silence with a "stiff upper lip".  They hide emotions and enjoy dry intellectual humor.  Control freaks on self-control who like to get a rise out of others.  Enjoy excited intellectual arguing with humor (British Parliament). Victorian culture almost eliminates the sensual and sexual, except on Halloween.

Histrionic, hot-blooded, passionate.  Blatant cultural sexism where men feel forced to be seductive, toward the "unmarried young presentable girls" as asked for in employment ads (recently outlawed in Brazil).  Female role models consist of the Virgin of Guadelupe or the Llorona-Chingada-Malinche, the violated woman.  People dwell on whether they're really their parent's offspring, or child of another man (other than father figure).  Prefer not to argue, often say what's expected to "caer bien", but may suddenly anger and threaten. High value on sensual- cheek kiss and hug greetings among acquaintances.

Self-Help:  Intellectual:  Distrust emotions and belief (curanderos and faith-healers, placebo, blind faith, icons and talismans).  Faith in science and empirical knowledge, apt to use written sources over word-of-mouth.  The age-conscious "baby-boomers", in desperation, finances a resurgence in the use of alternative medicine, chiropractors, acupuncture, and astronomically expensive Mexican spas where they receive vegetarian meals, yoga, and anti-cancer treatments prohibited in the USA.  Fitness conscious, fad diets and exercise machines in the privacy of home.

Superstitious:  Distrust Intellectuals:  Dismiss knowledge as simple opinion.  Hard to convince rationally.  Use curanderos and faith healers, spells, religious Icons, talismans, oral legends and myths, respect advice from oral sources such as "Old Wives' tales".  Cheap socialized medicine encourages over-reliance on Doctors.  Lack of control on prescription drugs leads to abuse of antibiotics and more virulent strains of common bacterial diseases.  Overweight women would rather rely on cosmetic surgery and liposuction instead of "diet and exercise".

Multiple Families:  "Serial multiple families" through divorce then remarriage.  Illegitimate births usually intentional, and births not fathered by husband kept secret by wife.

Lots of fathers with concurrent, secret multiple families.  Lots of inter-family adoptions, illegitimate births, or births not fathered by father.  This creates the raw material of most Telenovela (soap opera) plots.

Religion- Secular humanism, Protestant reformation and The Enlightenment:  Atonement and redemption through baptism and works.  Each individual has personal relationship with God, purify yourself.  WASPs avoid legislation against personal choice.  Holier than thou competitiveness.

Catholic authoritarianism and Guilt(?):  Institutionalized Hypocrisy-sin and confess, start over.  No divorce, no birth control and abortion illegal (causes avoidable deaths each year).  Traditional Old World respect for married women and older people.

Education and Literacy:  Value Literacy, at least for Bible Study.  Secular Humanism allows WASPs produce most of world's bestsellers through internationalized book industry, although they may have little literary value.  Respect various Library systems, and homes often have a "library" to display their highly-valued books on shelves, although many unread.  US University system well funded and respected.  British indulge in highbrow risqué wordplay; "You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think."  Free press, but people tend to read only what supports their ideology.

Catholic Mass in Latin, illiteracy promoted to aid control.  Catholic education tends to censor rather than balance.  Recently, Latin American authors won the most high-art Literary awards internationally.  Educational systems of Mexico and Brazil often occupy the bottom in global ranking.  Most word play sexual; according to A. Jimenez, chronicler of Mexican graffiti, all vegetables connote something. Mexicans cover schoolbooks with paper covers.  Few homes display books.  Semi-literate burn objectionable library books.  Newspapers controlled by government, CIA, or by killing journalists.

"Alternate" Sexuality:  The "Religious right" tends toward homophobia.  Little knowledge or recognition of the rainbow of human sexuality.  In spite of WASP fertility problems, they ignore the dire changes wrought by estrogen-mimicking chemical pollution in their overly industrial environments; rising incidence of the "sexually indistinct" and hermaphrodites, while sperm counts in some European countries measured a drop of 25 % in one generation, continuation of which would negatively impact WASP population growth.

Although outspokenly homophobic in social situations, individual BALCs accept homosexuals and transvestites in villages and as entertainment.  Shortage of available women (Traditional Catholicism)  so men of many "Mediterranean cultures" tend to view only the "penetrated" as homosexual; which explains the monopoly of male transvestites who work nights as prostitutes on Mexico's interstate Highway system.

SPOUSES  Marriageable women selected as life partner (at least to raise a brood), love optional in "good choices".  Promiscuity hidden (often excused as office romances of "true love" or chemistry).  Both spouses "should" share housework and income generation, violence against wife hidden and guilt-ridden, often related to alcohol abuse or family pattern. 

Men distrust and devalue Women: "Give them neither all your love nor all your money", objectified and used for sex.  Men encouraged to be "detail oriented" and deliver tokens of affection.  Men avoid deep emotion as sign of vulnerability, regard women as property.  Traditional separation of duties by sex (housework).  Sexual violence to wife an option, as is emotional or physical abuse.

ALCOHOL- Only social drinking respected, alcoholism increasingly seen as a disease and danger to society and family.  Enforce designated drivers with legal threats to bar owners.

Unrecognized genetic predilection to alcoholism (American Indian bloodlines) but perhaps Mexican 1st Lady, Pres. Fox's wife, will change this.  Among Macho men, peer pressure to over-drink.

HEDONISM- Feels guilty about enjoying life and negatively judges those that do.  WASPs may "go wild" on vacation far from home.  English consider spanking "kinky".  WASPs like suntanned skin, from Tanning Salons or nude-sunbathing in hot springs, riversides, nude beaches to get a Mexican-like tan.

Naturally enjoys life and seeks pleasurable company, and may skip work to prove it.  Drinks too much alcohol, and males becomes "Latin Lover" Macho, potential date-rapist.  Like to think all Gringas and European women are "easy" so women traveling alone at risk.  Latinos do not partake in social nudity, don't like to darken skin. 

WOMEN- Men (and women) brainwashed by Playboy magazine/mass-media into thinking skinny white girls with "up top" exaggerations show feminine beauty.  Scientific research hints that across cultures, a waist to hip ration of around .8 strongly attracts men, probably an instinct to ease childbirth.  Marriage seen as a way to advance socially (the Horatio Alger myth).  "Feminism Light" and secular humanism encourages "Going Dutch" (sharing of expenses) and woman bears responsibility, instead of children, for assuring protection against unwanted pregnancy and diseases.

Incredible number of Mexican women named "Maria" but go by second name.  Mexicans of both sexes may subconsciously hate Mother:  Dilemma of Two Feminine Ideals, Dichotomy between Virgin of Guadelupe and La Malinche/La Llorona/La Chingada Madre:  Hijos de la Chingada Madre, Vale Madre, Madrazo, bien padre, etc.  Women trapped between Sainthood or Chingada (raped and violated), NOT whores (a professional who expects pay).  Catholic girls must say no to avoid guilt of an accessory to sin, so men rationalize "they want it" and take advantage.

CORRUPTION- Hidden institutionalized Global corruption, mostly limited to upper socio-economic groups and corporations.  Revolving door of "employees" and personnel between heads of corporations, Security Exchange Commission, CIA, and Republican party Right-wing warmongers in government.  Greed and global consumerism induce fear in American population (Communists or Terrorists) and then masquerades spreading  "Freedom and Capitalism" (global economic slavery with little populist participation in profit).  Examine NAFTA for local details about unethical (and illegal within US) treatment of industrial workers and unregulated dispersion of environmental contaminants.

Institutionalized National corruption on all levels down to neighborhood and family.  Overt "cheating" on spouses accepted socially, mordida (bribe policemen), collusion between police, kidnappers, criminals, federal police, military, narco-traficantes, government officials, etc.  Because of bureaucratic inefficiency, paperwork takes a long time to process and officials use this situation of client frustration as an opportunity to take bribes to "hurry things along" even though they most likely have no power nor authority to do so.  But sometimes, they know someone who really does have the power, or can fake the documents. 

PARTIES:  Music too loud to converse (Great stereo!)  Birthday ritual of threatened humiliation, rarely performed (spanking once for each year).  WASPs have little sensual body movement in their culture, only the kinesthetically gifted easily learn tropical dance.   WASPS don't dance, unless drunk and you see rhythm in a spastic Rock 'n Roll stomp.  Young people who act reserved at home, "go wild" on Spring Break abroad and stay drunk, dance sensual, and immodestly flash erogenous body parts for photographers while yelling "Viva Mexico!".  Male bonding said to occur when men watch televised sports and drink beer.  Women not encouraged to attend.

Parties with social games (Birthday rituals of personal humiliation, "la mordida").  BALCs more likely to sing along with any performer, whole audiences sing along at concerts.  Love to dance at parties, In Mexico, Danzón legitimizes tropical rhythm into classical ballroom with Jarochos (Veracruz) sensual Afro-Cuban movements.  Influences from Salsa to the Incas (Bolivian) create
Lambada, the competitive ballroom dance where thighs grip thighs.  Many Latin Americans cook outdoors to relieve the heat inside, and backyard social events with friends and family common, especially related to televised sports.  Adults separate by gender to socialize.

Transportation- Car Culture:  Must drive to work and shopping plazas "efficiently and conveniently located in one place."  Social life revolves around civic and church functions.  Systems of mass transit almost nonexistent due to Consumerism, coupled with the "America's love affair with the car as a personal statement of style and freedom."  Success entitles one to a place in the country.  In Competitive Consumerism, you must get the maximum value for the least amount of money and the automobile often serves as evidence.  WASPS seem to hold onto cars longer, and BALCs think WASPs maintain their cars well.

Pedestrian Culture:  Residential areas dotted with stores within walking distance of homes.  Informal social life with friends, neighbors, often till 3 AM on weeknights.  Street vendors with mobile kitchen trailers serve meat tacos till the "wee small hours" of madrugada in many neighborhoods (moonlighters).  Ubiquitous Bus systems, frequent and well patronized, long and short distances.  Unofficial low cost mass-transit in old Vans. Chilangos will drive across town to save a few pesos, playing Competitive Consumerism.  Latin Americans change cars more often, get charged higher interest rates.  Like to buy used cars from WASPs

Preferred Architecture-  Wood and shingle.  Value large, open spaces inside, and huge picture windows with dramatic views of nature.  Extraordinary attention to thermal insulation and air flow to avoid moisture build-up and resultant molds, mildew, and wood "dry rot."  Many homeowners collect antiques.

Cement and tar.  Seem to like confined intimate spaces, low ceilings, small windows that admit little sunlight.  Build upwards, and leave upper floor unfinished (tax advantage?).  In humid tropics, show extraordinary tolerance for mildew.  Frequently, Old World furniture and wall decorations consist of Catholic kitsch.

Multicultural Style-  "Crazy Gringos" usually Yankees, show tolerance and acceptance for diverse social groups in the community, part of original National and Constitutional values of first immigrants who fled religious authority and repression in Europe.  (Protestant = ANTI-Catholic.  President Kennedy's election officially ended this stereotype).  WASPs attend local ethnic festivals with adventurous curiosity.  In big cities, many regularly eat ethnic foods.  (Probably due to the boring blandness of English cuisine)  Proudly wear clothing bought in Latin America from "tipico" ethnic cultures, i.e.  Mayan or Mexican peasant wear with exquisite fabrics, woven and embroidered, and consider it valuable Folk art.

Malinchismo, "preference for things Foreign" probably betrays low self-esteem.  Don't attend many ethnic fairs.  Tend to feel embarrassed about their own rich tapestry of ethnicity, despised as "tipico", and don't wear peasant dresses (unless actually Indian salespeople in Tourist areas).  Mexican diet has changed over the past thirty years, from super-healthy "unlimited fruits and vegetables with exercise" (Mayo clinic's new food pyramid) and beans with corn and rice, to the corporate world's promotion of meat and sugar (gaseous soft drinks for breakfast!) and avoidance of walking.  As a result, Mexicans now suffers more obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and probably many other health problems.

Mating Ritual-  May start to date in late teens, sometimes given a car and much freedom.  Birth control encouraged to get WASP kids to wait until after an education, or at least until after "sowing wild oats and playing the field" before they marry in their late twenties.  They tend to plan each pregnancy with care.  Population of WASPs decreasing as an intentional result (part of a deliberate social consciousness about global over population).

Quinceñeras "coming out" party to declare a fifteen year old girl's readiness to marry.  Children precocious about sex (a more sensual culture) and in US, without traditional chaperone system, leads to child-pregnancy and child-motherhood.  Child marriages accepted- their parents often married as children.  Catholics don't ascribe to birth control; their percent of US population increases rapidly due to lower infant mortality and immigration. 

Wives:  Life partner, now demands equality and feels belittled by anything that might be interpreted as servitude, except working outside the home.

Hispanic wives may indulge in the traditional roles of serving husbands first, as a gesture of love, as long as no Gringa sees it, to avoid long angry lectures about pop feminism. 

Stewardship of Nature- English love animals in the house, and affectionately count individual wild geese each year for fun.  WASP culture respectfully plans and fights for order and survival each winter.  Many dog houses have heat and running water.  Tendency to exaggerated order (outlines of tools on pegboard).  Gloomy rainy climate creates more appreciation of nature's beauty, exodus to the "Sun Belt." Donate money to "Save Nature" organizations that kill trees and contaminate with their tons of non-productive junk mailings and photo calendars.  Chain themselves to trees to make a point.

Nature provides and disposes, tendency towards disorder and litter.  Little curiosity or discreet (or "correct") labeling of species.  Little affection "wasted" on animals, with few pets in the house unless needed to kill vermin.  Poverty creates the view that nature exists as a resource, natives become experts at non-sustainable depletion of native flora and fauna.  Hispanics exist as part of nature and hold nothing natural sacred, not even the two Monarch Butterfly sites in the Mexican pine forests, currently and criminally lumbered without impediment. 

FAMILY  The once-common nuclear family of Parents and Kids in one house who visit the grandparents shatters under the influence of mobility that distances grandparents, and a divorce rate of nearly 50% for parents of school-age children.  Single parenthood and "Latch-key kids" become common.  People in the US have less equity than in the past, more rent apartments and fear unemployment.  Contact with parents averages three times a year.

The Hispanic Old World culture encourages the extended family to live under one roof.   Recent immigrants, illegal or not, may pool income as a family and earn eighty thousand or more for the household in one year.  As they acculturate within the US, they suffer the same family fragmentation.  Contact with parents averages three times a week, if in another country, and daily (or more) if nearby.

GAMBLING:  Viewed as immoral.  Would rather sell something, cookies, lemonade, magazines, etc. to raise money..

Catholics hold many raffles to support schools, raise money, etc.  Want to go to Las Vegas, or the nearest Indian Casino.

VULGARITY and OBSCENITY:  All nudity considered obscene.  WASPs insult people by calling them animals- children of dogs, fornicators, etc.  Movies rely on scatological humor, perceived as safe for children, as is extreme violence.  Sex always seen as vulgar, and children taught to feel shame about erogenous zones.  Some adult nudity OK to tan, but not to titillate the prudish married couples, though Consumerism now encourages younger WASP women to titillate just like blacks and Hispanics. 

Depictions of "arty" female nudity accepted, even in newspapers.  Varies greatly, country by country.  Guatemalans incredibly reserved and well-behaved, while Mexicans liberally decorate speech with "cuckold" and insults to women; call people children of raped women, worthless becomes "worth a mother", sock on the jaw = Madrazo", while a Chingón or Macho male "violator" admirable.  Cool means "bien padre."  Old World Traditional people with class pretensions tend to age and swell into their own kind of perfumed obscenity.

FOREIGNERS:  Hitchhikers ignored.  Corporations need a fearful American population to support Right-wing imperialism against the threat (immigration or Terrorism) from Others.  Non-English-speaking tourists ignored.  WASPs abroad don't try to speak local languages, dress in too colorful immodest clothing, act rude and loud, ignore local cuisine to complain about lack of a good hamburger. 

Hitchhiking too dangerous due to robbers, kidnappers, and sexual predators.  Tourists welcome, even into homes to stay or combine vacations together.  Any whole-hearted attempt to learn Spanish greatly appreciated.  English part of common grade-school coursework.  Latin American men see foreign woman as potential sex partners, and foreign men as competition for the best managerial positions.  At first, Hispanics wonder if bland U.S. diet is a practical joke.

HYGIENE:  Overly conscious and fearful of "bacterial threat" and obsessively may refuse to touch things, especially salads.  Immediately refrigerate leftovers.  Extremely shy about bodily functions, unless live on boat with others.  Vans and Camper vehicles often have their own toilets.  May use different towels for different body parts.  Mystified by bidets.  Municipal dumps bury trash in landfills.

Eat with fingers or use tortilla.  Leave food out, sometimes covered with paper napkins.  Men can piss alongside road and wave at any passerby.  Towels in homes not spread out to dry.  Drains in showers rarely remove all water.  Sewage system doesn't accept toilet paper, so public bathrooms become littered with used paper, often newspaper.  Municipal dumps burn trash.

SKIN:  WASP's white skin needs a good tan to avoid a dead fish-belly appearance. Veins and blushes easily seen.  Actually, because of ancient Roman domination of British Isles, white WASPs may produce somewhat swarthy children.

View whiter skin tones as evidence of more "class", or signs of family roots of a higher socio-economic status (formerly powerful Europeans).  Radiologists claim the purer indigenous Mexican's skin the most beautiful; hairless, very few moles or blemishes. 

TIME:  Punctuality seen as a necessity, because Time = Money.  Big Ben symbol of Anglo-Saxon obsession with time and trains that run on schedule.  WASP travelers may have an hourly "itinerary".

BALCs tend not to charge labor or time, because they'd be alive that time anyway, right?  On dates, there's a forty-five minute leeway before being "stood up" or "planted" (dejado plantado) except among Regionmonteros (Monterrey, Nuevo León) or Chilangos (Mexico City).

RACISM:  Latin Americans see the civil rights movement as symptom of racism, instead of the institutionalized success of campaigns to enforce Constitutionally protected non-discrimination.  The use of word "niggar" has disappeared, except among blacks!

Family-oriented Latin Americans cannot see their own racism; almost exclusively European bloodline actors on TV.  Population avoids things considered "Tipica" and considers "indigenous" an insult.  Brazil the most intermixed AND racist country on earth.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS:  America stands alone, isolated, the unappreciated as the World's Police Force that defeated Communism, forget about Cuba and China as "Most Favored Nation Trade Status.  .  Anglos believe "People get the government they deserve" and turn a blind eye to American imperialism and Adventurism, overthrowing democracies and installing dictators in the name of corporate greed.  Anglos believe illegal immigration occurs because of obvious superiority of the American Way Of Life.

Interconnected dependency on U.S.  "When America sneezes, Mexico gets the flu."  Radical Chicano groups throughout history allied with Communists chant "Pueblo unido nunca será vencido."  Illegal immigration occurs BECAUSE of American Foreign Policy.  America uses over 30% of world resources and controls 65%.  Where else can poor or marginalized people go to get ahead in the world?