Poverty, Culture, and Conspicuous Consumption

[margaret]

Originally Posted by Chip00

Everybody who lives in Quisquey know that if Dominicans have money they love to show it. It in the top 3 priorities for sure.

However, as a gringo with a jipeta, a '99 Super Montero that I paid too much for, when you have like 50 inlaws, few of any of which have cars and live in the worst pothole infested parts of Moca, it certainly is worth having, espcially when it runs on propane. I could care less about what people think of me and some in my wife's family get onto her for the fact that she let's me out of the house looking like a bum when obviously we are "rich" in their eyes.

THe jipeta for you is a good choice in transportion, for someone else it creates their identity. It's expresses who they are in the grand scheme of things. For your wife's family, how you dress goes against your image as a "rich" family. I think when people are insecure about their identity they need to express it through objects and material goods. These objects have meaning beyond their practical use value. Jipeta for you is a practical means of transportation for someone else it's an expression of identity and power. It's sad but through consumption of consumer objects we contenct with a community. It's like transubstantiation. (Holy Communion.) We consume an object and with it's symbolic meaning we are united with something geater and more meaningful -- a community. We eat the bread and it's the body of Christ and we are united with the community of believers. Yes consumerism is like that -- the promise of something greater. Consume and you will be transformed. I imagine for the middle class, consumer objects, fashion shape identity as it does everywhere.

[bob saunders]

My wife owns a school and employs about 50 people, but she owns no cars(in the DR), walks everywhere or hires a driver(Octavio) when ever we need to go anywhere, lives in a rundown old house with a tin roof, and the locals, including her relatives are always asking her why doesn't she have a big house, fancy car...etc. She always tells them the same thing " I HAVE NO MONEY. But, she dresses very proper...etc to keep up her image as La Prof.
Now, here in Canada she lives in a nice house, owns a 2003 Honda...etc, but plays less concern over her appearance. The difference is that here in Canada, who cares what the neighbours think, she isn't likely to get robbed or stand out because she has a nice car, nice house, whereas in the DR, IF you have money or the appearance of money people will be trying to get it from you one way or another.

[Chirimoya]

Originally Posted by margaret

You know Chiri, I like you. If I lived in Santo Domingo, I would like to hang out with you.

Igualmente - I love reading your posts!

I have to say though, that sometimes cheap toys are good for children. Play is a great thing in the life a wee one. Sometimes a doll or a baseball bat will set the imagination free. I know it's not the answer.

Who said children didn't need toys? I just think it's not the government's job to hand them out. Also, have you ever seen one of those distributions?

About the hairdos, it's so true that women deserve more. Pap screening would be good. But judging by the posts in the Dominicans abroad section, bad hair days and the search for a good salon are very important to women. I think Lionel is smart with this free hairdoo in the barrio campaign, both the consumer and the small business owner (female) benefits and from what I hear women vote in the DR more so than men. I don't know, but maybe Dominican women will say, "I don't want your revolution, if I can't get a good hairdoo!" a la Emma Goldman. Maybe it's one of those cultural things that have to be considered and worked into any program,

Pass the Brughal...

The government know what they're doing. Hairstyling and appearance is central to women's lives. Dominican women have to be close to destitute to forego the weekly trip to the salon - rather dead than pelo malo - but it's natural for them to welcome a freebie, who wouldn't? Most of the women getting their free hairdos would have found the 50 or 70 pesos no matter what, and I'm sure that in the cold light of day many would agree that fixing up the barrio school or paving the streets would have been a better use of the money (just to give a couple of examples).

[Chirimoya]

Margaret, I don't know if you read Spanish, but here is a viewpoint on the hairdo/government priority from Bracuta, a leading Dominican blogger. Her post and the comments that follow are unanimous in their condemnation.

[margaret]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

Margaret, I don't know if you read Spanish, but here is a viewpoint on the hairdo/government priority from Bracuta, a leading Dominican blogger. Her post and the comments that follow are unanimous in their condemnation.

Thanks for the link Chiri. I get the giste of it. I have a Dominican blogging friend who publishes critical posts on such topics as the Metro, "Operacion Moño lindo", etc. but it's sometimes difficult for someone like myself outside of the country with poor Spanish to understand his points. Y entonces que? I often have great discussions with him stimulated by the members here on DR1 on everything from race, Haitians, class, cooking pasteles, and "Good" Dominicans. It's amazing how blogging and the Internet can help make that happen. Cheers, Merrry Monday!

[Don Juan]

I don't have a problem with people in DR flaunting their wealth. That is their prerogative. If they want to dress well at any time of the day or night and drive expensive cars, well, more power to them.
What I do have a problem with, is the attitude they take on when dealing with people they deem not up to snuff in terms of money. I call them 'altaneros' because they judge not in general terms but solely on one criteria: How wealthy they think you are.
What irks me the most is how much effort is put into showing off their real or imagined wealth. They strut around with this cocky pride in their demeanor as if to say, I am royalty and you, a mere peasant. What a joke! This is the kind of attitude and display that verify ones' lack of teaching, both, scholastically and culturally.
An enlightened person does not move about exclusively in his/her domain. that is too confining. He/she broadens and diversifies his circle of friends to truly feel rich, in the full sense of the word.

[Chirimoya]

Thanks for the link, Margaret. I see you have a blog as well

DJ, let's get away from the red herring of flaunting wealth. This debate was meant to be about government spending priorities, but we all got diverted.

[Exxtol]

Originally Posted by Don Juan

What I do have a problem with, is the attitude they take on when dealing with people they deem not up to snuff in terms of money. I call them 'altaneros' because they judge not in general terms but solely on one criteria: How wealthy they think you are.
What irks me the most is how much effort is put into showing off their real or imagined wealth. They strut around with this cocky pride in their demeanor as if to say, I am royalty and you, a mere peasant. What a joke! This is the kind of attitude and display that verify ones' lack of teaching, both, scholastically and culturally.
An enlightened person does not move about exclusively in his/her domain. that is too confining. He/she broadens and diversifies his circle of friends to truly feel rich, in the full sense of the word.

Well said.

[George Holmes]

On the subject of government, hair and its importance to Dominican women, a friend who works with a very senior part of DR government had a project they were working on delayed because the allocated money for part of it was spent on personal hairdressers and makeover artists for the senior women in the department.

As a bloke, I naturally understand none of this. I am sure my last haircut was less than $100, and that included a free orange juice.

[A.Hidalgo]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

Thanks for the link, Margaret. I see you have a blog as well

DJ, let's get away from the red herring of flaunting wealth. This debate was meant to be about government spending priorities, but we all got diverted.

Does Leonel and his merry men ever see these reports. The Education for all Global Monitoring Report 2007 from UNESCO, says the DR is the only country in Latin America that devotes less than 2 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education. The DR devotes 1.2 percent, followed by Uruguay 2.3 percent and El Salvador 2.9 percent.

Hairdos important. Education who cares! Long live ignorance.
Sad really sad

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/001...89/148957e.pdf

Stats page 16.