Argentinos. Mitos, manias y milongas.

Painting: Antonio Berni - Manifestación (1934)

Just finished reading the book "Argentinos. Mitos, manias y milongas" by the the Brazilian journalists Marcia Carmo and Monica Yanakiew.

Some interesting excerpts:

Our national sport is philosophy. If the roof falls down, Argentines will open the debate: “was it Fate? Was it the politicians? Or was ir our fault, cos we didn’t build a proper roof?” We analyze all causes and effects. But don’t talk about fixing the roof – forget it. And when we do, we do it wrong again. Jorge Telerman (former Mayor of Buenos Aires).

We are a country of adolescents. We like to talk about our problems and have a need for exposure – when we are doing fine and when we are suffering. It’s a combination of deep melancholy and strong neurosis. Gabriel Juri (psychiatrist)

It impresses how articulate they are. You give a microphone to anyone on the street and they will speak better than a radio presenter. Marcos Azambuja (former Brazilian Ambassador to Argentina)

The former Brazilian Chancellor Antonio Azeredo da Silveira used to teach his diplomatic team’s rookies that in a negotiation table “one Argentine is fearsome”, but, if there were two, the best strategy is to sit back and relax. “They are so brilliant that they will destroy one another”.

Most of the jokes about Argentines were probably invented by ourselves. If you pay attention there’s always an undercover praise. Most of them are about the Argentinian pseudo-superiority, but not about being greedy, dirty ou clumsy as for other nationalities. Roberto Fontanarrosa (cartoonist and writer).

Don’t try to know them, because their soul lives in the impentrable world of duality. Argentines drink happiness and sadness from the same glass. They take jokes seriously and make jokes about serious matters. They don’t give up their illusions, they don’t learn from their disillusions. Don’t argue with them! They are born with an innate wisdom. Anonymous Spanish philosopher.