The Americanization of Brazil

While it's true that Americans are flocking to Brazil in large numbers, I've also noticed a few trends in Brazil that have parallels with trends in the US. While I was reading through the reactions to the national trauma that is the Realengo school shooting, it occurred to me that this terrible tragedy has not only horrified a nation, but it has also caused self-reflection and a search for identity, similar to after Columbine or even 9/11.

In a place where fellow countrymen are party of the "big Brazilian family," and where murderers are labeled as bad apples or anomalies (in the case of middle class murderers), or as the dismissible Other (in the case of impoverished murderers) that someone could commit this type of crime has many people asking questions. How could this happen in Brazil, when it normally happens in the US or Europe? It has shaken beliefs about morals and a national identity, leading some to believe that with development comes some of the negative aspects of developed countries, like psychotic murderers with delusions of glory. This is one theory; another is that in any large country, there's an inevitable number of people suffering from mental illness. Maybe it's a bit of both.

Speaking of mental illness, the Realengo tragedy has brought to light that Brazilians are not immune to psychological problems. This may seem obvious to some, but you'd be surprised how some people don't "believe in" even depression and anxiety disorders (coisa de rico, I've heard). There are some theories floating around that the killer was an Islamic terrorist, which also seems like a very American theory. Based on some of the media coverage, it looks possible that the killer tried to make contact with extremist Islamic groups, but they weren't interested in him, but the full investigation will explain more. Still, it seems that severe mental and emotional disturbances were the driving cause of the tragedy.

Beyond Realengo, there are more "American" trends developing in Brazil. The most obvious is rapant consumerism, which I think has been around a lot longer than the international media would lead you to believe, but has fully manifested itself in recent years due to the entrance of millions into the middle class and increased purchasing power for more people. More consumers than ever are eager to spend, and American and foreign consumer goods from washing machines to iPhones are selling like hot cakes. Shopping malls are one of the fastest growing businesses, popping up in small cities and the country's interior. With more and more fast food readily available, and with more people able to afford more expensive and/or unhealthy foods, obesity has reached "epidemic proportions." Consumption has helped fuel growth, some economists are worried the economy may overheat, and because of high levels of consumer debt and credit card annuities, others are worried the bubble may burst.

Finally, Brazilian national identity seems to be constantly evolving, especially with all of the changes happening in the past few years. This week, two Brazilians known for their outspoken and controversial views on Brazilians and Brazilian identity spoke out about this very topic.They claimed that many still suffer from an inferiority complex, and even that they are infantilized and are taught not to challenge authority or pose opposition. "No Brasil, se você tem uma opinião contrária você é ejetado da discussão," said Lobão, a singer. Peninha, a writer and journalist, discussed the inferiority complex, but pointed out, "É claro que teve coisas ruins, mas teve também coisas boas, não somos qualquer chinelagem." (I wonder what Roberto DaMatta would have to say.)

But I see two rising trends in terms of identity that remind me of the pre-crisis US: hubris, on the one hand, and challenging authority with mounting frustration, on the other. Hubris seems to be more present amongst high level officials, but it's still there, and while I think in small doses it could be a very good thing, by definition it tends not to come in small doses. The concept that with economic power comes an ability to do no wrong is a painful lesson the US should provide, but it seems like a normal consequence of Brazil's rise. On the other hand, I think there's evidence of frustration with the status quo, particularly amongst the middle class, and there's evidence that people want to see more changes as the country becomes more prosperous. It may not seem this way politically, since in the last election, the president elect came from the same political party as her predecessor, and certain controversial and corrupt congressmen managed to get elected, but on the other hand, Marina Silva received a surprising amount of support, and millions of people supported and campaigned for the Lei da Ficha Limpa, a law to prohibit congressmen accused of corruption for running for office. Social media and mobile technology have also helped Brazilians rally around causes and to become more active in demanding change and promoting causes they believe in.

Meanwhile, here in the US, there's been talk about how Americans, too, are in search of a new identity. Será que há brasileirização nos EUA?

Comments

[Anita]

I had recently commented to a Brazilian friend over the phone: how the Brazilian magazines and famous people are posing/ talking / looking like Americans. People in the cities too, with all the consumerism you mention and addiction to fast foods. On the other side, I get suprised when I discover in blogs and sites related to expats living in Brazil that more and more Americans are delighted with pagode, axe...
Note: I think the term "epidemic" for the incresing number of obese people is ridiculous. As if you can do nothing in order to avoid this disease. So if I sit near an obese person am I going to get fat as well ? Totally depicable this term used by the media lately.

[Account Deleted]

Um pouco de "brasileirização" poderia fazer bem aos EUA. Um pouco mais de welfare state, por exemplo, para os EUA voltarem a decolar, como decolaram no pós-guerra :-)

Abraço.

[RFS]

This "Americanization" thingie is not a Brazilian trend; it's a global trend. Consumption is on the up all over the developing world, specially in Latin America and East Asia, and is more of a problem in China than in Brazil, as the following link reports: http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2011/04/11/imf-is-this-the-kind-of-credit-boom-that-inevitably-ends-with-a-bust/

In contrast to RioGringa, I don't see in Brazil either this national soul-searching caused by the Realengo massacre nor hubris, specially on the part of public officials. On the subject of the consumer boom, for example, the federal government has shown that it is acutely aware of bubble risks. Since last year, Brazil has been taking a number of measures to rein in credit: interest rates hike; increased bank reserves; and news taxes on consumer loans. Prior to the 2008 credit bust, the US, by contrast, did NOTHING to wane consumption or credit growth. That Brazil is still experiencing difficulties in this respect, again, isn't due to local structural vulnerabilities - or "hubris" - but to global trends: trends to which US policies such as QEs contributed in no small degree. On the subject of fiscal excesses, Brazil has shown - again, in contrast to the US - that it has a sober grasp of its own limitations - so much so, that it has planned budget cuts and contained wage growth even though last year's budget deficit was modest.

When it comes to social-economic changes, it's hard to see how US blind self-confidence - the same self-confidence that time and again drags it to wars, and then to defeats - is becoming a Brazilian thing. Though last year the central government promoted a spectacle of national self-admiration, this was more due to temporary situations - an election year marked by a 15-year low in unemployment levels - that don't correspond to long-term trends in the country.

[Rio Gringa]

@RFS - Agreed that consumerism is a global trend, but when it comes to China, there a lot of other cultural differences, whereas I think Brazil and the US have much more similar cultures.

I don't think the credit issue has anything to do with the soul-searching in relation to the Realengo massacre - they're two completely separate things. Although, my friend Henrique has a similar view about not worrying about a bubble (Right Henrique?)

Blind self-confidence, I think, can come in different forms. I think the Olympics/World Cup/pre-sal are creating it to some extent, but it's far healthier than say, blind self-confidence from carrying out a war.

[RFS]

I didn't say that consumerism has anything to do with the Realengo disaster. I said that I don't see any evidence of either national soul-searching caused by that event, or yet hubris.

From the press I don't see hubris either - either related to economic growth, the Olympics, the Cup, anything. In fact, press coverage of those subjects is far from sunny. I don't know if you've noticed it, but the BR press is very good in finding the dark side of just about everything. From my acquaintances I don't get that feeling either. This creates a good deal of dissonance because what I see in my countrymen is that they've not changed. The old, and sometimes irrational, complexo de vira-lata, the tendency to idealize everything foreign, to reject everything national, is still very much alive. And from I can see in foreign coverage (including by this blog) of my country, the gringos are very good at exploiting this. It is very hard to speak of hubris when I actually feel Brazilians should stop flogging themselves so much.

[BZgirl]

This post brings up more questions than it does answers but at this point in time I think that's a good thing. Two other American trends I've noticed: the rise of the "I'll pencil you in on my agenda" mentality in social interaction amongst the middle/upper classes, and the fact that many of these people go biweekly to see therapists.

Anyway, I'd like to draw everyone's attention to two interesting pieces of writing I picked up while in Rio for Carnaval last month.

The first is called "Brasil-Estados Unidos: desencontros e afinidades" by Monica Hirst.

http://www.editora.fgv.br/?sub=produto&id=21

It is part of a charming, multi-colored line of purse-size books found at Fundação Getulio Vargas' Botafogo campus bookstore. These books touched on topics ranging from "The economics of tourism in the Favelas" to "The Brics and the Global Order" and all shared the delightful motto "Clareza e competência num so livro." Basically they were cute little pocket guides that put intellectual content at your fingertips for 17 reais a piece.

The second is the March 2011 edition of the Revista de Historia da Biblioteca Nacional. They ran a really cool cover story comparing everything from the historical roots of slavery to pop culture Brazil to the United States, entitled "Estados Unidos: Somos tão diferentes?" Here's a link to the edition. The cover has a really cool design of Uncle Sam behind a U.S. flag with Brazil's colors.

http://www.revistadehistoria.com.br/v2/home/?go=edicao&id=69

Anyway, I wish I had more time to ponder the answers to the questions and points you posed. Nevertheless, I just think it's great that people are discussing!

Side Note: FGV's book store seemed like the highest caliber store I've seen in Rio to date, even better than Livraria da Travessa. I saw many popular U.S. books (one example being Freakonomics) translated in to Portuguese, as well as many great Brazilian works.

[Rio Gringa]

@RFS, I agree that certain mentalities haven't changed much, and like I mentioned in the original post, the hubris trend I've seen is more relegated to high level officials (government and to some extent business, but much more so government). But eventually, there's a chance it may trickle down, or at least take some shape of "yay for us" nationalism in 2014 and 2016 (assuming things go ok). In the meantime, I think there's room (and reason) for some more pride or patriotic confidence.