The EuroCrisis - a Cultural Crisis - Part 6: a Game of Numbers
Which number did you get? Are you
number 2 or number 6? Number 12… is just like you!!! Finding work in other
countries is not easy. However, it is easier for some people than for other. Where
do you come from is the most typical question asked when you meet somebody. It
seems like an innocent question, but it is not. It reveals many things.
Culture, religion, thoughts, political alignment… It should be like that, up to certain
extent. On a personal level, being from South America I am constantly stereotyped
as an Extreme rightist or Extreme leftist. In South America, Social Democracy
does not exist as such. Most people are either Republicans or Socialists. There
appears to be 44 places that belong to “the World”, defined really as Europe +
the US. The other 150 nations are outside the queue system, meaning they would
get no place in the developed world. In the Norwegian language, “stol” equals “trust”
but also equals “chair”. The number you get is really equal to the trust that
you get, which really means the place you will get.
STOL = CHAIR = TRUST
The numbers seem to be assigned
differently in different countries. In the case of Northern Europe, the debate
is cultural. What culture do you belong to will lead to the number you will
get. In my case, since I am a Swedish Lutheran and Social Democrat, I get
number 13. Seems like a very good number, I like 13. Some benefit one must
have, by being Norwegian by Bloodright.
In the case of Argentina, the
country I was born and raised in, the “trust system” based on numbers exists as
well. It is not so much based on ethnicity or culture as much as on location
and social class. It is easy to understand. If your parents are rich people
from the North of Buenos Aires city, you will surely get all the best jobs
without much effort. It has to do with trust: your employers probably know
someone from your family. They know you won’t “steal” from them. Good grades at
university don’t really matter much, being a country of “European mentality”.
Since I was from middle class, I would always get the jobs that the more
accommodated classes didn’t want. I didn’t complain though, the Bolivians born
and raised in Argentina had it worse: since they live in slums, they must work
in black or bad conditions. In Argentina and Europe, bloodright “kills”
birthright.
Cultural differences play a big
role. Northern European countries are more organized, but also require a
“sacrifice” from part of the population. The numbers are not negotiable.
Southern European countries might offer more flexibility for Europeans and
Latin-americans (mainly of European origin and christians as religions, they are really hispanic-americans). But not so much for Asians. From
that perspective, Spanish culture seems more inclusive and open than Argentinian, where looks count more than in Spain (it has to do with the
Italian influence where you are supposed to have a high sense of fashion). The
US has accomplished to build a pseudo-meritocracy, by prioritizing good
students in the job market. Having good grades at school opens doors for good
universities, which in turn open doors to the best jobs. Networking, contacts,
being in the circle is also important, but smart people get a good place as
well. It is true though that it may not be a high percentage of the population
that have a much better life due to their education, but at least it does give
hope. Good students are rewarded. The prize is not only for them, but for their
parents as well, who invested time and money in their tuition. You do need the
best (and smartest) players in the team, if you want to be the best in your
field. Think about it as football: if you invite all your friends and cousins
to join the National Team, you will probably be the NeXT San Marino (number 51
in Europe in Football).
The question now is whether the
foreigners and their children that are not of European origin will adjust to
the strict cultural rules of Northern Europe. In Germany, attempts to
“Germanize” the non-european immigrants do not give good results. Consider the
German-Iranian[1]
that murdered people recently screaming “I am German”. Cases like this are
frequent in Sweden as well. My impression is that many of these groups of
immigrants thought that they were moving to the US, and finding out that it is
not so provoques frustration. Germanic countries are not like the US, they are
more organized. Nothing is better, nothing is worse, all models have their pros
and cons and are based more on culture than on government. Europe will continue
to receive non-european migration in the future. Some degree of meritocracy
would be advisable as well. Not all factors can be controlled, sometimes you
just have to take things as they come.
Today, however, things are
getting easier than before. Thanks to Revolution 4.0, the average citizen can
take initiative and control of their life. Developed countries offer solid
healthcare and public university systems. Citizens must channel their energy
and use it productively. The system must as well make room to reward those who
study hard and work hard, so that other people can feel identified with them
and follows their footsteps. After all, that is the reason that their parents
moved to Europe (and Argentina) in the first place. The fact that it is more difficult for foreigners does not mean it's impossible, it is always difficult for foreigners anyway, to different degrees. Let us hope this period of
changes brings good vibes and hopes for everyone. And careful if you SEE number
6 more than once…
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