I just got back from Cusco (amazing!), and I can't wait to write up my posts and share some of my favorite pictures. But while I'm waiting to upload all 408 photos over my slow internet connection, I just had a version of a conversation that I've had many times since arriving in Lima.
Usually, when I start talking to them about why I am in Lima (to work for an environment and development org) and that I'm going to grad school for environmental management in the fall, people get REALLY excited and say something like, "Wow! You are really young to be interested in environmental and social issues!"
Then they all launch into a speech about how the young people in Peru don't have any social awareness and take their societal privileges for granted. Their argument is basically that, because they were born after the economic growth seen during the 90s, they have never seen what it's like for the state and its services not to function. In the 80s and early 90s, basic services were inconsistent at best in Lima. Electricity was only available a few hours a day, and clean water was unavailable through city water pipes. But over the course of the decade, Peru started to experience economic growth and services vastly improved to get us to the modern city that Lima is today. So because these kids grew up without having to struggle like the previous generations did, they are selfish and don't have any societal awareness.
In addition to complaining that the Peruvian youth don't have any drive to improve their country and environment (and that they just want to train to be in a career that will make them the most money), everyone has complained about the overconsumption of media among the youth. Justin Bieber was brought up by name by at least 4 people as an example of the "rot" that kids listen to. And almost everyone complained about the content of music and movies nowadays that "poisons" the minds of young people (songs and movies about violence and sex, instead of about community).
These comments have popped up over and over again. I've now had this strikingly similar conversation with at least 10 people over the course of the last month (coworkers, taxi drivers, friends), and plenty of others have make a throwaway reference to the downfall of young people. And these aren't just older adults who are lamenting. One of these conversations was with a 28 year old.
On the environmental side, this seems to be the opposite of the US, where the environmental movement is seen as largely youth-driven and facing resistence from the aging portion of the population.
But beyond that, it seems to be a struggle to maintain certain cultural and societal ideals as the country modernizes, and behaviors change. As I mentioned earlier, people are very generous with the poor here. The government is implicitly responsible for providing more services to help the poor and marginalized. Building on this higher sense of societal responsibility for the poor, you can see how people would be irked when younger people seem to be turning a blinder eye to those same groups of people. But really, it seems to be a reaction to modernization, and a drive to keep cultural continuity in the face of that modernization.
There is a bit of resentment of the US consumerism-laden capitalism for driving some of the change, but ultimately it seems like people are still dealing with who "Peruvians" will be as the country continues to change and are no longer defined by poverty nor consumerism.
Usually, when I start talking to them about why I am in Lima (to work for an environment and development org) and that I'm going to grad school for environmental management in the fall, people get REALLY excited and say something like, "Wow! You are really young to be interested in environmental and social issues!"
Then they all launch into a speech about how the young people in Peru don't have any social awareness and take their societal privileges for granted. Their argument is basically that, because they were born after the economic growth seen during the 90s, they have never seen what it's like for the state and its services not to function. In the 80s and early 90s, basic services were inconsistent at best in Lima. Electricity was only available a few hours a day, and clean water was unavailable through city water pipes. But over the course of the decade, Peru started to experience economic growth and services vastly improved to get us to the modern city that Lima is today. So because these kids grew up without having to struggle like the previous generations did, they are selfish and don't have any societal awareness.
In addition to complaining that the Peruvian youth don't have any drive to improve their country and environment (and that they just want to train to be in a career that will make them the most money), everyone has complained about the overconsumption of media among the youth. Justin Bieber was brought up by name by at least 4 people as an example of the "rot" that kids listen to. And almost everyone complained about the content of music and movies nowadays that "poisons" the minds of young people (songs and movies about violence and sex, instead of about community).
These comments have popped up over and over again. I've now had this strikingly similar conversation with at least 10 people over the course of the last month (coworkers, taxi drivers, friends), and plenty of others have make a throwaway reference to the downfall of young people. And these aren't just older adults who are lamenting. One of these conversations was with a 28 year old.
On the environmental side, this seems to be the opposite of the US, where the environmental movement is seen as largely youth-driven and facing resistence from the aging portion of the population.
But beyond that, it seems to be a struggle to maintain certain cultural and societal ideals as the country modernizes, and behaviors change. As I mentioned earlier, people are very generous with the poor here. The government is implicitly responsible for providing more services to help the poor and marginalized. Building on this higher sense of societal responsibility for the poor, you can see how people would be irked when younger people seem to be turning a blinder eye to those same groups of people. But really, it seems to be a reaction to modernization, and a drive to keep cultural continuity in the face of that modernization.
There is a bit of resentment of the US consumerism-laden capitalism for driving some of the change, but ultimately it seems like people are still dealing with who "Peruvians" will be as the country continues to change and are no longer defined by poverty nor consumerism.
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