Drunk almost to death on the culture wars

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

A few years ago — in my more petulant days (they are behind me now, of course) — I shamefully caused a bit of commotion in a Bogotá nightclub.

Wrong Way Corrigan: More British than the British themselves these days?

Tainted vision

The casus belli? Well, none other than the extremely incendiary act of a local daring to don a jacket prominently displaying the Union Jack. (The British flag is quite popular in these parts, as I explained in this 2014 piece, https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2014/09/flagtastic-result-thanks-scotland.html.)

There's a fair chance that the guy wearing the ire-inducing attire had little to no idea what the colours represented. I wasn't in the mood to find out. I took the '(verbally) attack first, deal with the consequences later' approach. Hawkish rather than dovish.

In the ensuing kerfuffle, a friend's jacket went awol (it was left unguarded on a chair). The fog of war does favour the opportunistic. That old friend still hasn't forgiven me for this act of wanton aggression.

My tame defence is that I was drunk. Quite drunk. In sobriety, I knew my behaviour was ridiculous. The Union Jack doesn't tend to bother me (heck, I lived in Belfast for a year-and-a-half, a city well bedecked in blue, white and red). It's a flag, an arrangement of colours after all. It doesn't do any harm of and in itself.

'There is the possibility that they'll choke on their own verbal vomit after having imbibed too much of their toxic brew.'

What's more, not that this should matter in any case, but one of its crosses — the red saltire — also represents Ireland's patron saint, the Welsh-born Patrick. (Many Irish people would do well to remember this, in the same way that Northern Irish unionists should be aware that the orange part of the Republic of Ireland's tricolour represents them.)

Fault-finders

Watching today's culture wars while hot war — where people are actually dying — wages in many parts of the world — not just in eastern Europe, you know — I'm reminded of the above inane incident.

In fact, those who are quite militaristic in their approach to battling "inappropriate" works of art, literature, various symbols and suchlike, doing so from, for the most part, a very comfortable existence, would benefit from some time on a real front line. Or, at the very least, truly experience the lives of those who they claim to represent and defend.

It's quite easy to cry foul at perceived injustices when one is not really in the firing line or is insulated from any, often pernicious, corrective measures taken to address said wrongdoing.

Many social justice warriors are excellent at finding fault elsewhere and demanding retribution. They're not so good at dealing with their own shortcomings.

Yes, we must continue to strive for a better, fairer world but we're more likely to get there by removing barriers, not erecting them.

On many occasions, those who are in a rush to help end up, at the very least, hindering proceedings. At the worst, they make things even more problematic, creating divisions where none had previously existed.

As we've seen with the pandemic, the perceived cure can be worse than the disease.

Society faces the difficult task of bringing these culture war soldiers, boisterous with self-righteousness, to their sober senses.

There is the possibility, however, that they'll choke on their own verbal vomit after having imbibed too much of their toxic brew.

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Running frantically to a more troubled life

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

With the great industrial and technological advancements over the last number of generations, humanity can get much more done in a much shorter period of time compared to just a few decades ago.

One has to take the time to refresh every now and again ...

As most of us are well aware, tasks that had once taken days to accomplish can now be done in mere minutes.

Toxic technology

Moreover, the need to truly trouble our own muscles has been significantly reduced with the rise of the machine in myriad forms. With less effort, both physically and mentally, society's overall productivity has never been greater.

The net benefit to the individual from such improvements is more difficult to assess, however.

Much has been written about the invasion of technology into our everyday lives and its potential toxicity. It could be — and is — argued that as our handheld devices get smarter, we become dumber.

The soft-hand, white-collar worker is particularly at risk here. Emancipating oneself from the screen can be almost impossible, whether this is for work or dubious pleasure. From a job perspective, we are at least seeing attempts in some countries to tackle this always-switched-on culture by legally demarcating the blurred boundaries between one's working hours and leisure time.

In contrast, there is a view that the manual labourer is in a far healthier position on all fronts. To a certain extent, this holds true.

'Many of us would do well to match the tortoise's tempo rather than hare around, merely running to stand still, bringing more pressure and stress upon ourselves.'

As one whose career has been predominantly in the soft-hand category, I do actively seek out some donkey work on occasions. It can feel good and wholesome. For example, carrying 50-kilogramme bags of sand up a few flights of stairs means the screen is necessarily scrapped for a time. Then there are the physical-activity benefits from such labour.

That bag-carrying, it must be noted, was done here in Colombia. Health and safety regulations coupled with compensation culture in many high-income nations have, from what I gather, practically banned humans from such heavy lifting in the work environment.

Again, in most cases, the machine can do these chores more efficiently anyway. One could say laziness plays its part — it is the mother of many inventions — but mechanical assistance allows for more to get done more quickly and, usually, with less personal perspiration.

The walk of life

This is the crux here. Be it white-collar work or that which requires a little more physical exertion, in today's world the mantra tends to be, 'More, more, more. Now, now, now.'

So even the Colombian construction worker who sweats on the job in a relatively healthy fashion — in terms of exercise,  that is — has little time for adequate rest and recuperation. There's not much "me time". That the pay is paltry in this sector is also an important factor.

This can often lead to poor diets and unhealthy lifestyle choices. When one feels overworked and underappreciated, pernicious comfort-food consumption becomes quite appealing.

Better educated professionals may be more knowledgeable of salutary practices but the work-life balance is frequently skewed in the former's favour, especially with that aforementioned difficulty to disconnect effectively.

With the old fable in mind, many of us would do well to match the tortoise's tempo rather than hare around, merely running to stand still, bringing more pressure and stress upon ourselves.

This isn't to promote less physical activity. In fact, if everybody wasn't in such a hurry, always against the clock, we could, for one, walk more, use up our own energy to move around. Appreciate the here and now rather than excessively expend energy on future events that may or may not happen.

Such an approach might actually be the key to a happier, more fulfilling life — the ability to pace oneself.
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'We can do better on visas for Colombians' — Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

@wwaycorrigan

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), Leo Varadkar, has said he wants to make the visa process easier for Colombians who want to study and work in the country.

Leo Varadkar at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, with Colombia's Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez (top left).

Speaking at a St Patrick's Day reception at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, the Tánaiste stated that he would 'love to see more Colombian students coming to Ireland to study in our universities, to learn English, to work if they want to.'

However, he acknowledged that the current visa regulations are rather restrictive for Colombians compared to those from other South American countries such as Argentina and Brazil.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Colombia's Ministry for Education aimed at greater collaboration in higher education, Varadkar admitted that Ireland 'can do better' on visas but it is something he intends to address. 'Colombians need a visa to come to Ireland, (they) have to pay for that visa, that's not the case from a lot of other countries in Latin America, so that's something I'll try and improve or change and I've been in contact with Minister McEntee (Ireland's Minister for Justice) about that already.'

The Tánaiste, who also serves as Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said that while trade between the two countries is small, 'there is scope for expansion'.

Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar officially opened Ireland's embassy in Bogotá this week, an office that began operating in 2019, the same year that Colombia opened an embassy in Dublin.

Before visiting Colombia, Varadkar was in Chile where Ireland also has a new embassy. During his stay in Santiago, he attended the inauguration of the country's new president, the leftist Gabriel Boric. 'Potentially, he represents a new generation of left-wing leaders in South America. Even though he comes from the student protests, the radical left, he has been very clear on Venezuela and Nicaragua. To a certain extent that gives me some encouragement,' Varadkar said of the Chilean president.

Click on the following link, https://youtu.be/3XgauTqKJOw (or see video below), to listen to the full interview with Leo Varadkar where he also speaks about Russia's war in Ukraine and the cocaine trade.

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Listen to Wrong Way's Colombia Cast podcast here.

Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan — The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

Feigning understanding. Who cares anyway?

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

'Wow, your Spanish is very good.'
'Well, I've been based here for over ten years.'
'Oh.'

Some things are better left misunderstood.

That's how the conversation generally goes when I meet a new Spanish-speaking acquaintance in these parts. The initial positivity that this "gringo" (I'm not a gringo, I'm Irish!) can speak Colombian Spanish fairly well is tempered by my longevity in the country.

Plateau effect

Indeed, the initial boost received from being told I converse well in my second language can often rapidly bomb when some appear baffled as to why my Spanish doesn't sound more Colombian after all these years. (At times, when the mood takes me, I think I can do an OK Costeño [those from Colombia's Caribbean coast]/Venezuelan accent. I think, that is.)

Having never taken any official classes, the Spanish I have has been largely down to my own dirty work — self-taught. Somebody said to me self-learning, but isn't all learning, in effect, done by the individual? It's not learning if it's not!

My general understanding of the language is solid. I can read it pretty well — I've got through a novel and a couple of academic history books in Spanish — while my speaking is, well, fine, depending on how one views it, as we've determined above.

'My observations suggest that on many occasions the locals aren't really listening to each other.' They don't care about what others have to say.'

Nonetheless, I've certainly plateaued in the last few years. I usually feel I've enough to get by, especially considering that I use Spanish predominantly for socialising, thus the drive for further advancement is low. Indeed, I used to make it my business to regularly listen to Colombian talk radio. Now, I rarely do.

That I'm not using Spanish too frequently in a professional setting is key here. Basically, my true comprehension doesn't really get tested. There's no "tienda test" at the end of the month. How I'd fare if I had to answer questions on recent conversations and engagements, I'm not so sure.

It's not all that uncommon to find myself nodding as to signal that I understand, uttering the odd 'entiendo' or appropriate exclamation when I'm actually at best only getting half the conversation.

Of course, in the barrio tienda, there's plenty of colloquial "Castellano" (the official tongue of Colombia after all) used. It can be almost like a language in itself.

Alongside this, I can at least take comfort from the fact that most of the time I am genuinely trying to listen.

'You say it best when you say nothing at all'

I say this because my observations suggest that on many occasions the locals aren't really listening to each other. This manifests itself most blatantly when the supposed listener's attention is taken up by his/her phone.

However, even when there's no device distraction, the body language — the distant look — tells me that the message isn't really being received.

When this happens to me, when I feel somebody's not really listening, I'll say it. I'm not a major fan of talking to myself — when there's company about anyway.

In these parts, though, it seems that some people don't care too much whether those they are addressing are listening or not. 'Ah sure, even if they only get a word or two, it'll have been worth it. I've had my say.'

It could point to a grand indifference on all sides. The person doing the talking doesn't care if nobody's taking in what he/she says and the supposed listener(s) equally couldn't be bothered if such nonchalance is noticed.

Sure as the song puts it, it's only words.
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The bellboy: Back with a vengeance

@wwaycorrigan

A few years ago I had the pleasure of being a bellboy in the RCN Televisión production Todo es prestao, a "role" that I'd almost forgotten about until I stumbled across it recently (see video below). I'm not too sure about the improvised, 'You're very much welcome' line. 'Stick to the script, Wrong Way, stick to the script!' (One doesn't risk improvising when the text is in Spanish.)

So it's only fitting that I played such a character (and many others, due to the nature of the work) in a new video project that we're currently recording. It's not quite at RCN levels, but it's fun nonetheless! It should keep one in Colombia for another few months anyway.

Bellboy Brendan with the menacing hotel manager!

In awe of the strongman

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

We've seen plenty of ire directed at those who haven't completely condemned Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine or shown unconditional support for the under-siege locals.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping: Leaders with real conviction? (Photo from Wikipedia.)

Super Zelenskyy

Even some expert analysts on the region, that is to say, people who actually have a fair idea of what they're talking about, whilst speaking out against Putin's actions, have come in for criticism in some quarters for merely suggesting the reasons behind the attack.

The simplified narrative for most of the media, politicians and those who like to be told how to think right now is: Russia and everything Russian evil; Ukraine and everything Ukrainian, good.

As discussed previously here, one should tread carefully when there's such widespread agreement.

Of course, many of us have a tendency to plump for the underdog, hence the support for innocent Ukraine against bully-bear Russia. Indeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being portrayed as some sort of superhero saint. For sure, from what we've seen he has been impressive, but we can assume he has a few flaws.

'We have two "excellent" examples of such types right now. One is currently running amok in Canada, the other in New Zealand.'

Nonetheless, he is the perfect strongman counterweight to Putin over which the West can idolise. For as much as some of us may think Western democracies have moved on from salivating over strongmen figures, there still seems to be an innate desire for a patriarchy of sorts.

Gentle tyrants

In fact, this could be why some actually view, or at least did view, Putin as a likeable rogue.

What's more, on the global level, the Russian president has been the underdog against Nato and the West in general, a West in which many of the agenda-setters appear to be nothing more than self-righteous, often hypocritical virtue signallers.

With a dearth of impressive leaders to look up to at home and tired of being constantly patronised, a no-nonsense Putin — we can also include Xi Jinping here — appeals. There's a feeling, à la Donald Trump, that these men rule with conviction rather than pussyfoot around, trying to please everybody but achieving very little.

In functioning democracies, such types do have their place. They can take on the technocrats. It could be said that the European Union is in dire need of one.

The problems arise when there are no checks on the strongmen, when there's no one to challenge them. This generally happens when they've been around for too long. They do usually self-destruct but not before causing a lot of collateral damage on their way out.

Yet, the strongman is usually easier to comprehend than, let's call them "gentler" leaders. The latter is often more pernicious. They claim to be forces of good. Indeed, they are so convinced that they are morally right that they don't see the harm they do.

We have two "excellent" examples of such types right now. One is currently running amok in Canada, the other in New Zealand. 

It could be said that Justin Trudeau and Jacinda Ardern are like terrible twins of one Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair, aka former UK prime minister Tony Blair. One can only hope that, like Putin's, their respective regimes are coming to an end.

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Tibaná time

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

I do sometimes feel a bit torn after getaways to Colombian pueblos — pueblo pick-me-ups as I like to call them — due to my desire or at least perceived need to blog about them.

Tranquil Tibaná (at least when it's not market day!).

It's because, as mentioned before, they're all pretty much the same, superficially at least. This is arguably even more so the case in the Andean region.

Not-so-manic Monday

So for a town a short distance from one just recently visited and written about — that is to say Tibaná, just 10 kilometres south of Jenesano in the Boyacá department — it would seem pretty pointless to post about it.

Yet, the many similarities aside, each pueblo has its own peculiarities, however small and insignificant they may be. Each one has its own distinct characters, too.

What's more, regardless of the place, the time of a visit plays its part in the experience. I could return to all of the previous locations I've written about and come away with a completely different perception, for better or for worse.

So, with that in mind, my two-night stay in Tibaná deserves its own entry, hence these words. (This also helps me to keep track of where I've been!)

For this part of the country, it almost goes without saying that folk are friendly but not overbearingly so. They'll converse when the feeling is right or they'll leave one to one's own devices if such a vibe is given out (silence can indeed be golden).

'While tempted to join some of the hardy souls drinking beer at 8 am, I stuck to the tried-and-trusted plan of getting in some hillwalking, including the now obligatory visit to the Virgin Mary on a high — she tends to occupy some of the best viewpoints in rural Colombia.'

Strangely enough, two of Tibaná's initial offerings were things that in another context would have been deal-breakers.

Arriving close to dusk on a Monday and after, eventually, finding a hotel — the more-than-acceptable, well-kept Provincia at 25,000 COP per night — I went in search, as is generally my wont on such trips, of a nightcap beer.

Friendly locals!

My tipple of choice, a litre of Poker, was available, but only at room temperature — 'al clima' as they say. Yet, I found it more than drinkable; it had a slight chill to it in any case.

Then, seated in the tienda sipping on my beer, a couple of dogs invaded my personal space. I'm normally not a fan of excessively clingy canines but this pair won me over. Perhaps it was the bucolic air that led to this rare amenability on my part.

The aforementioned friendly locals — Tibanenses to give them their demonym — with a special mention for the softly-spoken tienda owner, Jorge, also played their part.

Sweet but savoury

The next morning, Tuesday, Tibaná's market day, while tempted to join some of the hardy souls drinking beer at 8 am, I stuck to the tried-and-trusted plan of getting in some hillwalking, including the now obligatory visit to the Virgin Mary on (a) high — she tends to occupy some of the best viewpoints in rural Colombia.

Tibaná: The town down in the valley-o!

What I hadn't really prepared for was a strong sun. At an average altitude of 2,100 metres, I erroneously thought the weather would be something similar to Bogotá. Relaxing in the rays for a couple of hours in splendid isolation — well, apart from the Virgin Mary next to me — my skin got a bit of a shelling. It felt good at the time, though.

Thankfully, refreshing refrigerated beers were on offer back in Jorge's tienda on my return to the town.

Rolling hills to wander and on which to unwind.

Tibaná may be tops for its tranquillity. However, it's more of a flop when it comes to the coffee on offer in its various establishments. It's not unique in this regard. This is a common complaint in many small towns, ordinary-at-best coffee, of the 'I can't believe it's not coffee' variety one could say.

Worse still, many seem to think that everybody wants his/her hot brew sweetened. 'Oh, but it's with panela. It's good for you.' Eh, no thanks.

Sweet, watery coffee aside — well to the side that is — Tibaná did the trick in terms of a pueblo pick-me-up.

More demanding, high-maintenance types might not be too enthralled with it. This shouldn't bother the Tibanenses too much. They tend to move to their own beat.
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