The Xenophobe's® Guide to the Brazilians

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Published by Xenophobe’s® Guides. E-mail: info@xenophobes.com Web site: www.xenophobes.com Copyright © Xenophobe’s® Guides Ltd., 2018 All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Xenophobe’s® is a Registered Trademark. Published 2018 Editor – Catriona Tulloch Scott Series Editor – Anne Tauté Cover designer – Vicki Towers Printer – CPI Antony Rowe, Wiltshire Cover – Dancing girl ©Val Thoermer from Shutterstock.com Illustrations – From 123RF.com: Coffee cup @Elena Pimonova Guitarist ©ekuksha, Mask ©hibrida, Maracas ©druzhinina, Soccer ball ©Kanate Chainapong. From Shutterstock.com: Bikini girl ©GN, Brazilian food ©DiViArt, Brazil nuts ©Mart, Palm trees ©Danussa, Rio de Janeiro ©Franzi. Christ the Redeemer ©ClipartExtras.

ePub ISBN: 978-1-90812-09-84 Mobi ISBN: 978-1-90812-09-91 Print ISBN: 978-1-906042-23-3


Contents Nationalism & Identity

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Character

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Attitudes & Behaviour

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Business

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Culture

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Custom & Traditions

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Health & Hygiene

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Conversation & Gestures

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Obsessions

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Leisure & Pleasure

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Drinking & Eating

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The Brazilian population is 207million, compared with 326 million Americans, 124 million Mexicans, 44 million Argentinians, and 10.5 million Portuguese. Brazil is bigger than the United States of America minus Alaska.


Nationalism & Identity A country of the future “To live abroad is good, but it’s shit. To live in Brazil is shit, but it’s good”, used to joke Tom Jobim, composer of the famous song Girl from Ipanema, a man whose love for his country is mirrored in his music. His statement sums up the split mind about their own identity that Brazilians typically express. On the one hand they will be quick to quip, ‘God is Brazilian’ (‘Deus é brasileiro!’), and thus they are justified in believing theirs is a land that has been blessed with a multitude of marvels that simulate the notion of Pounding their Paradise on earth. They are chests with their fists, proud to tell you that the they proudly proclaim tropical weather is fabulous, “We are the lungs of the the earth fertile for every world” in reference to type of crop, the natural the Amazon Forest. waters abundant and fresh, and that all this is contained within a vast territory with plenty of space and possibilities for development and growth. Pounding their chests with their fists, they proudly proclaim, “We are the lungs of the world”, in reference to the Amazon Rainforest. On the other hand, Brazilians are acutely

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aware that, despite all those geographical blessings bestowed on them, the territory is inhabited and managed by Brazilians, and this may be precisely where things go awry. As the very same Jobim commented, “Brazil is not for beginners.” Deep down they despair at their inability to make the most of their ideal geographical situation, and not infrequently one of them will throw his arms in air, as though giving up on life, and lament, “This could only happen in Brazil”. However, despair of this sort is compensated for by an unrivalled conviction that things will magically Children are told improve in the future. again and again in school With every new government that “Brazil is the country comes a fresh promise that the of the future!” country will really take off. Wearied by previous such announcements, the loyal citizens have learned to fasten their seat belts very tight, all too aware they may experience more turbulence on their journey to ‘order and progress’ (the words on the Brazilian flag). Children are told again and again in school that “Brazil is the country of the future!”, a motto famously reinforced by politicians. The trouble is, it has been the country of the future since its discovery by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Some 500 years later, Brazilians cannot help but feel that this blissful future appears to be taking its time to arrive.

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How they see themselves Brazilians are suspicious of and resistant to trust their fellow Brazilians in public affairs, a wariness brought on by years of accumulated negative experiences and disappointments (polls conducted by a national survey institute reveal that only 22% of Brazilians trust their President, A foreigner is likely to and an equally poor perforbe celebrated, spoiled, mance is observed in levels of instantly befriended, trust in political parties and hugged, loved and licked the National Congress). But to the nth degree. they are quick to draw attention to qualities that in their eyes make them a unique and brave people, such as their warm-hearted and friendly disposition in social relations and their much praised (though also derided) capacity to improvise which enables them to succeed when faced with adverse conditions by finding a ‘little way’ around a situation to make things work.

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A love of foreigners Many sharp observers of Brazilians have made remarks about the unabashed fascination Brazilians nurture for human beings from distant cultures. A foreigner is likely to be celebrated, spoiled, instantly befriended, hugged, loved and licked to the nth degree and in the most unusual circumstances. 3


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When the famous French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre landed in Brazil for a series of lectures in the 70s, the Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues was quick to point out the unashamed devotion his gullible admirers and readers lent to his every word and gesture. “Any bullshit spoken in French has a ring of an irrefutable and eternal truth”, he declared. It is not unlikely that the vast majority of the audience hadn’t a clue what was being said by the Frenchman, but this is precisely To the ears of the reason why he was Brazilians, the charming celebrated. To the ears of melody of foreign words Brazilians, the charming instantly imbues the melody of foreign words content of any remark instantly imbues the content with an air of of any remark with an air of divine mystery. divine mystery. Pope John Paul II, getting pop star treatment during a visit to Brazil, remarked that this is a country where people are affectively Catholic as opposed to effectively Catholic. It is more about the feeling of being a good, happy Christian than being faithful to the Church’s doctrine which is of little practical value in so far as it might actually encourage introspection, a notion dreaded by this gregarious people. Despite not always being able to speak a second

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language fluently, Brazilians nonetheless make an effort to engage with and be affectionate towards all those who take an interest in their country. They are affable and charming hosts, as many a foreigner has found out when an introduction resulted in the Brazilian not hesitating to introduce him to his entire family, generally a loud and cheerful bunch who will warmly greet, touch and kiss the new arrival. He will then receive royal treatment and be pampered like a prince. Brazlians will be Brazilians will even go out of tempted to offer food their way to satisfy the needs of and shelter if the some foreigner who is simply foreigner happens strolling through Brazil, and in to be with them for their excitement will be tempted five minutes. to offer food and shelter if the foreigner happens to be with them for five minutes, or even less. In Brazil, a foreigner gets priority merely by virtue of being a foreigner.

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Special relationships On the flip side, Brazilians have become experts in the art of blaming their social misfortunes on countries that they consider to have shamelessly exploited and taken advantage of Brazil’s human and natural resources. Notorious victims of this attitude include, among others, Argentina, the United States 5


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and Portugal, although it should be noted this in no way means nationals of these countries are discriminated against when visiting Brazil.

With the Argentinians It is said that the neighbour’s grass is always greener, and for many years that was indeed the case with the Argentinians: the vast fertile pampas of Argentina, the envy of its neighbours, were synonymous with prosperity, propelling the country’s expansion. While Brazil has been plagued by a myriad consecutive economic crises from its early days and is now resigned to continually struggle (for lack of a better option), The vast fertile pampas Argentina, by contrast, lived of Argentina, the envy its Belle Époque around the of its neighbours, were turn of the 20th century, synonymous with becoming a prosperous and prosperity, propelling the forward-thinking nation with country’s expansion. which wealthy European nations traded and to which Europeans flocked to find work and make fortunes. From this vantage point, the Argentinian nation began seriously to believe in its superiority and boasted of its status as one of the world’s leading economies and cultural hubs, looking down its nose at its neighbours.

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With the outbreak of the First World War, the country fell flat on its face and, in stark denial, refused to acknowledge that its status was no longer special. Some Brazilians Argentinians regard claim Argentinians have never Brazilians as a people really psychologically bounced lacking their level back, which has left them with a of sophistication and permanent scar of entitled snobintelligence. bery and a legacy of arrogant attitude. As a result, Argentinians regard Brazilians as a people lack-ing their level of sophistication and intelligence. Brazilians, in their turn, feel that only a people this sophisticated could create a mess this big. The age-old rivalry comes to the fore whenever a Brazil-Argentina football match takes place. Endless heated debates about whether Pelé or Maradona was the best player in the history of the game are a common occurrence, with the players themselves contributing to the inflamed situation by openly abusing and criticising one another. But with the appearance of Lionel Messi, the new kid on the block, Brazilians currently concede the matter in favour of the Argentinians. In the World Cup hosted by Brazil in 2014

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the Argentinians made it to the final with the Germans. Brazilians sat on the edge of their seats. They would have been able to recover from the psychological wound of not being the winners of the tournament, but their worst nightmare would have come true had the Argentinians become world champions on Brazilian soil. Argentina’s defeat by Germany was greeted with a huge sigh of relief and a not-very-well-concealed smile.

With the North Americans A love-hate relationship with the North Americans has been nurtured in history books and the media, and is reinforced to this day by opinion makers. A mildly anti-American sentiThe United States has ment that borders on the traditionally been Brazil’s irrational pervades the favourite scapegoat writings of academia and and punchbag. debates on television. The United States has traditionally been Brazil’s favourite scapegoat and punchbag, an attitude shared by other Latin American nations. The Americans, for their part, could not care less about what goes on in Brazil. Everyone needs to blame someone for their mistake and Brazilians point to key events in their history where they have been the victims of all sorts

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of damage perpetrated by the imperialist Yankees. The logic behind their thinking is quite simplistic – if Brazilians are poor, this can only be because the North Americans are rich. The logic behind However, the ambition of their thinking is quite many Brazilians is to migrate to simplistic – if Brazilians the United States and live the are poor, this can only American dream. Those who be because the North make it are eager to report that Americans are rich. the US is indeed the land where any dream is possible, so many young educated Brazilians aspire to land a job with a North American multi-national and endeavour to ensure that their desire does not remain only a Brazilian dream.

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With the Portuguese The Portuguese, who claim to have discovered Brazil and with whom the Brazilians share a language, are the traditional butt of the nation’s jokes. They are certainly not disliked by Brazilians, but are rather too frequently the object of derision because of their literal mindedness. Seemingly unaware of this mockery, the typical Portuguese is enamoured of the nation he colonized and lovingly helped to build, dreaming of eventually retiring to Brazil and living there happily 9


Nationalism & Identity

ever after, opening a pastry shop to sell ‘pasteis de belém’ (a traditional Portuguese pastry) and falling in love with a beautiful Brazilian. Brazilians take the view that nothing good could ever have resulted when a country has been colonised by a nation like Portugal, thereby washing their hands of any responsibility over their fate.

With Brazil In regard to their own country, two types of attitude are exhibited by the Brazilians, quite often struggling for room in the same brain. The first is the virulent patriot, an unconditional, irrational lover of Brazil who is quick to praise all things Brazilian regardless of Brazilians take the their quality, ultimately basing view that nothing good his evaluation on the level of could ever have resulted ‘Brazilian-ness’ that can be when a country has found, whether in a work of been colonised by a art or a situation. If it is from nation like Portugal. Brazil and made by a Brazilian, then it is good and worthy of praise. The virulent patriot does not tolerate any opposition to or criticism of his beloved country. The second type is the hopeless pessimist. He wants to move abroad, away from chaos, corrup-

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tion and the disorder inherent in public life. He’s a man possessed by fury from the moment he wakes up and Brazil starts to work on his nerves. He believes not much good could ever come out of his country and is quick to praise the greener grass he spots in other more prosperous parts of the world. Both orientations can be found in the one person at different times of the day, turning the Brazilian into a walking contradiction, maimed for life by a split personality.

Character Big hearts Brazilians are more at ease following what their hearts tell them to do than abiding by rules and regulations. A lack of awareness of Brazilians move any form of living that is not ruled easily from tears by the heart is at once a delightful of joy to tears blessing and an inescapable curse. of sorrow. They move easily from tears of joy to tears of sorrow. Suppression and containment of feelings is universally unknown. Instead, the Brazilian wears his heart on his sleeve for all to see. In their sweet surrender to basic instincts and emotions they find their moral compass in life.

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They make sure their inclination towards sentimentalism is widely displayed, behaviour of this kind constituting a virtue rather than a vice in the eyes of fellow countrymen. Words alone would never suffice to convey what lies deep inside those big hearts. If a Brazilian cares about something, he makes sure his approval or distaste is made public so that everyone can be aware of it. It is essential to be seen to be feeling something. With intense emotions overflowing and informing their every move, copious crying is a favourite on national television, folks happy to spill their guts about their latest misery. In conVery little negative sequence, very little negative connotation is attached connotation is attached to being to being pitied or pitied or victimized. It could be victimized. said that Brazilians go as far as taking pleasure in feeling sorry for themselves and each other. “Coitadinho!” (Poor guy!) is a frequently heard expression. Indeed, the title of a popular humorous book seeking to expose the Brazilian psyche was titled O pais dos coitadinhos (The country of the poor things), the word poor being employed in the sense of passive victims of an inescapably cruel destiny. An oft-repeated saying states ‘quem não chora, não mama!’, that is, ‘he who does not weep does

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not get to suckle’, a graphic testament to the Brazilians’ need to express themselves so visibly. This is a country where you only get what you want using the most emotional tool you can. Theatrical gestures accompany the public performance: it is not for nothing that the best TV soap operas in the world are produced in Brazil.

Everything is personal An excessive inclination for warmth in social relations (which from the beginning of a relationship must be quickly escalated to the personal level so as to quench the Brazilian heart’s burning desires) inhabits the Brazilian soul. Yet, for all their much praised warmth and kindness, This is a country these very traits have also been where you only get the cause of much misfortune and what you want using misery in politics and public the most emotional affairs. The tendency for democtool you can. ratically elected politicians to conduct public affairs in a personal manner, ultimately usurping their power to pursue their individual interests and those of friends and family, is only too well known and reveals an inability to separate private from public which is not terribly conducive to collective prosperity. Thus, while in public the Brazilian may heavily

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criticise the lack of objectivity in matters of national interest, deep down he knows this is precisely how he himself is inclined to conduct his daily affairs. Not uncommonly, what he does in practice does not match what he preaches. He criticizes the government for mismanagement of public funds, while evading his due tax payment. He complains of corruption in Not uncommonly, government, but is ready to bribe what a Brazilian does the police warden to avoid a traffic in practice does not ticket. He demands faithfulness in match up with what relationships but has a somewhat he preaches. loose sense of moral values concerning his own partner. At home he is Dr Jekyll, and in public Mr Hyde.

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‘Jeitinho’ Brazilians pride themselves on always managing to find a last-minute way out of a situation. This is a nation that has mastered the art of improvisation to previously unseen degrees of sophistication. One can always ‘dar um jeitinho’ (‘find a little way’ around a situation). Notoriously inept at long-term planning or collective organisation, Brazilians have as a psychological compensation developed an uncanny capacity to improvise and get around the most unexpected 14


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and challenging circumstances: “Worry not,” they will say, “I’ll find a jeitinho around this. Just leave it with me.” The strategy of choice is simply to leave things to chance in the hope they will sort themselves out of their own accord. The Brazilian is resigned to the notion of life as chaos. In fact, he thrives in chaos. Chaos presents him with endless opportunities to polish his improvisational skills, to come up with creative ways to advance in life The Brazilian is without having to wait in line. resigned to the When a rule or regulation notion of life as chaos. hampers his progress, he feels he In fact, he thrives has just not tried enough: all it in chaos. needs is to find the right jeitinho. Whether in an elevator or in a bus, there will be a jeitinho to make sure more people are squeezed in, for a Brazilian will always challenge – and often successfully beat – the elementary law of physics which states that two bodies cannot occupy the same space. Outsiders come to understand very quickly that the natural laws of physics do not apply in Brazil, if only because Brazilians have never been aware of their existence. The infamous favelas (slums) offer a visual example of the consequences of this mindset. Visitors to Brazil can be shocked and surprised by the sight of shacks sprouting over steep hills, liter-

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ally piled on top of each other, fighting for space and always on the verge of collapse. There was initial legislation to prevent any kind of construction in city suburbs, but not a soul, including the authorities, took any notice. Within a few years whole areas were covered, and it’s a never-ending on-going process. In fact, formal legislation is of very little value to the average Brazilian. Copious new legislation is passed daily and some time later .....................

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