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[–] Zardoz [S] ago 

That's some shocking disparity and yes I met quite a few young Brazilians abroad but they were more like your demo. Basically wealthy enough to be traveling and studying overseas and in relatively expensive countries like the UK and Canada. When I'd ask a little about the seemingly pandemic thefts and robberies and pickpockets they'd kinda just laugh it off or would mention those 'favelas' but in a kind of 'joke way'. Yes, oh those places are full of crazies and gangs. But I could tell they were in the 'bubble' which you can see in rich Chinese kids, Indians and others from similar high-disparity countries

Thing that baffles me a little is that Brazil (so i thought?) has quite a Roman Catholic tradition. And if anything it seems South American Roman Catholicism really puts quite a lot of focus and respect and admiration on the poor and needy, social justice (not the SJW brand) but on charity and community spirit.

India doesn't have that. They really do have a 'caste system' deep-seated in theri religions and so there are real explanations on how and why one guy can have golden gates to a 600 million dollar mansion overlooking a horrifying slum.

China also has an entirely different mentality. The more poor people and the poorer they are only make the money man bigger and prouder. Hell you don't even have to get richer and Chinese can be happier everyone else is poorer. In a 'shame culture' there are lots of explanations for 5% having insane comfortable (and isolated or 'bubble life') wealth.

But Brazil? Brazil should have every Western ideal. Oh, I don't mean Venezualen 'Communism' or socialism either. I just mean Brazil should have all those Western values that just want to constantly clear the way for anyone to succeed, equality among classes and I'd think a kind of work ethic and pride for the working man??

I have to give one of the Colombian student credit. He was almost a kind of 'activist' but in a critical way about his own country. He was a helluva speaker who could have done 'TED Talks' and he say - "Colombia, we have only ourselves to blame! We have everything. Everything, every natural resource, every lush forest, farmlands and beaches, we have open spaces, we have beautiful warm weather, Colombia has everything to be one of the single greatest tourist destinations in the Western world, we have geography on our side and we even have some of the most handsome and beautiful people on the planet! We have Latin music, we have football champions, we have cathedrals, history, culture" - and then he'd explain why its just wasted over and over again. drugs of all the stupid things. senseless gangster cultures, blaming the USA, blaming Venezuala, blaming rich people, blaming poor people or as its said "voting in governments that we deserve" (meaning of course whos to blame when a terrible party sinks the economy again and again).

I was led to believe that its entirely possible his family, quite likely his uncle who I knew well, that they were abroad because of involvement in a group called something like 'The Pepes' and holy shit did they clear up some drug problems. And I give them credit. Because they just decided to 'take their country back'.

But can Brazil do something like that? Can Brazil ever have a kind of 'social revolution' that does NOT amount to people throwing toilet bowls in football riots or massive cops vs gangs shootouts and machete battles??

Come on Brazil.. get your shit together please!