We live in an underdeveloped country.

Why are we underdeveloped?

I was talking with my parents the other day, and they believe that the British who went to America had a superior culture than the Spaniards who came to our countries. Most of those Spaniards were thieves and adventurers. They came here for the gold.

In contrast, the Europeans that went to America were fleeing from religious persecution. They brought to America their great culture. They went to work, not to have easy reaches.

And that’s the reason we are the way we are.

We need to learn from Americans. We need to be more disciplined and work harder.

I am so skeptic of that rhetoric.

I asked my father “Do you really believe in the superiority of Yankee culture? I don’t. I know Americans can be very superficial, with no real appreciation of culture”.

And he said “It’s not their culture, but their industriousness, that’s the reason for their economic power”.

“Are you aware”, I said, “that Hugo Chavez would call you a “pitiyanqui”?”

“Pitiyanqui” is a word that Chavez uses to denigrate his enemies. He implies that those who adverse him are pro-Yankees, or anti-Venezuelan. “Pitiyanqui” also suggests someone who admires Yankees and wants to be like them. It has servile connotations.

We don’t need to imitate Yankees, we have our own perspective.