Materialism in Colombia?

caulfield2 says on Jun 3, 2006, 08:01:

Definitely. The irony is that a lot of my students never wear make-up when they come to school, but they always look nice when they go out.

I see young women working in a lot of these retail places making $4-5 mil per hour and spending half of their money on clothing. Of course, you have the same problem in the US, but it's not IMPOSSIBLE to save money in the US if you try. Sometimes, I almost feel like there's this sense that if you invest all your energy (as a young person) into looking good, it will be paid back to you by finding someone who will take care of you...

I know a few women (mostly my university students) who are very serious about their studies and really care very little about dressing to kill, wearing a lot of make-up or attracting the attention of others.

OTOH, there's that very visible segment of society that wears the high heels, cleavage-baring blusas (or, better yet, the ones tht show off both the abs and the low-riding, skin tight pants combination, with the underwear showing a little), European style sunglasses, etc.

It goes with the plastic surgery phenomenon hand-in-hand IMO. You see the extremes in the poorest people and the richest people...the rich can afford to look this way, unfortunately, the middle and lower classes spend most of their money and don't save for university or college with the belief that sometimes, being beautiful can pay off more than being smart. Of COURSE, it's a generalization, and there are plenty of women all around the world who believe this, it's not a Colombian, Venezuelan, Brazilian or Argentinian thing.

I do notice that other countries in SA are much more tuned-down when it comes to this....less make-up, more conservative, less skin, less name brand or American label clothing.

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morphus says on Jun 3, 2006, 10:04:

oh yeah A good example: everybody has a cell phone but most can't afford to make the calls...ha ha

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webmanco says on Jun 3, 2006, 10:27:

Most colombians can afford to Most colombians can afford to make cell phone calls, we just don´t go paying the high charges when calling different operators.


Movistar
Comcel
Ola

The good thing in a way is that just in every block there is someone selling cell minutes.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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caulfield2 says on Jun 3, 2006, 10:30:

What always cracks me up is how many people call you, let it ring once, and then expect you to call back. Many don´t have contracts, so they´re always running out of minutes...so they can only receive incoming calls. It´s my gringo subsidization of the phone industry here I think.

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adrimm says on Jun 3, 2006, 15:23:

Wow Now I *know* that I've been away awhile if I've missed threads here that say something to the effect of generally "Colombians aren't materialistic".. Either that or the person who wrote said comment comes from an even more materialistic (in general) society.

I never cease to be amazed at the importance of "appearances", both physical and material in Colombia (at least within towns and cities - campesinos are probably a different lot, subject to less advertising, etc)

PS. You ought to see the expressions that I get when they find I don't have (nor intend to get) a cell phone.

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Rubiazo says on Jun 4, 2006, 00:40:

at caulfield Anywhere that you don't pay for receiving calls is like that. People in the UK do that all the time to each other too. Another great trick is to text somebody from the internet! You pay nothing, THEY pay 300 pesos or so to receive the msg, which says to call you hahahaahahahahahah!

Materialism is a global problem, not a national one. I believe I am living in the absolute epicenter of it here in NYC! But any place where you NEED a car to get around is also going to have to be pretty materialistic.

I think that materialistic people abound in Bogota, but it is a lot easier to FIND people who are not that way there, it is also a lot easier to live a non-materialistic lifestyle there because food and rent are comparivately so much cheaper, whereas luxury items are so much more expensive! If I lived there right now, I would be much more inclined to earn enough to fill the fridge and keep the lights on and stop there, whereas here in NYC, it's more like 'would you like a new DVD burner with those french fries, sir'?

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Atrevido says on Jun 4, 2006, 08:26:

I would say the "middle/upper class" segment of Colombian society is extremely materialistic and it is all important to go about "todo plastico" and "dedi parada" in a "campero del ano" with a woman with breast implants. The really poor don't have the plata to be materialistic and the really rich are often too concerned about "secuestro" to show off material wealth. There is of course a huge segment fitting the first description above that are "nuevo rich" from narcotrafico.

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miamimike says on Jun 4, 2006, 09:34:

Rubiazo I'll differ with you LOL But Ground Zero for materialsm is Miami. On Colombian Materialism,I see this in triplicate here in South Florida ranging from Kendall/Coral Gables through Weston, Adventura up to West Palm Beach. I agree 100% with Adrimm and the OP. This Materialism lands a lot of Colombians in BIG BIG financial trouble within a few years of their arrival here in South Florida. I shop reguarly at several Thrift Stores here in Miami and rarely do I see Colombians(I could add venezuelanos also but the topic is colombians)Rarely do I run into a Colombian but many Dominicans, Cubans,( even run into two women from Buenos Aires last week nd that was a surprise)Haitians and Central Americans are found. Funny, I see lots of Middle aged Americans pulling up in their BMWs and Mercedes, dressed down of course and later exiting the stores their arms full of purchases. These People have the Money to buy these Luxury Cars because they have learned to manage their money well and that includes not blowing the week's Paycheck on Expensive Foolish New clothing! I recently sent a box to Bogota of Very Nice Clothing(current styles also)with Brand Names such as Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, London Fog, Columbia(company), Pendleton-a large box full that cost me $45 used, new around $600 and in great condition.Cost me $30 to ship door to door by private carrier(Miami to Bog)! I rest my case. And the recipients were very happy. No stigma on used clothing for them. A family of Colombian Doctors, Dentists and Politicians.....

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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Rubiazo says on Jun 4, 2006, 10:43:

Like I've said before you can not compare expats with people in their home countries. Many expats often have (and share) traits that are counter-cultural in their home countries, although I don't think materialism is counter-cultural anywhere on the planet these days, excepting maybe Cuba :P THAT is actually a perfect example, the Miami Cubans compared to the Cubans still living in their country, night and day!

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adrimm says on Jun 4, 2006, 11:53:

Gringodiego Me?? kids?? Gads no. Love'em, but don't have them myself (not yet at least). It's the best of both worlds for the time being :)

That said, I have a wide selection of toddlers and babies of my friends who I can "kid"nap any time I like....

Haven't even thought of my kids and cell phones... probably won't be allowed until teen years. This phenomenon of 7 year olds with cell phones is just creepy.

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adrimm says on Jun 4, 2006, 12:39:

Classes While bringing this whole post under a "generalisation blanket" I think that materialism in Colombia is probably more linked to geogrpahy (urban/not urban) than class.

I have some relatives whose cleaning ladies get their nails the same place that their employers do (which is fine - except they do it so they can say they get their nails done at the same place as Doña_____). Doesn't have to be big-ticket materialism ....take grocery shopping: showing up in the barrio with a bag of groceries from Olympia or Carulla, or whereever, means something vs showing up with the same bag of groceries bought at an open plaza de mercado. I have lower-end relatives who were apalled that I wanted to visit/shop at the "plaza de mercado".

It;s like when starbucks first appeared, when someone told us that a $3.50 cup of coffee is quality/luxury. But it is an accessible "luxury" to those without much means. Even if you could get one for $1.50 around the corner. (This also serves as an illustration that materialism is hardly Colombia-only domain). I think someone else had previously brought up the starbucks comment- Caulfield or ARM maybe?

This brings us back up to Caulfield's comment with
"middle and lower classes spend most of their money.."

but if I may add, not just for beauty, for pride and appearances too.

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caulfield2 says on Jun 4, 2006, 13:05:

It's the same thing as sales tax, it disproportionately affects the middle class and especially the poorest...those who can least afford it.

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Rubiazo says on Jun 4, 2006, 13:23:

If somebody acted funny that I went to the plaza de mercado to buy my food instead of Carulla I'd tear them a new asshole. I'd actually LOVE the chance to let somebody have a piece of my mind for that.

Carulla has really REALLY second-rate food, especially compared to Paloquemao and the like. How ironic that rich people in Bogota eat worse than poor people! Here in the USA you have to be real flush to be able to eat good fresh organic everything and even get reasonable good quality with it, and if you are poor you are stuck eating processed junk and getting diabeted off of it!

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corazon en colombia says on Jun 4, 2006, 15:16:

Food I totally agree about the food thing. What is the deal here in the states? Only rich people can afford food without the chemicals...so the rest of us just have to let our insides rot away slowly, seriously there is all kinds of toxins in our daily comida. My Colombian friend's grandma used to say to stay away from the apples without the worms! (Gross, but true.) Obviously if the bugs are smart enough not to eat them why are we!!!

Rubiazo, thanks for comtributing that comment about materialism being a global problem, definately! Unfortunately there seems to be an abundance of people with this disease in certain areas. :(

I didn't get any comments about if there differences between certain cities in Colombia? In the states I'd say there's a huge difference. Luckily I'm in the Midwest where most people are still down to earth, can't compare to large coastal cities. Any observations in Colombia?

Colombia = paradiso

Colombia = paradiso

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Rubiazo says on Jun 4, 2006, 15:42:

I have only been to Bogota and environs, so I don't know much about other areas or cities. Most Colombians would tell you Bogota is the most materialistic place in the country, which would make sense, because probably more than 1/2 the country's capital is concentrated there!

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