Ethos Components in Modern Latin American Culture

Abstract

An essay focusing on a limited number of components of the ethos or the constellation of acquired drives or motivations that are characteristic of the culture, & the goals toward which cultural activities are directed or upon which high value is placed. It is to be understood that no value judgments are involved. Some of the basic goals of the culture (among others) are realization of potentialities of the individual soul, personal adaptation to &/or manipulation of an established hierarchical social structure, & statisfying contact with something beyond this life or mundane existence. Obviously, for people conditioned to such a culture, the pragmatic & technological approaches do not, in themselves, constitute what might be called a first-order appeal: they must be combined with something more. This 'something more' varies from one region & from one SC & from one school of philosophy to another, but it has more or less general manifestations throughout LA societies. One of these is the almost universal preoccupation with death, elaborate ceremonies connected with it, & a tendency of the living to dote upon its inevitability with a certain sweet sadness (tristeza). This is connected with the theme of the importance of the soul, whose essence outlives the body. The LA pattern greatly emphasizes fiestas & other forms of merrymaking to an extent such affairs may be regarded as 'dionysiac'. A careful psycho-socio-cultural analysis would doubtless demonstrate that the fiesta complex is often a culturally patterned outlet for the frustrations imposed by the overall system. Another aspect of this theme is the great value given to words & their manipulation as against low rating given to empirical investigation of premises & data. The Word is more valued than the Thing. The yearning for the idea, concept, word, creative interpretation is a definite component of the LA ethos, highly valued by persons of all soc stations. Another basic component is the value of the individual as special & unique, as being not exactly 'like' anyone else. The macho or male is a highly valued ideal, while a Mc identification is not. H. H. Smythe.