About stereotypes

Even though I haven´t watched a whole chapter of the “Top Gear” TV show I think is not the kind of show I would like to watch. The first time I heard about this TV show was on the Mexican’s news showing the hosts of this TV show saying we are lazy, irresponsible and that our food is disgusting. I have to admit that at the first moment I got so mad, but later I just realize that the hosts of that show were only showing their ignorance. In my opinion, ignorance is cause of discrimination and believing on stereotypes.

Actually, many Mexicans are angry and others just loud about the opinions; in my case I think I first got mad because I don´t identify myself with those stereotypes about the food I eat and the way I am.

In the other hand, Antony Bourdain on his TV show “Without reservations” came to Mexico and tried food and knew Mexican people; and we can say that now he is able to emit an objective opinion about it, but I think that as consequence of the huge diversity and differences that in Mexico exist is almost impossible to emit an opinion that generalize us as Mexicans in an objective way. As with the “Top Gear” hosts opinions I don´t feel identify, I have not even try many dishes Antony Bourdain showed on his program!! Those that many people think are a essential characteristic of Mexican culture… and that doesn´t makes me less Mexican! We are just different.

Nevertheless we have to accept those differences and recognize what we deserve, others have no right to make fun in a rude way about us as we have no right to do it about others, more if we don’t know them. And with respect to the food topic, we have to admit that consider something delicious or disgusting is cultural determination; even if Mexican or French or Chinese food are recognize by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity because of their complicatedness there are dishes I would never try! And of course are dishes I really really love!