Top Gear Mexican “Joke”

With regard to comments of an automobile of Mexican manufacturing, Mexicans and their food by the presenters of Top Gear, I approached my opinion in four points that I consider important to review,

1) The kind of program. Top Gear is a popular television program of the BBC in the topics of cars. The popularity of this program is based on the irreverent style and sometimes disproportionate of the comments made by the presenters, which said by themselves, reflects the British sense of humor. There have been many occasions when the presenters have had to apologize because allude and offend members of a community or people of an entire nation. Within this context, we must consider that the exploitation of prejudice by the presenters is an important part of its popularity and that the their opinion are not the responsibility of the British People themselves.

2) The automobile Mastreta alias “Tortilla”. It is curious that Top Gear, being a program that focuses on the characteristics of the cars, has not issued a single comment about the technical specifications of the Mexican car, and they dedicated themselves to make absurd associations of “national characteristics”, for example that the car would be irresponsible, flatulent and overweight (a machine with these characteristics? ). Of course, these attributes may not correspond to a car. By the absurdity of this comment, the replica is totally unnecessary.

3) The Mexicans. We know that when we generalize there is a very high probability that we are giving false information. However; we must also be realistic and self-critical. I think that first we must ask ourselves how and from where they built the stereotype of the Mexicans. It is likely that we have ourselves intervened on it. In some tourist sites in Mexico, the Mexican souvenirs show an image of a man with zarape asleep on a cactus! We are a people who has tolerated corruption of our leaders which has resulted in the enormous inequalities, poverty for more than half of our people, the lack of opportunities for many Mexicans and violence in the majority of our territory, this has conducted to have a high unemployment rate.

On the other hand, we have a health system that instead of developing strategies for prevention is totally exceeded in the treatment of diseases. The truth is that we are a nation of overweight people, as much as we have trouble accepting it.

4) The food. Mexican cuisine is considered by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity for their great variety and delicacy worthy of saving. It is among the three major cuisines in the world counting the French and Chinese cuisines.This information is from the world dominance and Anthony Bourdain did an excellent job in his documentary. I presume that the presenters of Top Gear are not  ignorant but malicious. Quite frankly, I believe that when the comments are obviously false, the arguing is absolutely worthless.