Question for the Portuguese?

[jatutt]

This is an honest question no joke and definitely not meant to be demeaning!

I have only known one Portuguese in my life and he was a top notch person. We are out of touch now and I don't know how to reach him or I would simply ask him.


In my travels to the great continent of Africa I have learned that areas where the Portuguese had control/influence during the days of colonialism that people do not stand in line or seem to be aware of the concept of doing so. Instead they push and elbow until they can get part of their bodies (usually an elbow) on the counter or whatever.

Those in Africa seem to think that the Portuguese had something to do with this as the English colonies close by all practice standing in line. Although they don't allow space from one person to another within the line.

So do any of you from Portugal know why this might be?

 

[jatutt]

Anyone else heard of this before?

 

[raen]

Originally posted by jatutt
Anyone else heard of this before?

What you are saying is very confusing, you are talking about what? Confusion at airport? Not standing in line?

What I can say is that when Portuguese were in Africa, countries like Angola and Moçambique were a better place to live than Portugal. They had everything. But the colonial war was a disaster, all was destroyed.... But they are recovering, I think.

 

[Sims2789]

Angola is still richer than Portugal.

 

[WickedSmurf]

Originally posted by jatutt
People do not stand in line or seem to be aware of the concept of doing so. Instead they push and elbow until they can get part of their bodies (usually an elbow) on the counter or whatever.

I do that, but that doesn't make me Portuguese nor African now does it? I do it because it annoys people.

Anyway, you may find that kind of behaviour anywhere where there's a good sale or something...

 

[Marla_Singer]

Originally posted by sims2789
Angola is still richer than Portugal.

What's your criteria to say so ?

 

[jatutt]

Originally posted by raen


What you are saying is very confusing, you are talking about what? Confusion at airport? Not standing in line?

What I can say is that when Portuguese were in Africa, countries like Angola and Moçambique were a better place to live than Portugal. They had everything. But the colonial war was a disaster, all was destroyed.... But they are recovering, I think.

The not standing in line is everywhere you would expect to see a line. The grocery store, the post office, in normal everyday situations.


I agree the European presence in Africa produced some very positive things.

 

[raen]

Originally posted by sims2789
Angola is still richer than Portugal.

Yes they have all to be richer than Portugal, but their political system(and some foreign vampires!!! ) makes the powerful richer and the poor more poor.

They have Diamants, Oil and a rich fish variety, if I am not wrong.

Originally posted by jatutt
The not standing in line is everywhere you would expect to see a line. The grocery store, the post office, in normal everyday situations.

Ahh ok, for me this dont have nothing to do with Portuguese or not, the problem here is that for some reason they do that maybe dependes on education or maybe poor ppl have to do that to survive...maybe it is they way of living.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

There are rude people everywhere. I seriously doubt it's a "tradition" to elbow your way through old ladies to get to a checkout counter...

 

[Yago]

The idea of colinization is, as I understand it, to tap into the riches of a country which is actually richer then the mother country. And Africa is a very rich continent, like the Americas or countries like Indonesia and China. So, no wonder that former colonies are richer then their former mother countries.

Speculation. The British had a tight grip in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century on their colonies, maybe they instructed their subjects to queue, while the Portugese Empire already faded away, and they had really other problems to care about.

 

[LouLong]

Originally posted by Marla_Singer
What's your criteria to say so ?

I think he is right. A rich country does not mean rich people or vice versa.
Angola could be a really rich country, richer than Portugal anyway thanks to its mineral or fossile resources. Of course the repartition of the wealth is THE pb after that. Or will be since the civil war stopped only recently. Of course as most rich African or Middle-Eastern countries, these will be "rent-based" economies, not really producing or developping much.

Brazil is a very rich country too (albeit with a much more diverse and healthier economy). That does not prevent a lot of striking poverty in the country...

 

[SanPellegrino]

Well, it is just how you define "rich", rich in ressources, wealthy people, life standard etc..

Germany e.g. has nothing except coal and some iron, although it is far more "rich" than most african countries.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Originally posted by LouLong
I think he is right. A rich country does not mean rich people or vice versa.
Angola could be a really rich country, richer than Portugal anyway thanks to its mineral or fossile resources. Of course the repartition of the wealth is THE pb after that. Or will be since the civil war stopped only recently. Of course as most rich African or Middle-Eastern countries, these will be "rent-based" economies, not really producing or developping much.

Brazil is a very rich country too (albeit with a much more diverse and healthier economy). That does not prevent a lot of striking poverty in the country...

Yeah, but Brazil is a country of 150 million people ! Angola is a country which is not more populated than Portugal (10 million people each). Angolese overall GDP is ten time smaller than Portuguese overall GDP... even if Angola is a relatively "rich" african country thanks to its oil exports... it doesn't change the statement. My purpose is neither to bash Africa nor to bash Angola but I don't see any criteria making of Angola a richer country than Portugal actually. That's why I was interested to know what was Sims2789 statement based on. The word "richer" doesn't seem the most accurate to me. That's all.

 

[MCdread]

Well, despite the portuguese are not exactly a very patient and disciplined people in that regard, at least not as the english or northern europeans in general, in which they're only as latin as Spain or Italy, I wouldn't say people don't stand in line or elbow other people to get ahead in a line.

The reason for such behaviour in Angola is probably due to the total disgrace that the country turned to in recent years, where there isn't justice and proper human rights. The common people live in a state of affairs, where it is the survival of the fittest that rules, be it the smartest, or the richest or the one that cheats the most. This degradation of life is imo what leads to the degradation of such rules of etiquete.