Mexico's Taj Mahal

Love is definitely a many-splendored thing...

In the 17th Century, from 1632 through about 1653, the emperor Shah Jahan built what we now consider one of the wonders of the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Tradition says that he built this gorgeous building as a mausoleum to his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to their 14th child.  In preparing for this writing, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of this monument (click here for a great picture of the Taj Mahal in Wikimedia Commons).

In a quite different time and latitude, I felt privileged to visit the Museo Soumaya a few weeks ago.  Built as a memorial to Soumaya Domit, Carlos Slim's late wife, I realized that one might need a full week to truly admire the panoply of works collected by Mr. Slim.  I had already heard of his impressive collection, but walking around the museum to be exposed to art ranging several centuries and cultures was quite an experience.

Popular or classic; Mexican, European, Asian; pre-Hispanic, colonial, or modern; sculptures, paintings, and reliefs; sacred and profane, are just a few of the labels that may be applied to the wealth of large and small pieces that are currently open to the public in a Southern neighborhood of Mexico City.  Da Vinci, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Dalí, Rivera, Renoir, and Van Gogh are some of the most famous authors whose work can be admired by anyone willing to spend some time in this mausoleum.  Along some of these pieces, we find paintings and other works whose authors have been lost, but the products of their talents have not.  And we can even find out about several Mexican artists who never reached the status that Rivera or Kahlo have recently been given, but their creativity was diffused throughout the nation, if not the world, albeit at a different scale.

 

Clearly, my comparing the Soumaya Museum with the Taj Mahal may be considered far fetched in more than way.  In addition, I don't consider myself an art critic; even if I worked for a couple of years in a museum (Monterrey's Centro Cultural Alfa, another so-called vanity or industrial philanthropy museum), my work and my studies have always been centered around computers, businesses and international matters.  Still, whenever I travel, I try to give myself an opportunity to visit museums or attend local performances.  I would hardly be called a connoisseur, but I am grateful that I have enjoyed collections in Mexico, the US, Canada, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Italy, France, the UK, Thailand, Indonesia, and a few other places that I don't have in the top of my mind right now.

Other individuals, obviously more qualified to review museums published their opinions earlier this year, when this place opened its doors.  To illustrate, the Wall Street Journal offers what I would consider a balanced --if at times snobbish--article, while critics writing for the LA Times did not hide their disappointment.  For you, who might not have a trip to Mexico City scheduled in the short time, I would recommend visiting the Soumaya museum's website, and decide for yourself whether a day (or more!) is worth your time.

I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed my visit.  I am not positive that my 14-year old son and my 12-year old daughter were as impressed as I was.  But I definitely hope that they will now be able to associate some of these works with the names that they might read about in their history or art classes.  I also hope that one day, they will be able to recognize in this museum, one of the most notorious philanthropic actions of a man who is both admired and criticized in their lifetimes: Carlos Slim has been identified as the richest man in the world for a few years now, and he has achieved this status in an economy that is characterized by its lesser development and blatant, if not painful inequalities. 

This might be one of the largest gifts he has offered to the city that has given him fame and fortune.  Few individuals will ever have the ability to give free access to anyone with time and interest to a collection this massive, this diverse, this impressive.  Carlos Slim has done it --and I hope this is not the last time we learn about ways in which he gives back to a country that cannot afford to focus exclusively on basic needs or on the success of its teenage (U-17 or under 17) football players.

To learn more:

• The Wall Street Journal's balanced review
• LA Times' dissappointment
• The Soumaya Museum's website 
• Mexico organized FIFA U-17 World Cup

…February’s “V-Days”

I have been witnessing an interesting twist to an old tradition. I remember that, as I was growing up, the month of February used to be a month to celebrate “love and friendship,” particularly in relation to Saint Valentine’s day; the elusive figure from the early years of Christianity for whom it is difficult to find historical evidence. As you know, this is a welcome occasion for many companies that sell all things imaginable that may be related to friendship and beyond… greeting cards, candy, chocolates, flowers, movies, songs, books, intimate apparel, jewelry, romantic getaways, dinners, and everything in between!

As I reviewed two years ago, this holiday generates spending in our nation to the tune of “teen billions” in sales. Last year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expected a dip in sales from the previous year: $14.7 Bn in 2009, compared to $17.02 Bn in 2008 –in case you were wondering, no estimates for this particular festivity were publicly available for 2010 at the time of this writing, but a projected increase of 2.5% in sales for 2010 leads me to believe that we might see a slight bump.

NRF’s data also shows that only the end of the year and the return to school generate larger sales than “V-day;” not even Mother’s or Father’s day, Easter, Halloween, the Super Bowl or Saint Patrick’s day inspire our nation to open our wallets as we do in the middle of February. And, of course we are not the only ones stimulating the economic cycles; all around the world, there are variations that celebrate love and friendship, with the exception of cultures that explicitly reject Western influences as do some Hindi and Saudi Arabians.

Where is “the Twist”?
For the past decade or so, I have been observing an increase in popularity, scope, and support for a different type of “V-Day,” the movement created by Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues. I would be surprised if you haven’t heard about it, as universities and community centers all over the US have been organizing readings of this work on or around February 14. What started as a presentation of diverse feminine experiences (including one that was highly questionable to say the least) has become a world-wide movement that demands a stop to all forms of violence and abuse against women.

I will admit that the monologues were not particularly appealing to me when their dissemination started. The reviews I read cautioned that one of the segments offered a highly appreciative portrayal of a lesbian rape of an underage, drunken girl, while most other segments categorically condemned –as they should!—any violence perpetrated by males. Critics also pointed out how harmonious relationships between men and women are not given enough “air time” within the event, compared to traumatic encounters. Others have criticized the “hijacking” of St. Valentine’s Day and in a few countries –including European ones like Monte Carlo or Monaco—the piece has been found vulgar or tasteless.

The Redemption of the Monologues?
Still, the activism that this movement has been generating is worth a close look. Among the most noticeable outcomes of the V-Day movement we find a dozen festivals prominently covered by the mainstream media thanks to the support of well-known personalities; thousands of benefit events in cities around the world; and a great deal of grass-roots events with the purpose of educating, raising funds and supporting organizations that year-round help victims of domestic and other types of violence. This year the focus is on the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of many fronts that, thanks to its marginal socio-political status, has gone largely unnoticed by the media. Kudos to Ensler for using in this way the notoriety that her V-Day movement has acquired!!

Another initiative that I find laudable is the grass-roots creation of a V-Men event for 2011. Within the next few weeks, focus groups will be joining men who are willing to contribute their own experiences, thoughts and other resources to stop the violence against women. As a researcher on women’s experiences at the workplace who also happens to be the husband of an amazing woman, father of two little girls, brother of another two great women, and son of a most loving home-based activist, I can only strongly recommend this effort that surely will eliminate the criticism that V-Day is a “man hating” event.

Should We Have a “BV-Day”?
Considering all the disadvantages that women encounter in business –the gender pay gap, the glass ceiling, mommy tracks, double-duty, tokenism, glass cliffs, stereotyped treatment, difficulties in finding mentors and career advocates, to name just a few—perhaps we ought to have a “BV-Day.” At least once a year, we, in the world of Business, should stop to reflect how a very subtle type of violence is perpetrated against some of the smartest, hardest working, underappreciated individuals who just happen to have a body that is different from those of us in the majority.

What do you think? Feel free to send me an email to drolivaslujan_at_gmail.com or post your comment on my facebook or LinkedIn page.

¡Hasta la próxima!

To learn more:

This Wikipedia entry summarizes what is currently known about Saint Valentine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine

The National Retail Federation publishes data on consumer spending through the following website: http://www.nrf.com/

Ensler’s Vday organization’s website is at: http://www.vday.org/home

…cultural differences

This column could be so much longer… and yet so interesting, in spite of focusing only on surface differences in a popular communications medium like film! And the fact that I’m writing it might actually make it less interesting than it could be, if I wasn’t such a nerdy academic… perhaps a funny writer would make it more readable, but it probably doesn’t matter because if you have read other columns of mine and you’re still reading this, I’m probably not so bad after all…

See? There’s the first of those cultural differences that those of us who live in two (or more!) cultures often have to endure. Self-deprecation is so atypical of individualistic cultures like the one we live in! And not only are we living in the USA, one of the most individualistic nations of all, but also we chose to major in or dedicate ourselves to Business! Putting ourselves down in front of others –let alone in a publication with national distribution—is not a good idea! Yet, growing up in a Hispanic family, with all of its traditions and religious norms, is a major influence that shows up when we least expect it, when we don’t need it, when we wish it had not.

Business negotiations, hiring interviews, even simpler social events –which we know can lead to work-related projects!—are some of those contexts in which we might wish we had not said publicly that “we didn’t think you were the best” for the job, that so-and-so can do a better job (even if you didn’t think so to begin with, but that’s the “polite” thing to do, according to our upbringing, right? ...can you hear Mom or Dad telling you, “Don’t blow your own horn! If you’re good, people will notice and there’s no need for you to tell anyone…”? Well, somehow this doesn’t seem to happen in reality…!). So, we undermine ourselves so often, in spite of the business training, against our friends’ or mentors’ advice, at odds with what we know is best for our company or for our career…

Two films, two cultures

Well, the diatribe above came right after I saw a charming French film called Je vais te manquer (“I will miss you”), at the time that my neighbor in the plane was watching He’s just not that into you. Interestingly, both films have a similar theme: the lives of several people intertwine, showing us love, life, encounters, separations, even sickness and death.

It was interesting for me to see how many brands had excellent exposure in the US film (you know… product placement!), whereas the French one had all the company names (even some that would have been quite “natural” to show, like signs in buildings or at the airport) blurred, in an evidently manufactured way.

Of course, there were many similarities between both films. Several scenes were so badly overacted (I know, I am no critic and probably I would have made the scene worst, but I did not need to be a connoisseur to feel that some segments were so contrived!). And, of course, there were some discrepancies you would expect in the cars, the music, the dialogues, the places, some clothing items, norms about relationships, etc.

Another major difference is that the US film had only young and pretty people as its main characters. On the other hand, the main characters in the French flick ran the gamut from a young child to three older individuals, from a Senegalese immigrant to a racist officer, and many of them looked quite common! I am not saying that Hollywood’s product did not have its share of African American, Asian, gay, and other token characters. And the French film also had some diversity that looked superficial, perhaps compliance-oriented. Still, the demographic differences shown in Je vais… “felt” more authentic; you know what I mean?

Five airports, many cultures

Unfortunately, those were not the only cultural differences I experienced during this trip between Clarion (PA) and Vaasa (Finland). You see, I went through five airports and the corresponding flights and stopover periods during approximately twenty-two hours. I have to admit that I enjoyed the generous service offered by non-US airlines, wishing the food and drink in our domestic flights weren’t as stingy as they currently are. In addition, I don’t think I can ever get over the wide diversity of dressing, languages, and people one can see in major European hubs like CDG in Paris. But I also felt increasingly bothered by some differences that I didn’t think would. For example, people from some non-Western nations were chewing their food loudly, without closing their mouths. Or a family with two very young girls who, in less than 45 minutes, spilled soda on the floor –and surrounding travelers—and left cookie crumbs on my coat. I guess it’s payback from the times my kids have cried on airplanes because they were not aware that jetlag would make them so uncomfortable. But, is it really too much to expect people to cover their mouths while coughing or sneezing? –especially while the H1N1 virus still seems to be a significant health threat in our world…!  It's easy to get crabby when you're jet lagged! 

Your turn…

What do you think? Would you mind posting your thoughts about the cultural differences that are most salient to you? I know there are hundreds of movies but, if you have seen these two, would you mind sharing your thoughts with me?

¡Hasta la próxima!