Mexico, present and future

In his new book concerning the Mexican national character, Mañana Forever?: Mexico and the Mexicans, Jorge Castañeda—one of Mexico's most prominent intellectuals—provides a catalogue of the cultural problems that are holding our country back. In his list of flaws that afflict Mexican society he includes extreme individualism, aversion to conflict and competition, xenophobia and the utter disregard for the law. According to Castañeda, in order for Mexico to move along the path towards development and prosperity it must first shed away these bad habits, which it has acquired along the lengthy course of its history.

Castañeda is absolutely right on several accounts. It is true that, in general, the average Mexican today is individualistic, mistrusting and does not easily lend himself to cooperating with others. It is also true that Mexicans today, generally speaking, would rather repress their anger than confront their adversaries in an effort to resolve their differences and move on. It’s also true that some Mexicans wouldn’t hesitate to blame the Gringos for all of our collective problems and let’s not even get started on the absence of competition in Mexico (although this seems to be gradually changing at the moment) or the neglect and abuse of laws, which is still common to this day. All of these problems, without a doubt, deserve attention and they require solutions. That said, it should be noted that despite the fact that many Mexicans do possess some, if not all, of these negative traits, the Mexico of today is already moving in the right direction.

Mexico is a country full of young, dynamic individuals who are eager for chance at a better future and we are willing to work hard for it, we are willing to change for it. This growing attitude, which has arisen as a result of the greater social openness and flexibility the newer generations of Mexicans exhibit today, is a manifestation of a great collective awakening that young Mexicans—especially those that belong to the middle class majority—are experiencing today. We have developed a different set of values than those of our parents and grandparents and we are maturing; we are becoming the adults.

Every day there are more and more young Mexicans who realize that it is not necessary to trample over our fellow countrymen in order to succeed in life; there are more of us every day who believe that we gain more by cooperating with others than by going it alone. We, the youth of Mexico—perhaps as a result of the privileges we have experienced, which have been far greater than those of past generations—today demand greater economic, political and social participation without fear or restraint. There are many of us today who realize that we are indeed the architects of our own lives and we no longer feel the need to blame our misfortunes on our history, on our God or on foreigners. With every day, there are more of us who refuse to partake in the culture of corruption, illegality and chaos. We, the Mexican youth, have been more heavily exposed to the rest of the world than our forbears and this has allowed us to look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on what we must improve about ourselves. And yet, we have also learned to value and love what is ours and to preserve our rich and unique culture, all without having to accept the negative elements of our past: the culture of mistrust, envy, insecurities and inhibitions.

It is true that our project for a new nation remains incomplete and that we must work arduously in order to complete it. But, with every single day the number of Mexicans that opt for a positive and progressive vision of our society grows larger. We, the generation of “yes”, will build the future of Mexico upon the good foundations our progenitors have bequeathed us. We still need to learn to channel our creativity, our curiosity and restlessness, but this process is already well on its way. 

We welcome Casteñeda’s efforts to create awareness in our nation; this will assist us in our development as individuals and as a nation. However, to help us along this process, we need more than just a sermon. Castañeda omitted in his work another common cultural defect of the traditional Mexican character: all too quick to criticize without offering any encouragement, advice or solution. What we, the youth of Mexico, need more than anything in this period of transition is a society that cheers us on, a community that celebrates our triumphs and that foments within every one of us a greater degree of security and self-esteem. We need people who care about us enough to correct us when we are wrong, but we also need people who love and believe in us so genuinely that they never hesitate to motivate us to dream big and without limitations.

In the last few years, many events—both good and bad—have materialized in Mexico, portending an era of great changes and progress to come: we may have many problems today, yes, but we also stand as a democracy that works better and better every day, an economy that grows faster and more solidly every year and a society that with the passing of time demands more and more from itself. This is our Mexico; this is our future and no past—however immense, dire or wounding—will stop us from achieving our destiny.