There are certain behaviors you notice among people of any background.
But, having said that, some behaviors sometimes seem more common to you among certain groups than others.
Not to say everyone from that group exhibits said behavior but it simply seems more common among some groups than others.
For example, a lot of people I know complain about how it often seems like Colombians are more likely to scam you than others.
Americans? Well, they seemingly hate the gym but really enjoy a good hamburger (or two, three, four, five, etc...).
For Mexicans specifically, it seems there's no shortage of them who wish to bring down others in their heads to feel better about themselves.
Of course, we could discuss the tendency among Mexicans to laugh at the misfortune or inconveniences that others go through.
Though there's two more interesting examples that are more worthy of discussing that you may or may not necessarily agree with.
Let's get to it.
"You Are Mestizo"
As I wrote here, you have a lot of Mexicans who insist that "Mexico es prieto" and "en Mexico somos prietos."
Though, as you can see in that article, not every necessarily agrees to the full extent of those statements as some Mexicans do deny having any heritage connected to the Aztecs or any other indigenous group.
But, for those who don't know, that's what they mean: to be Mexican is to be mixed race of both European and indigenous roots.
There's a lot that could be said about that.
To keep it simple, most Mexicans who say that are just saying it because they heard that somewhere and haven't given much thought to those statements.
If we were to go deeper, you'd see that, as I wrote in that article cited, there's some history behind the creation of that idea of Mexico being "mestizo" that is tied to the PRI in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution in order to create more unity among the Mexican people.
You also have those who cry out "MEXICO ES PRIETO" because they feel proud for being brown and want to cling onto the idea that Mexico is only a brown person's country (or mixed, I suppose) and seemingly get quite defensive and offended when confronted with the idea of a Mexican who isn't brown.
The statement itself might not be entirely accurate (even though a majority of Mexicans are mestizo) as you do have no shortage of Mexicans with either no mixed roots or very little to speak of.
Be it the black or Asian Mexican.
The indigenous Mexican in some part of rural Chiapas who truly doesn't have much or any European roots and who, as I wrote here, some Mexicans and Latin Americans might deep down want the dude to "mejorar" his raza.
And you have the White Mexican who may or may not have have some random indigenous ancestor in the background but, for all intents and purposes, is a White Mexican with no real connections to anything indigenous.
Who also looks quite white and doesn't appear to be mixed at all.
As I wrote here, you have some Mexicans who dislike the White Mexican for various reasons.
One of them in my opinion is nothing more than envy.
For example, you can have a bunch of White Mexicans use the metro for the first time as you see here and, while it's nothing more than a careless video, you had Mexicans bitching about it.
White Mexican Tour of Metro CDMX
And part of the reason is because the video itself represents everything that the poor ass Mexican with no money to his name is envious and resentful of: people who have a relatively easy life.
That is represented by the fact that 1) the people are white or white passing and 2) they are demonstrating that they don't use public transportation and probably, on any other occasion, use their own vehicles to get around the city.
It shows that they live in a bubble and have a relatively easier life than the Mexican who got bitchy about that video that happens to live in some shithole neighborhood in Chalco, Neza or wherever the fuck else.
And, from what I've seen once in a blue moon, it sometimes comes across to me that one way the poorer Mexican punches up at these more privileged Mexicans is to remind them that they "are not white" and are actually "mestizo" with some indigenous roots.
In other words, to say to them that "you are just like me" and "you are no different" as you are mixed also and not as white as you think you are.
Now, to be fair, that is a loaded topic.
You do have, as I wrote here, white, wealthier Latinos that get resentful at the fact that, when they get to the US, they are sometimes seen, by some people, in the same light as the black Venezuelan.
As someone who is "non white" for being born in the wrong region of the world despite being treated fairly white back home.
And you do have some white passing Mexicans that I have seen -- especially those who aren't too wealthy -- that do embrace some of their mixed heritage (even if the person in question looks completely white).
Having said all that, you might once in a blue moon encounter a scenario where a Mexican does deny his indigenous ancestry.
As I wrote in that previous article that you can find again here, sometimes it could be the case that the Mexican isn't white but does deny being connected to anything indigenous for various reasons.
Maybe he feels insecure about those roots to be fair. That could also be the case!
It could also be the case that he is a non-white Mexican that has other roots that truly are not indigenous and/or that his indigenous roots are so minuscule that he doesn't see any point in identifying with them.
Such as how I had an aunt that insisted we had Cherokee in our blood but there's nothing about my upbringing that was Cherokee and I look white as fuck.
And, when a Mexican challenges that idea that he isn't mestizo with indigenous blood, that obviously can annoy some Mexicans who are fixed on this "national identity" of what it means to be Mexican where he wants EVERY Mexican to be claim to being mestizo with "Aztec blood" or indigenous influence of whatever kind.
But, as I said, sometimes I feel it goes down to nothing more than punching up at the White Mexican to remind him that "he isn't any better than me."
There was an example I saw of that recently which makes me think, as just a theory to be fair, that this is something that some Mexicans do.
Where the guy said in Spanish to another dude "you aren't very Nordic yourself, are you?"
For some reason, I have seen repeatedly various Mexicans use the phrase "you aren't very Nordic either" when bringing down another Mexican for saying something that implies he isn't very "mestizo."
Seems like, to Mexicans, the "Nordic" is who they compare the questionably not so mestizo Mexican to.
At least in my experience!
It's simply my impression after having seen it enough times and also when you come to realize how insecure some Mexicans can be for being darker skinned and not being as white as others.
That inferiority complex that I wrote about here which manifests itself in different ways for some (not all) Mexicans and, by extension, Latin Americans.
And, to be fair, a lot of the examples I can think of are more online conversations where people feel more comfortable telling others what they are since they wouldn't get punched in the face.
In real life, there's a few examples that come to mind but not as many for the reason above.
And they're usually nothing more than a Mexican trying to correct another Mexican on if "we're all mestizo" or not.
From my perspective, it always feels like such moments -- especially if they involve telling a White Mexican that -- have that same sense of "trying to bring someone down" through telling them that they are as mixed as they are.
Even if the dude saying that is brown as fuck and the dude being told that is, at the very least, white passing.
It's odd because, in other circumstances, the Brown Mexican might also be condescending to the White Mexican by mocking how easy his life is and calling him "White Mexican."
So, if he's a White Mexican, then just how mestizo is he?
Or are you only reminding him of his mestizo background (of which could be something so little as 2% indigenous) because you want to tell him that he isn't above you for being whiter than you are?
That's how it comes across to me.
Nothing more than a theory anyhow. I get not everyone will agree with that but that's how it comes across when a White Mexican is being told he is actually mestizo when, objectively speaking to anyone with eyes and no inferiority complex for being brown, can see the dude in question is white.
And, as a side point, I never understood why some Mexicans insist that said White Mexican is mestizo when he is clearly white skinned. Even if you proved he has someone in the family who is indigenous going back 200 years, he is still whiter than you and always will be. How does this help your inferiority complex? Wouldn't it be better to get over it and be proud of who you are without projecting what you wish everyone else to be what they aren't?
And, keep in mind, I'm not saying being white is better. I'm just saying stop pretending that the sky is red and learn to get over your own inferiority complex.
Let's go to the next situation now.
"Those Gringos Are Actually POOR"
This is actually similar to another article I wrote about Latin Americans having their little jabs that they think will hurt the gringo's ego but actually most gringos don't even care about.
The insult in question, in this case, happens to be when they casually mention how "back home, we're actually poor."
It's similar to the whole "they couldn't make it back home" that I wrote about here.
Which is an insult thrown at gringos and expats at large and has been around for a long time now.
To be honest, they're not entirely wrong.
Plenty of gringos --though not all -- would be relatively poor, lower middle class or at least middle class back home if they went back.
Definitely not Bill Gates.
The irony though is that even the poor gringo -- and definitely the lower middle class or middle class one -- probably has more money than the Mexican commenting on what our financial status was back home.
Cry harder, Mexicans.
And that, in many cases, we tend to have better lives materially and are more comfortable than a majority down here.
Can I hear the world's smallest violin playing in Mexico now?
Mr. Krabs Plays The World's Smallest Violin (1080p)
Anyway, you can see an example of such a comment here.
And, from my impression, it equally seems like one of those comments made by a Mexican to feel better about themselves.
Where they can say to themselves -- while living by Metro Indios Verdes -- how "ah well, those people who have it better than me, THEY'RE POOR TOO!!!"
Whatever makes you sleep better at night for only making 7,800 pesos a month, having no bitches and living in a shithole.
Granted, perhaps I shouldn't be throwing stones on their neighborhood given my current address in Iztapalapa
....But I live in the NICEST building of Iztapalapa!
Te lo juro!!!
Regardless, it's just another example to me of the Mexican who, in this case targeted at foreigners (and not just gringos), will say something to feel better about his own financial situation.
Similar to the Mexican who imagines EVERY Mexican as being mestizo with notable indigenous heritage as he carries an inferiority complex for being not as white as the White Mexican he equally bitches about.
Anything to Add?
These are just a few examples that have come to mind.
Again, I get if you disagree on any of them (especially the first point about wanting to punch up at the White Mexicans).
Though, after enough years here, that's truly how it comes across to me.
And, without question, I definitely stand by the point that Mexicans, compared to other nationalities, definitely seem more prone to being envious and resentful against those who they perceive as being better off than them financially.
Be it the White Mexican that they perceive to having a ton of money and feel insecure about not being as white as them.
Or, when discussing other Latin Americans, how I wrote about here regarding the insecurity I think some Mexicans and other Latin American nationalities have for not being as white as Argentinians.
And, beyond Latin Americans, the envy and the resentment against the gringo himself.
Above all, these are just coping mechanisms for the Mexican to feel better about himself and the insecurities he carries.
Given Mexicans are poorer on averages than some other nationalities and there's some folks here with an insecurity complex about their skin color, that's my reasoning for why this behavior to try to "bring someone down to your level" is seemingly more common here.
Though, to be fair, it's not just a Mexican thing like I said initially. You see this shit even in the US and other "first world" countries.
I'm only explaining what I've seen and how it comes across to me as a foreigner interpreting what I am seeing in a culture I was not born in.
Nothing more than that.
If you got anything to add (agree or disagree), drop a comment below.
And follow my Twitter here.
Thanks for reading.
Best regards,
Matt