The Mystical Wisdom of “The Local” in Latin America

A Mexican shows up to Gary, Indiana.

He is a tourist named Jose who happens to be lost in the US.

He stops to a gas station and asks "a local" named John about what he recommends to see in the area.

He perhaps asks other questions about local customs, politics and whatever the fuck else.

Whatever a random Mexican tourist would discuss with "a local" in Gary, Indiana.

And maybe "the local" John gives some good advice on some "not so well known" touristy things to do.

Perhaps there is some local state fare that is kinda cool to see.

Maybe there's some nearby state cave to check out.

A bar by a random river that gets flooded every season but is cool to check out now because the rock music is "classic," the wings taste good and the local women spread their holes for any swinging dick.

Good advice you got there, John!

But then "the local John" gives his takes on other issues.

He begins explaining how America is declining because Joe Biden is part of a Satanic cult and his idea of "the local customs" includes fucking his cousin (read: wife).

If John was a liberal, perhaps I'd say that John "the local from Portland, Oregon" imagines the "local customs" to include sending his kids to Drag Queen Story Hour and that he believes Trump gives Putin a handjob every second of the month.

Suffice to say, Jose the Mexican is getting odd vibes from these "locals" he is encountering in the US.

Be it the odd one in Portland, Oregon or the odd one in Gary, Indiana.

While he might appreciate their input regarding local things to see, he finds them a bit crazy when it comes to more sensitive topics.

But, given these are "the locals" that Jose is talking with, shouldn't he just respect their opinions as iron clad truths?

"The Local" in Latin America

There is a certain oddity that you find in Latin America that is reinforced by shitlib foreigners and locals who both simultaneously look down on us gringos but have a deep inferiority complex.

That oddity being the strong authority given to "the local."

I just don't fucking get it.

Where basically they give authority to "the local" Latin American and respect his opinion no matter what as if it was iron clad truth.

Only based on the fact that he is "the local."

As if the words "the local" could be replaced with or are synonymous with "the sheriff."

"The Sheriff of Knowledge."

With liberals, it boils down to nothing more than "he is brown and from an oppressed background so I'll believe whatever he says due to identify politics from back home."

For locals, it's nothing more than a type of arrogance you'd find in people of any country where they claim they know more than you in any disagreement because "they are from here."

To be fair to the liberals as we go back to them, sometimes conservative expats will lean on the "the local" argument when its rhetorically convenient and put out that below 90 IQ argument of "if someone is from here, they MUST know more than me!"

Strange an argument it is.

But it really is an argument I have seen most commonly used by liberals who want to justify any backwards ass statement made by "a local" or by a local himself who simply disagrees you and wants you to shut up based on the fact that "he is from here."

With the liberal, it's always an odd one though because you could just ask him "so does the local of Gary, Indiana know more about politics in the US? Is his opinion always iron clad because he is a local?"

And, when you invoke that image of a stereotypical white, fat blue collar worker from a "fly over" state in the US, obviously said liberal will go "NOOOO!!! THEY BACKWARDS!!! THEY RACIST!!!"

OK, they might not say those exact words but that is what they are thinking.

All of a sudden being "a local" is as worthless as being toilet paper that they wipe their ass with.

Only does being "a local" matter when discussing reality of those who live in Latin America.

When it comes to people of any region though -- Latin America or not -- who invoke the "I am a local, I know more" argument" -- I can't hate as much.

They are not being inconsistent necessarily.

Though, if we were to throw them into the US, I'm sure they'd have a different opinion on what life is like up there versus the average American.

That doesn't mean that you can invalidate their life experiences living in the US with John of Gary, Indiana telling them "NOOOO!!! I'M A LOCAL!!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"

No John of Gary, Indiana -- your life experiences does not reflect THEIR life experiences.

Same thing if Jose wanted to tell John what living in Mexico was like if John had already spent years living in Mexico as someone from the US.

And yes it is the exact same fucking thing -- your mental gymnastics isn't going to change that.

Anyway, I've seen it personally but stories not that worth mentioning.

Though, to be fair, some humility is always needed on the part of anyone discussing reality in any specific situation.

Perhaps "the local" does know or understand the context of whatever situation better than you do.

Or maybe "the foreigner" does bring with them their own life experiences that differ from yours because they are "a foreigner" and you are not and that changes how other "locals" treat them.

Perhaps there is simply a difference in mindset and philosophy in how to handle a local problem that the foreigner brings that isn't necessarily better or worse than the mindset or philosophy of the locals.

And, above all, perhaps "the local" or "the foreigner" is completely full of shit on whatever they are giving an opinion on.

If you -- as an American -- would immediately consider "the local" of Gary, Indiana or Portland, Oregon as being full of shit (depending on your politics), then I must ask why you wouldn't give the same treatment to "the local" in rural Hidalgo of Mexico or Buenos Aires of Argentina?

Just because they are "a local" doesn't mean jack shit.

They might have more context but can be just as ignorant as "the local" in whatever country you came from.

They aren't different and any claims of such imply an ideological distortion in how you see the world, personal bias from being "the local" or a lack of travel experience.

And, above all, it's just an intellectually lazy way of saying "I'm talking out of my ass and got nothing else to say so shut the fuck up already."

Just admit you're a retard.

Anyway, that is all I got to say.

If you got anything to add, drop a comment below.

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Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt