People in every country have insecurities.
And every country has people who project their insecurities onto others.
Having said that, one thing I have noticed is that, at least compared to people from the US, Mexicans tend to project their insecurities a little more frequently onto others when they have the balls to be confrontational.
Which isn't always as a lot of them struggle from a "queda bien" syndrome but that's another topic for another day.
Anyway, when confrontation does happen, you can expect a lot of them to project insecurities onto you.
And sometimes certain insecurities are stronger among certain nationalities or regions than others.
For example, if we were to look at the people of Iowa in the US, there's definitely a greater inferiority complex some have as they relate themselves to people of the coasts in places like California, New York, etc.
Mexicans and Latin Americans generally suffer from the same thing as they relate themselves to folks from the US, Europe, etc.
However, when it comes to projecting insecurities onto others, one thing I have noticed is that it's seemingly more common for them to project onto other Mexicans than onto gringos.
At least with the specific insecurities that I'm going to bring up today.
And, when we get to those insecurities, you'll see why it's more common for them to project these insecurities onto each other than onto gringos.
Before we do anyhow, just keep in mind that this article is just one giant generalization.
Not every Mexican projects their insecurities onto others.
Obviously.
Just saying that now before our 50 IQ brothers come into the comment sections bitching about how they're different and special.
Yes, you're very "special."
So let's get to it.
"Muerto de Hambre!"
Mexicans generally are very insecure about their socioeconomic status.
Especially as it relates to first world gringos coming in and living the good life on easy street.
With those gringos, sometimes the Mexicans will comment on how those gringos "were poor back home" to feel better about their broke ass living in Estado de Mexico.
However, you rarely see a moment where a Mexican calls a gringo "muerto de hambre."
Which is a very common insult in Mexico that means someone that is dying of starvation.
To imply that your ass is so broke that you cannot afford food.
Makes you wonder if Mexico ever experienced a severe famine or how did this insult come about?
Unfortunately, a quick 5 minute Google search in Spanish didn't reveal to me where this insult originated from but I did find another description of it here on how it's used in Peru (and it sounds pretty on point for Mexico also):
"Un muerto de hambre básicamente sería aquella persona que no tiene los recursos suficientes para subsistir, no tiene de qué alimentarse ni con qué vivir. Si pensáramos en rostros concretos, aquellas personas en situación de indigencia y de pobreza extrema serían quienes calzan en este calificativo."
At any rate, it's obviously also an insult that is based on classism and, when you understand how classist Mexican society can be, it becomes easy anyhow to see why Mexicans would fixate on this insult.
And also why it doesn't make sense for a Mexican to call a gringo "muerto de hambre" because most Mexicans imagine us gringos as having a shit ton of money (or at least more than them for coming from the US and for being whiter on average).
But, as of a few months ago, I can confirm that at least one gringo has been called "muerto de hambre."
Who?
ME!
I am the FIRST gringo that is a "muerto de hambre."
You're looking at him now folks.
Reading his words.
That's right.
I'm currently in a small ass indigenous village of Chiapas with my fellow "muerto de hambre" friends eating eggs with rice for every meal.
It was a few months ago when, for the first ever that I can recall, I was called a "muerto de hambre."
Where I was apartment hunting in Iztapalapa before I ended up moving there briefly and was kinda open to the idea of having my own apartment.
Given Iztapalapa is known to be dangerous and had plans on being there for longer than a month, I entertained the idea of spending more for a nicer apartment.
I ultimately ended up staying in just a room though as most of my furnished options were just rooms.
During the search though in the earlier moments, one guy messaged me offering me his room for rent.
It was unfurnished though and so I wasn't interested.
He also asked me for my budget and, while I never give them an idea of what my budget is before seeing the rental price, I knew it wasn't for me because it wasn't furnished.
But I told him 8,000 pesos (400 bucks) and he responded on Messenger with a "???" message.
Seemingly confused.
And I told him anyhow that "sorry, I'm not interested. Looking for something furnished at least."
Which then kicked him into a severe autism moment.
Screeching and foaming at the mouth rage over Messenger.
Insulting me left and right.
But the insults being focused entirely on how I am a "muerto de hambre."
Then saying how "I probably don't have the money anyway of 8000 pesos JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA."
Then I told him I was from the US (my Facebook profile doesn't make it too obvious).
And he didn't believe me because "why would a gringo come to live in Iztapalapa JAJAJAJAJAJA".
Actually, I think telling him I was a gringo pissed him off even more because he just doubled down on his projections about my socioeconomic status.
Because to say I am a gringo is to say I am the opposite of a "muerto de hambre."
Kept insulting me anyhow as a "muerto de hambre" and the conversation soon ended after that.
Meanwhile, his broke ass has enough time out of the day to bitch at strangers for wanting a furnished room (meaning they want to spend more money for something nicer than what he could offer) and all the while he is looking for roommates as probably a man in his mid 30s based on his profile.
Oh and he's a Mexican. So I'm the muerto de hambre?
Unfortunately, I couldn't find that specific conversation in Messenger but I did funny enough find another Mexican calling me "muerto de hambre" that I somehow forgot about despite it being only 10 days ago as of this writing.
Here's some bits of it.
Because technology is fucking with me, you'll have to click on the images below to see them clearly.
Looks like I started to fuck with him when he wouldn't stop spam messaging me after a few days
Apparently our King Mexican of the upper class with all his money in the world to not be "muerto de hambre" can't even spell "muerto de hambre" right.
And he also kept spam messaging me with thumbs up to get my attention when I lost interest and told him to go away.
But, from the looks of it, it seems like the dude was trying to rent to me a 40 dollar a month room in Cuautepec (the favelas of Mexico City) and I wasn't interested because it also wasn't furnished.
So who is the real "muerto de hambre."
The broke ass bitch who is willing to tolerate having a roommate for a pitiful 40 extra bucks a month in one of Mexico City's biggest shit holes?
Or the gringo with all his USD that lives life on easy street in Mexico City with his WOMEN from Tinder sucking my cock?
Above all, it's just another Mexican projecting their insecurities about their own socioeconomic status onto another strange in a country full of classism and where a lot of people are insecure about living in shithole conditions working shitty jobs that pay less than my 8000 peso/month budget.
Here's a video anyway of a Mexican calling another "muerto de hambre."
"Educado"
This is one I've beaten to death on my blog so many times over but I'll cover it here again.
A lot of Mexicans are very insecure about their own education level.
Though, to be fair to Mexicans, I've seen elements of this among Americans also and other nationalities.
I wouldn't say that this is as strongly of a Mexican characteristic.
But it defintely has classist vibes to it also.
To be one that is not educado is likely one that didn't have a good education growing up and therefore must've been poor with parents who couldn't afford to send you to a good school.
And often you see people here associating someone who has traveled a lot, lives in a good neighborhood, has a good job and all else as being "educado."
It also implies those who are not "educado" as having bad mannerisms and to be more "naco" with "naco" characteristics.
Within Mexico, there's also an association among some between speaking English well and being "educado."
But THAT is definitely not just a Mexican thing.
I've seen that connection in people of other nationalities from both Latin America and Europe.
Not sure if this is seen equally in countries of Africa or Asia as I haven't been to either region but definitely Latin America and Europe at the very least.
Of course, while Americans do have a stereotype of being "ugly" and not speaking other languages, you generally don't see Latin Americans insulting us with not being "educado."
They might imply we are ignorant for calling ourselves "Americans" or for not being very familiar with "authentic" Mexican food.
But I've never heard a Mexican insult an American, Canadian or someone from "the first world" as not being "educado."
For we do speak English, are more traveled, live in nicer neighborhoods usually and have more money with better USD paying jobs.
In the context of how I see Mexicans insulting someone else for not being educado, it is clear that we are very educado.
Though, in all seriousness, I wouldn't agree that speaking English, having money, having traveled, having a good job or living in a good neighborhood actually makes you intelligent. No shortage of retards in the world with those qualities but apparently there's no shortage of Mexicans not smart enough to realize that.
At any rate, I always find it funny when said Mexicans trip over themselves about who is more educado, who speaks English better or whatever else when 1) I, as a native English speaker, don't give a fuck if you speak English and 2) half the time the motherfucker doesn't even speak English well himself.
This is more though an insult that upper class Mexicans seem to resonate more with because, in all honesty, I don't see as many barrio ass Mexicans from Iztapalapa focused on insulting others based on this.
Though I do see Mexicans from less privileged backgrounds focused on English also just like anyone else.
Such as my last landlord from Milpa Alta offering to lower my rent (which was 1000 pesos or 50 bucks) if I agreed to practice English with him.
Which is just stupid. Really? Lower my rent from the already pitiful 50 bucks a month?
"Bro, keep the 1000 peso price tag. It's OK."
Anyway, let's move on.
Passports
This is another thing that only upper class Mexicans would focus on.
But, some odd months ago, I remember some white Mexican dude posted some shit about how other Mexicans claim to have European heritage but don't even have a passport from wherever their heritage is.
You see this sometimes among Latin Americans -- especially Argentines and southern Brazilians but also upper class white Latin Americans in other countries -- focusing on their European heritage.
Sometimes the brown and not so wealthy Latin Americans will mock them with the insult "oh, you're so Norwegian, aren't you?"
I know I wrote about it more with examples in another article on my website but I can't find it right now.
Anyway, what I found ironic though was, from our conversation, it seemed the dude would claim Argentines are arrogant for claiming to be very European (which does happen but are objectively more ethnically European than Mexicans) but then him doing a litmus test on what Mexicans get to truly call themselves European and being really hung up on insisting his bloodline will always be more European while in Mexico.
Because technology is fucking with me, you'll have to click on the images below to see them clearly.
Still, this is an example of a upper class Mexican that wants to cling onto his European heritage and punching down on other upper class Latin Americans for basically not being as European as him for lacking the passport.
I'll probably dedicate an article to the conversation showed above because the longer form of it does illustrate a funny psychology you see among these types in more ways that'd distract is from the main point of this article.
Speaking of psychology though....
"You Got Psychological Problems"
This is very much strictly a Mexican insult.
It might exist in other countries but I've never seen other nationalities fixate so much on the mental issues or the psychological problems as others.
And actually one where you might more logically see a Mexican insult a gringo with it.
Because I have seen on other occasions Mexicans imply that Americans are bat shit crazy.
Usually such a statement comes with a reference to school shootings.
Which, to be fair, I get where they're coming from.
Anyone willing to shoot up a school full of 8 years probably has mental health issues and we do have more of that than any other country.
Though the people who do that represent like 100 people out of 320 million and it'd be equally odd to claim every Mexican is a thug that femicides women (even though they have more people who femicide women than we have school shooters).
So who really has the mental problems, mexicanito?
At least our women aren't getting femicided at rates as high as yours. Our women are sluts on Onlyfans shoving dildos up their asses to pay for rent and school loans! Whoohoo!
Anyway, getting back to the topic, it's again something you notice about Mexicans and the insults they project onto others: the mental and psychological problems of the person they dislike.
It's actually a topic I wrote about here months ago where I noticed over the years that you meet way more people in Mexico than other countries I've been to that have some deep ass psychological or mental problem.
I always attributed to it to the higher degree of violence in society (be it perhaps gang related or, as I wrote here, perhaps even more violence in the home growing up).
Wherever it comes from though and whatever the causes are, you definitely notice more people in Mexico (especially from certain areas like Estado de Mexico or Tamaulipas) having some odd look in their eyes and something "being off" about them psychologically.
Kinda similar to black people in certain areas of the US being more on ice about getting a pink lighter than you'd see with people in other neighborhoods and makes you think what about that neighborhood or environment that produces people like that.
CUSTOMER FREAKS OUT CAUSE I SOLD HIM A PINK LIGHTER(KNOCKS DOWN SHELF)
And, if you look at the comment section of the video, you obviously have plenty of people who are aware of that just like how, in my years in Mexico, you see that Mexicans are equally aware about the amount of people in their country with fucked up psychological problems.
In contrast to the other insults though, I don't think this one is rooted in classism (though you'd think someone with a rough background in a real poor ass barrio setting would have more psychological problems).
And that is generally true.
The average dude born and raised in Polanco or Condesa is less likely than the average dude born and raised in a violent shit hole of Estado de Mexico to be raised in a bad environment.
That's just facts.
Though, from my impression only, I don't think Mexicans typically imply anything about socioeconomic status when they use this insult.
They're just likely projecting their own insecurities onto you or, perhaps in some cases, maybe the motherfucker is actually mentally fucked up!
Though, if we're being honest, what retard would go up to someone with "Joker syndrome" all fucked up and go "drr drrr, you got psychological problems, bro?"
Because, if the motherfucker actually was fucked up mentally, you taunting his ass probably means you getting shot.
Joker ending
Who next you going to taunt? The narco gangbanger by the corner?
"Hey Mr. Narco, selling any drugs today? Can't get a real job can you? You broke ass only good at selling cocaine? DIOS MIO, NO ME MATES POR FAVOR!!!"
So either you just trolling on someone, projecting your own insecurities or you just too low IQ to be playing it dangerous with those who really are fucked up mentally.
Anyway, I found this exchange online here of basically one dude bitching about how gringos have told everyone in the world to eat fake tacos (new conspiracy theory just dropped) and then resorting to a "you got psychological problems bro" as an insult to those who disagree with him.
The first guy didn't look mentally insane. He wasn't threatening anyone. Basically, the Mexican dude resorted to passive aggressive talk with the whole "not insulting you but here's an insult we Mexicans dish out."
"You So Norwegian"
Finally, we mentioned this before but I'll bring it up again.
Sometimes you have lower class Mexicans that might insult another Mexican who they preceive as trying to be something that they aren't.
At trying to be "Norwegian" which is just code for "first world" or "whiter than they really are."
You do got Mexicans like that to be fair that try to be more European than they really are.
But, on the flip side, you also have Mexicans in my opinion that are insecure about being a brown ass motherfucker from a poor barrio and sees anyone trying to be more than that as being something that they aren't.
This isn't just a Mexican thing though but really shit you see in poor neighborhoods in other countries.
Envy against the other brown Mexican for speaking English well, traveling and escaping poverty.
Getting somewhere in life.
And, for those with a loser mindset, anyone trying to achieve that is "just trying to be white" or "be from the US" or "from Norway" or whatever the fuck else.
Really, you just an insecure little bitch who mad that your broke ass is stuck working at OXXO in Iztapalapa with no money or women and that other brown dude left your neighborhood to make it somewhere in life.
Keep crying.
Anything to Add?
There might be other insecurities that Mexicans project onto others.
Be it those from the upper class or poor class.
And insecurities anyhow that, as I said, can sometimes be seen in other nationalities but where some of them are stronger in Mexicans than others in my opinion.
At least from what I've seen.
If you got anything to add though -- or even disagree with some of the shit here -- drop a comment below.
After all, while I wouldn't be insecure to say any of this as I'm not a Mexican who is scared to admit problems with the culture, I am still a foreigner that, despite being here for 6 years, will not understand everything perfectly.
These are just my impressions as a foreigner from what I've seen over the years.
Anyway, follow my Twitter here.
Thanks for reading.
Best regards,
Matt
