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Well, at least they are Brazilian corporations and if they want government involvement or proximity, it is their business, I find nothing wrong with that.
But you said you hate big corporations. These are multinational giants. So I just assumed you, being the fair minded person I am sure you are you are, hate all giant corporations not only ones that carry the Stars and Stripes. How much do you really know about Brazil? How many Brazilian history books have you read? Do you speak Portuguese? I'm sure your vacation here was great but like most vacations it was probably pretty superficial.
But you said you hate big corporations. These are multinational giants. So I just assumed you, being the fair minded person I am sure you are you are, hate all giant corporations not only ones that carry the Stars and Stripes. How much do you really know about Brazil? How many Brazilian history books have you read? Do you speak Portuguese? I'm sure your vacation here was great but like most vacations it was probably pretty superficial.
This. Brazil has a pretty well known history of swindling and cheating its own people. Doesn't really need the help of MNCs wearing the Red, White, and Blue. I think what Neuling has to realize is the MNCs really don't care who you are. They don't care if you're Brazilian, American, etc. What they want is your WALLET. And if you happen to speak the same language they do or come from the same country, well that makes it all the easier for them to seperate you from your paycheck. MNCs don't give a rat's ass about "countries". It's about the almighty dollar, or Real, or Yen....Nesne, how are MNCs viewed by most Brazilians. Not just rich jetsetters in Rio or Sao Paolo, but the people in Manaus, the suburbs of Porto Alegre, in the favelas?
But you said you hate big corporations. These are multinational giants. So I just assumed you, being the fair minded person I am sure you are you are, hate all giant corporations not only ones that carry the Stars and Stripes. How much do you really know about Brazil? How many Brazilian history books have you read? Do you speak Portuguese? I'm sure your vacation here was great but like most vacations it was probably pretty superficial.
Compared to US corporations there are very few Brazilian multinationals of international weight. Here in Europe for instance you really have to do research to stumble upon any Brazilian influence or names. Even here in Portugal, Brazil's historical partner in Europe, there is an Embraer branch and a couple of individual businessmen and investments from Brazil, like the head of TAP, and Brazilian soccer players en masse, but that's pretty much it. Plus, Brazilians tend to adapt to locals more than the US does. I have observed the negative influence of the US in Germany for decades.
Yes, I am fluent in Portuguese and I have close friends there. Brazil is so to speak my mental motherland. It's the only country I really care about.
Compared to US corporations there are very few Brazilian multinationals of international weight.
No other country's corporations carry the international weight of American corporations. This isn't unique to Brasil. However Embraer, JBS SA, and Petrobras are all well-known in the business world.
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Here in Europe for instance you really have to do research to stumble upon any Brazilian influence or names.
Brasil's influence skews more East...far East, that is. The country feeds India and China. It's the livestock capital of the world...however I would agree even many of its largest companies do tend to fly under the radar.
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Even here in Portugal, Brazil's historical partner in Europe, there is an Embraer branch and a couple of individual businessmen and investments from Brazil, like the head of TAP, and Brazilian soccer players en masse, but that's pretty much it.
As I mentioned before, I agree that there isn't a ton of outward influence in the business world from Brasil (outside of the livestock industry)...but I think that's because businesses are coming to them for the most part. I guess this is what you have a problem with. The reason your viewpoint way won't work is because we live in a global economy. Foreign interests are going to do their best to get in on the action as early as possible. This isn't just Americans, by the way...the largest foreign bank in Brasil is Santander, a bank from lowly Spain (lowly in the economic sense, not the cultural. Spain is an amazing country).
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Plus, Brazilians tend to adapt to locals more than the US does. I have observed the negative influence of the US in Germany for decades.
Yes, I am fluent in Portuguese and I have close friends there. Brazil is so to speak my mental motherland. It's the only country I really care about.
So you're in Portugal...but you've witnessed the negative influence the US has had on Germany (all the Germans I've ever met have had a different opinion than you, but I'm sure not all share their positive viewpoint)...but Brasil is your mental motherland....de onde você é?
By the way, what do you mean "Brasilians tend to adapt to locals more than the US does"? Are you meaning a Brasilian in Spain will adapt more to local culture than an American will? Are you meaning this on a business or personal sense? If personal...I would imagine any American moving to a foreign country would be willing to adapt to the local culture...why else would they be living there? However on a business level, I would definitely agree with you and there's a reason behind that: the US is the most powerful country in the world. Our corporations are the most powerful, and have been the most successful in recent times. We drive the boat. So when working with other countries, we're less likely to do things their way. I think this make sense, right?
Somebody seems to have a strange myopic Brazilian fetish. I wonder what parts of Brazil are "beloved", the rampant materialism whereby poor people will spend half thier salary to buy 300 Real ($200 US) tennis shoes, corrupt government that robs so much it can't educate it's citizens and leaves them dying in public hospitals despite the fact that taxes are high enough to have a first rate health care and education system, a justice system that lets murderers out of jail after only serving a few years, a rigid and superfical class system whereby if you are not "beautiful" (aka White or exceptionally good looking person of color) you will probably get passed over for promotions and always treated differently. I like Brazil, I choose to live here, but I am realistic about what it is.
Somebody seems to have a strange myopic Brazilian fetish. I wonder what parts of Brazil are "beloved", the rampant materialism whereby poor people will spend half thier salary to buy 300 Real ($200 US) tennis shoes, corrupt government that robs so much it can't educate it's citizens and leaves them dying in public hospitals despite the fact that taxes are high enough to have a first rate health care and education system, a justice system that lets murderers out of jail after only serving a few years, a rigid and superfical class system whereby if you are not "beautiful" (aka White or exceptionally good looking person of color) you will probably get passed over for promotions and always treated differently. I like Brazil, I choose to live here, but I am realistic about what it is.
Look, I can only compare Brazil to the countries I know. Despite its obvious deficits it has a soul, something I missed in Germany and similar countries. Some of the other countries I lived were a bit better in this respect, but still no match for Brazil. The people I know there are so nice it almost makes me feel embarrassed. All people I know there are neither white, nor exceptionally good looking by the way, but just ordinary, thoroughly mixed, lower middle-class paulistas. None of them is nearly as materialistic as the average German or Portuguese of the same age. Here in Portugal people also buy stuff they can't afford, even the latest Mercedez models. That credit mentality is a worldwide problem, also a bad influence from the US by the way.
Since music is so important to my life, Brazil is just universes ahead of any European country in my view.
And when you look at TV from around the world, you will notice that almost every country has racism, prefering blonde and light-skinned people.
So, all in all, Brazil is far from perfect, but still way better than anything else in my view.
For some reason, this topic seems to attract more than its fair share of off topic posts.
As most contributing members would seem to not prefer the original topic, we'll move on.
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