Chile 2010; Myth of the Bicentenary

In this year, Chile celebrates 200 years old of independent life. These began in 1810, when the patriots made the first national junta in opposition to the Spanish Kingdom. Then came the independent’s war, between realist and patriots during 8 years. Today, in 2010, Chile celebrates his bicentenary. For some of the Chileans is a big party to the nation, for others is nothing to celebrate. I think this bicentenary has two senses in this sociocultural context, I mean, that it is a positive and a negative sense.

In first place, the negative sense referred to the ideological function of this celebration to the civil society. I mean that the bicentenary is an excuse to the politics for being legitimized for the citizens or “the people”. The unit, the nation, O’higgins, Carrera … are the words that permitted to create the myth of the bicentenary. This myth hides social problems, for example, inequalities in Education, in work, in the distribution of social product and the social power.

In second place, the positive sense referred to the 200 years of the Chilean people’s history. I mean, more than the history of the heroes, presidents, army, and important events, is the history of the normal people; workers, mothers, students, aborigines, and the poor people. They are the ones who really build this country, and not the other big figures.

The traditional historians have legitimized the first perspective about the nation’s history. They highlight heroic figures like O’Higgins, Carrera, Portales, Ibañez del Campo, etc. For the other side, there are a few historians that make people’s history; his perspective is more focus in the social processes. These last historians belong to the Marxist tradition and the cultural studies, for example Gabriel Salazar.

From my perspective, the real history is the one of social processes. I mean I believe that the history is made for the people and not from particular persons. This last perspective is more ideological than realistic, therefore is functional to the reproduction of the order of the society and the status quo, privileging the powerful figures of all times.

To protect the planet!!

I believe that care about the planet is very important because it is the place we live and we grow up. Neglect the environment, mess up the place we live or full it whit garbage is acting irresponsible and suffer of a short-term view of the mankind and nature

Many people believe that we must to take advantage and produce as much as possible to achieve a society without lacks. Anyway, lacks does not exist because the mankind produce few things, but few people appropriate a lot. If the economic resources were distributed in a better way, then would be a society without lacks. But, as our society is not seeking satisfy needs or lacks but to create more needs to increase the consume, more products are needed. This means that the mankind produce more than necessary and without thinking about the future, but only achieve earnings in the present time.

Even I believe that is necessary to save the planet I don’t have many things about it. For example, I have never participated in an ecological organization or not to go to protests (even I went to one or two). I give my grain trying not to contaminate my life, picking up garbage in the places I have been or I use to be and trying re-utilizing some materials.

Still, I would like to do more things to care about the planet, especially in Santiago, that is a very contaminated city. To solve the problem should be done a better urban planning, improve the public transport system, to restrict the usage of cars and stimulate the use of bikes and penalize the excessive emission of CO2.

Finally, I think that more political forces are needed to solve the problem of pollution, because we must win against those who do not want to change the actual contexts. We must change our practices so in that way we can create a great political movement that can achieve the establishment of laws to protect our future.

Jazz

Ilike very different kinds of music. I enjoy Rock, Jazz, “Tropicobailable” music, “Cueca Brava”, etc. Today I am going to speak about Jazz and my favourites groups, albums and songs in this interesting kind of music.

The Jazz was born in the USA, Lousiana in the first part of the twenty century. His main characteristics are a mixture of various kinds of music and culture. This kind of music integrates African and Latin rhythms and European instruments. On the other hand, the fundamental element of the jazz interpretation is the improvisation. Therefore, the figure of the interpreter is more important that the figure of composer. In addition, the role of the virtuoso is fundamental to create new styles or new genres.

Especifically, my favourite groups are Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Angel Parra Trio, Chick Corea, Akineton Retard and Hiromi Uehara. I attended the last concert of Chick Corea in Chile. This concert was in the Caupolican theater and it was great.

Moreover, I enjoy the music of Hiromi Uehara. She is a virtuoso Japanese pianist and her interpretation is great. My favorite songs are “Time out”, “Deep into the nights”, “Deja Vu”, “Reverse” and “XYZ”. On the other hand, “Another Mind” (2003), “Brain” (2004) and “Duet” are the most interesting Uehara albums for me. In “Duet”, Hiromi play with Chick Corea in the Tokyo Blue Note, is a great concert. I would like attend a concert of the Hiromi, and very much a concert of Hiromi and Chick…Great!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6pgM-NVfWg

Las Cruces

I think that a good place for post-bicentenario is a beach. Specifically, I enjoyed Las Cruces, a beach localized in the central littoral. I believe that great place because is calm and interesting beach. There you can rest, get drunk, talk with your friend, and swim in the sea or anything’s activities.

Despite that in Las Cruces during the year (not summer), is a place very calm and solitary. You can enjoy much in this place. You can run for the beach in the morning, walk and know Nicanor Parra house, fish and recollected seafood, swim in the sea (but is a very dangerous beach, therefore you must have precaution) in the afternoon. And in the night, you can make parties, drunk with your friends, or simpleminded to talk around of a bonfire.

I visit Las Cruces all the summers, because my family have house in this place. Besides, occasionally I visit this beach in the rest of year. Though I can fed up sometimes, I like very much. I recommend this place for to visit in after this long weekend. You not repent.

Bicentenary!!

I think that the bicentenary has two senses.

On one hand, the bicentenary is an excuse to the politics for being legitimized for the citizens or “the people”.

The unit, the nation, O’higgins, Carrera … are the words that permitted to create the myth of the bicentenary.

But, on the other hand, the bicentenary represents two hundred years of history, people’s history.

I believe that the history is not exclusively the histories of the heroes, the politics and militarist.

In my mind the real history is the history of the Chilean people; workers, women, peasant, poor people, students, miners, fishermen, etc.

Because of it, my interest is to celebrated this two hundred years of history as I understand it, and not the other myth.

So, in these national holidays I would like to go to a lot of parties and barbecues. I will like to eat and drink very much during this four days.

In addition, I want to dance in very more parties. Preferentially I would like to dance the Cueca brava, cumbia, “tropikobailable” music, regueton, etc. I am sure that I will enjoy this celebration!

Education, education, education...

Education, education, education… it is an old issues in chilean society. The Chilean society is the most inequality society around the world and his education system too.

But, why education system reproduces the social inequality? Because exists structural conditions that hold up equality of

opportunities to poor people and riches. The rich people can pay

quality of education, but the poor people can´t pay to decent education. Then the rich people have a good profession and good job, and they continue being favoured. However, the poor people don’t to go to university and have bad education and bad jobs, and they continue being the losers.

So, what is the role of the State in education? I think that the State it has to provide the right to education for everybody. Therefore, the State has to provide a quality public education for the people that can’t pay. Consequently, the State should take care of it and developed the state universities. In addition, the state universities should are free with equality access.

Besides, the Piñera’s government thinks privatisation will impose in our state university system. But, the privatized education system not is a solution at the big problem; on the contrary, these reforms were deteriorating more the inequality system.

I would like to visit France, Russia, Brazil and Buenos Aires

I would like to visit many countries. For example, I would like to visit France, Russia, Brazil and Buenos Aires.

Firstly, I would like to visit France because is a very interesting country. France is an important part of culture’s history, polity’s history, science’s history and in general of the western thought’s history.

In addition, it is a country with a beautiful architecture and has a lot of important buildings and museums.

Secondly, Russia is a fundamental country of the twenty century’s history, since the October’s revolution to Perestroika. Besides Russia has a culture and architecture very interesting. In there I would like to visit the Kremlin and the Red Square in Moscow.

In third place, Brazil is a country very happy and funny. I would like to visit Brazil only for going to the parties and carnivals. I would like to go to beach and drink exotic drinks.

And finally, I would like very much to visit Buenos Aires because is the most beautiful capital city in “Latinoamerica”. I love his streets and buildings. Besides, I like the Tango, to dance and to listen.