Understanding the Dominican Mentality

[bronzeallspice]

This explains their philosophy while driving. It never ceases to amaze me how their never waning desire to never let anyone go first causes everyone to get where they are going later. At any intersection at any point, nobody will EVER wave another car to go ahead of them. They both enter intersection and jockey about for a minute or two and finally one guy wins and gets through first. If he would have just waved the other guy through, they both get through faster.

The other day in front of my apt there was a worse traffic jam than usual. Everyone trying to get to gymn or mall as usual but this time there was a dominican stand off. Two cars squeezed into a spot that neither could pass. It was literally 15 minutes of yelling, honking, alarms going off, idiots trying to "help" etc. All easily avoidable if one of them could swallow his damn pride and let the other guy "win". Instead we all lose.

Try that in the states, especially in NY and you'll have your head blown off. You cannot compare
" road rage" in the DR to the US. At least in the DR drivers yell and curse at each other before
someone makes a move to go in a spot or parking space. In the states you'll be in the morgue in less than 24 hours.

 

[MerengueDutchie]

Con dinero baila el perro. With money dances the dog.

M?sico pagado toca mal son. The paid musician plays a bad song.

Interesante, aqui y tambien en Cuba se usan

'Por dinero baile el mono'

 

[donP]

Comparing Road Rage Killings

Try that in the states, especially in NY and you'll have your head blown off. You cannot compare
" road rage" in the DR to the US. At least in the DR drivers yell and curse at each other before
someone makes a move to go in a spot or parking space. In the states you'll be in the morgue in less than 24 hours.

Well, there are quite a number of road rage killings here (as well).

BTW, who are the shooters in NY?
Latinos?

donP

 

[Xavier_Onassis]

Interesante, aqui y tambien en Cuba se usan

'Por dinero baile el mono'

========================================
These sayings come from what the street entertainers say when working with their trick dogs and monkeys, I think.

 

[bronzeallspice]

Well, there are quite a number of road rage killings here (as well).

BTW, who are the shooters in NY?
Latinos?

donP

yes, but not like in the states. (very frequent) You cannot just yell out, get out of your car or
curse at someone like in the DR or suffer the consequences.

Since the US is a melting pot, the shooters can be anyone.

 

[DRDone]

Here is an interesting video - in general a guys experience in Latin America, but a lot applies to the DR.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9DqrYUnCcE

 

[Aguaita29]

Here is an interesting video - in general a guys experience in Latin America, but a lot applies to the DR.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9DqrYUnCcE

I've seen similar videos. I remember this story about someone in Costa Rica who hires a guy to come over to paint his house. The guy shows up like a week later, and when the gringo complains that it's been a week, the guy is like "I'm here now, what's the problem?"

 

[ROLLOUT]

Here is an interesting video - in general a guys experience in Latin America, but a lot applies to the DR.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9DqrYUnCcE

sorry, but I had to take a break during the video to poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick. I HATE people who ramble. Get to the mfing point, already.

 

[Xavier_Onassis]

Bearded Gringos who wear striped pants they bought in Guatemala go to the trouble of dressing precisely so that way so you know they are likely to ramble on and on. It's like when you see "Bud Man" or Clydesdales pulling a brewery wagon, you know it is a beer commercial.

 

[Tamborista]

Bearded Gringos who wear striped pants they bought in Guatemala go to the trouble of dressing precisely so that way so you know they are likely to ramble on and on. It's like when you see "Bud Man" or Clydesdales pulling a brewery wagon, you know it is a beer commercial.

They sell those pants on St. Mark's Place for $20, WTF are are you rambling on about?

 

[rfp]

Xavier is a self hating white who holds anybody who makes more than 2 dollars a day in derision. I would let him ramble on ....

 

[Xavier_Onassis]

I fail to see how this makes any sense at all.

 

[AlterEgo]

Back on topic please, we're here to understand Dominicans in this thread, not XO

 

[RV429]

The opposite is the case. Your MIL is smart, and obviously Dominican. Someone who has not integrated into Dominican life or who has not wasted hundreds of dollars filling a fridge only to see it empty in a day can never figure out the "purchase by the meal" mentality.
The reality is that if she does fill the fridge, the house fills up with family and neighbors and then the fridge is empty. This is not about tomorrow, it's about not feeding the bums (family) every crumb. It is much easier to maintain a daily budget for food when you don't have to worry about the food disappearing. So the notion that it is an attitude is wrong, it is being practical.

Not callous at all. Most not all Dominicans can't think past 5 minutes. For example my in-laws are of means but the way they were taught growing up shocked me. My mother in-law has a brand new 26 cubic foot fridge and I noticed every day she was going to the store. I asked my wife why and she said to purchase meat. We in most countries shop for enough food for at least a week, they shop daily. Just goes to show their mentality that they never think about tomorrow. That all or nothing attitude is entrenched in their though patterns. Hence the lack of any long term success.

 

[AlterEgo]

The opposite is the case. Your MIL is smart, and obviously Dominican. Someone who has not integrated into Dominican life or who has not wasted hundreds of dollars filling a fridge only to see it empty in a day can never figure out the "purchase by the meal" mentality.
The reality is that if she does fill the fridge, the house fills up with family and neighbors and then the fridge is empty. This is not about tomorrow, it's about not feeding the bums (family) every crumb. It is much easier to maintain a daily budget for food when you don't have to worry about the food disappearing. So the notion that it is an attitude is wrong, it is being practical.

Now THAT is how many Dominicans really live. Sad but true.

I'll even add that several times we brought take-out food to my mother-in-law's house for her and us [she didn't like to go out to eat, so we'd bring it to her], as soon as someone saw us with arms full they would stop for a visit. One guy actually pulled up a chair to the table.

She loved chocolate, and every trip I'd bring down lots for her. I'd hand it to her in a bag and whisper what it was, and she'd immediately disappear with it into her bedroom, where she hid it from the neighborhood and family vultures

 

[Chip]

With all due respect the thread should be renamed:

"Understanding the lower class Dominican Mentality because that's all gringos associate with"

 

[waytogo]

With all due respect the thread should be renamed:

"Understanding the lower class Dominican Mentality because that's all gringos associate with"

I for one find that to be a very insulting statement................
One of my best Dominican friends here is a retired heart surgeon with a 30 year practice in New York.
Another an Orthodontist with 4 offices in the Capital and Santiago.
Another an Attorney on Calle Del Sol I've been friends with for years...........
So please don't generalize that ALL gringos associate with only lower class Dominicans...........
And I also associate with many of my "poor" "NOT lower class" Dominican friends in the Campo.............
I for one don't believe in lower class.........these are people that haven't had the pleasure or the money to receive a higher education...........
And they ALL hold better conversations with me and one another than you represent..........

You are one very insulting person.............

 

[Chip]

So please don't generalize that ALL gringos associate with only lower class Dominicans...........

No me digas Einstein

 

[malko]

With all due respect the thread should be renamed:

"Understanding the lower class Dominican Mentality because that's all gringos associate with"

Chip, you are a sad, sad, sad person.......

 

[HUG]

I don't disagree that most do infact speak of the lower class experiences. Although i don't disagree with your comment about Chip, neither do I disagree with his.