Quote:
Originally Posted by mickisue1
You may be right. But I'd change one word in your theory, and then I would agree with it, based on not just Mexicans, but every culture where family and neighbor mean something much more expansive than NOB.
Change "codependent" with its connotations of addiction and the people who enable those addictions to "interdependent".
Interdependent seems to hit the mark for me: relying on each other for both survival and for well being. I used to be married to an alcoholic. I've seen codependent in all its tawdry maladaptation, in too many variations to apply it to an entire society.
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Here is the definition of : Interdependence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Interdependence is a relation between its members such that each is mutually dependent on the others. This concept differs from a simple dependence relation, which implies that one member of the relationship can't function or survive apart from the other(s).
In an interdependent relationship, participants may be emotionally, economically, ecologically and/or morally reliant on and responsible to each other. An interdependent relationship can arise between two or more cooperative autonomous participants (e.g. - co-op). Some people advocate freedom or independence as the ultimate good; others do the same with devotion to one's family, community, or society. Interdependence can be a common ground between these aspirations."
In this context I would still have to use the term codependent in my above synopsis as to a meaning that fits much better. Many do not give back equally and are not expected to until it is their turn usually much later on in some family relations and many times, for an example, compadres and comadres don't get much back except respect. In gov't. relations this mutual giving is also not seen as applicable in many cases. Take the teacher's unions in Mexico for an example. For another take the influence peddling and mordita, the gov't. is not getting back but the paisnos are. Neighbor relations are more of a mutual affair sometimes, but not always.