New York vs. São Paulo: what can they learn from each other?

What do we have to learn with them? What must they take from us? Memories from a Brazilian girl’s first bite in the Big Apple

New York is not only a great city. Is the sexiest city in the world, it inspires all of our senses with its lights, sounds, the smell of the street food mixed to the freezing air in the winter and all of its textures, from Manhattan to Queens, from SoHo to Bronx.

How is it possible to feel at home in such a different place? Well, it is in NY, you become a citizen right away, it absorbs you and grabs you in a special way. Is hard not to feel comfortable in the Big Apple.

But though is a very attractive place, New York is not perfect. And it gets quite clear for Brazilians the reasons why they cannot be.

Before someone says that this is some sort of way of saying one is better than another or of complaining of both, well, it’s not. It’s just a fun way of comparing some of their most remarkable features. So, here goes the top of them.

Subway

Subways in New York city work properly, they have lots of lines and you can literally go anywhere in the city with it. On the other hand, São Paulo still has subway lines concentred only in central spots and some fancy neighbourhoods really forbid the entrance of stations there, they don’t want “different people” around.

However, São Paulo’s got one of the most neat  and well prepared subways in the world, while in New York you have dirty stations where you can only enter by stairs. Zero mobility. Plus, they even look a little creepy. Brrr!!!

But NY’s subway is open 24 hours a day. São Paulo still forces night livers go home by cab. Very expensive cabs. But not as much as NY.

Prices

New York is priceless. But it costs so much for those who visit the city. So is São Paulo. No one scores in this area, they both have so much to learn in this matter. Nevertheless, there are lots of free things to do in both New York and São Paulo. But in New York just walking on the streets of Manhattan can be a hell of an experience. Street musicians, tourists, lighting advertisings, creative street food signs, old constructions and all kinds of people make a walk in Times Square a valid touristic experience. And you can really get anything at any time. São Paulo still have to grow in night life experiences not only of bars and fun, but shopping and living.


Wild bikers

São Paulo has got bikers who cannot be safe on the streets because the biking culture is only now hitting our country in its core. New York has wild bikers who think they are in Tour de France and with whom pedestrians cannot be safe, though they have lots of bike paths.


Pizza

Even with an enormous amount of italian imigrants, New York, like the rest of US, just can’t make great pizza. They have good ones, interesting flavours (some of them look like yakisoba’s pizzas, with so many things in it you can’t tell), but not great traditional italian pizzas.


Things I learned with the Big Apple:

• It’s impossible to keep a good hair. The wind will always mess it up and when it doesn’t happen is probably because you are wearing a cap, bonnet or hood. So give your comb some vacation.
• With all the cold in their winter, you can get a shock in literally everything, from the button of the elevator to your own hair.
• Never mock someone or curse in your own language in an offensive way (not out loud), there are lots of tourists there. And one of them can always be your contryman.
• You need moisturizer. Really. There is no strength in that cold. Keep hydrated or get ready to get your skin ripped off. 
• Always take cash. Some places don’t take credit cards. It’s true!
• Don’t throw away your subway ticket, it is rechargeable.
• Sleep the least you can, you won’t waste ANY minute!!!

In the end, I must say that I loved spending some days in New York, everyone was truly kind with me and I would love to go back there. But I adore São Paulo also and love our rich history and variety. But I think every new yorker must come to São Paulo once just like all paulistanos (as people from the city of São Paulo are called) should visit New York as well, not only because of the trade of experiences, but to learn how to love and cherish the own culture and see that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence, but that is delicious to see all the different shades of green along the way and break all the fences.

Media cover by social networks = menace to the journalistic totalitarism

Protests during the last days here in São Paulo have become because of the increase of bus taxes, but now they have turned into something greater and now the fight is a matter of honor for people in São Paulo. And it came with some changes in paradigmas already sedimented in volatile reality.

First paradigma changed is that Brazilian people is asleep. Other movements are happening concurrently in Brazil against the raise of transportation taxes, which shows that our people no longer accept what’s imposed and now recognize our rights and power of change. I am particularly satisfied by watching the Sleeping Beauty, numb for more than 20 years (our last great movement was for the impeachment of president Collor, in 1992). It’s scary for me to watch the inertia of such a powerful giant like Brazil, so it’s a relief to watch my people giving voice to our needs again, inspite of police’s truculence and devastation made by few.

Plus: is not usually so easy to know who the hero is and who the villain is. Situation change and reveal the real intention of our social actors. For example: in this particular situation, public opinion was opposed to the protests at first, but a strategy mistake made by São Paulo governor and mayor turned this movement into a manifest of saviours against the reactionary Military Police. Conclusion is: governor took a cause that wasn’t his when he told the police to be aggressive against protesters (mayor is in charge of transportation by bus and its regulatory system). The mayor lost a huge opportunity to become the hero and has shown to be passive and neglective before who voted for him.

And, at last, but not least, there’s another big change: the fall of journalistic absolutism as the only legitimate way to publicize the facts. The tendencious and creepy way press treated the events was scorched by the competent and realistic cover seen in social networks, like Twitter and Facebook, right from the source of those who were present and living the history, whose comments were free from merchandising interests. And nothing scares the hell out of the powerful journalists than the loss of total domination of the truth – once beheld by us.

But, now that EVERYONE and ANYONE no longer only ‘wonder’ about what happens, but also write, record, report, anyway, do OUR job, where do we stay? What’s our function when we stop being the absolute beholders of truth and have to deal with ‘poor mortals’ acting in our zone? And when end being untouchable and star being treated like regular citizens, with bullets, violence and repression against our noble and sacred press soldiers?

I believe that, whenever the upshot of this history is, the insurgence of people from São Paulo prove that is heavily required to redesign the paper of journalists. News agents, so used to look in the mirror and see a super hero (I blame DC Comics for so many journalist characters), need to come of the pedestal, forget about any feeling of supremacy and rediscover our primary function, as ordinary social actors, which is primordial for the quality and the maintenance of journalistic superiority, in its raw state.

The professional of Journalism, so devalued by the market, but, still, with astronomical egos, what are we good for, since we were in such discredit that even our diplomas were disconsidered? (in Brazil, about four years ago, a decret told that to work as journalists, people would no longer have to show a college degree in Journalism). Such things only prove that we NEED to find our place in the world again and, inspite of the changes, never doubt about its importance.

Yes, nowadays anyone can blog and report, but we’re still necessary as the news generalists, tireless seekers of facts, but we have to return to our roots and consider all the sides and facts. Every journalist is (or should be) essencially a plural being. After all, we’re specialists in nothing, but have to talk and write about everything. So, let’s not allow the rush, tight deadlines and the inconvenient need of doing more than our time permit, take away our most precious gift – and the one thing that makes us different than amateur scribes – the capacity of dealing with the facts, all of them, with many points of view and its tones.

Reporting from the top may be dangerous, not loyal to the reality. Overviewing is not the same as the look you get at the same level and, therefore, can’t deliver the same accuracy for those who just want to unserstand the events. And that, in times of immediacy and hypervelocity, is worth way more than any illusory greatness.

Cobertura via redes sociais = ameaça ao totalitarismo jornalístico

Os acontecimentos dos últimos dias na cidade de São Paulo, com os protestos que começaram devidos ao aumento da tarifa do ônibus e hoje se tornaram questão de honra para o povo paulistano, mudaram alguns paradigmas já sedimentados na nossa volátil realidade.

Em primeiro lugar, o de que o povo brasileiro está adormecido. Outras manifestações contra o também aumento em outras partes do Brasil e a insistência dos paulistanos em não mais aceitarem o que lhes é imposto sem cabimento mostram que os brasileiros voltam a reconhecer seu lugar. Eu, particularmente, achava assustadora a inércia da nossa gente desde o movimento das Diretas Já. Sinto-me aliviada, apesar da truculência da polícia e da devastação geral.

Outra coisa: os papeis de mocinho e bandido nem sempre são assim tão evidentes. As situações mudam e revelam as intenções. Uma batalha social que iniciou contrária à opinião pública, por erro de estratégia dos senhores prefeito e governador, tornou-se o manifesto de salvadores da pátria contra a polícia militar. Conclusão, governador tomou para si uma bronca que, inicialmente, era do prefeito Haddad, quando botou a polícia para “quebrar”. O prefeito paulistano, por sua vez, revelou-se passivo frente aos seus eleitores – porque eram eles no meio da manifestação, não os eleitores do PSDB.

 E, por último, mas não menos importante, a queda do absolutismo jornalístico como única forma legítima de noticiar. A cobertura medonha e tendenciosa da grande mídia diante dos fatos foi chamuscada pelo tratamento realista das redes sociais por parte dos que viviam aqueles momentos e davam seus depoimentos desprovidos de interesses mercadológicos ou políticos. E nada assusta mais os poderosos jornalistas que a perda do domínio total da verdade.

Mas, diante disso, de uma população que não mais apenas acha, mas também escreve, relata, filma, reporta, enfim, faz o nosso trabalho, onde ficamos nós? Que função nos cabe quando deixamos de ser absolutos e vemos pobres mortais atuando na nossa zona? E quando deixamos de ser intocáveis e passamos a ser tratados como cidadãos comuns, com direito a borrachadas, balas no olho, spray de pimenta e toda a sorte de tratamentos dispensados a qualquer um, mas nunca à sagrada imprensa?

Creio que, independentemente do desfecho dos protestos, a insurgência paulistana mostra que é preciso redesenhar o papel do jornalista. Que o profissional da imprensa, tão acostumado a se olhar no espelho como super heroi (culpa de alguns quadrinhos que colocam os maiores defensores da humanidade como, também, profissionais da notícia?) precisa descer do seu pedestal, esquecer sua pequena superioridade e redescobrir que sua função primária, a de ator social comum, reles, vil, é primordial para que sua nobreza jornalística seja elevada ao extremo.

Nós, classe desvalorizada pelo mercado de trabalho, mas com egos astronômicos, servimos para quê, já que, segundo dizem desde a derrubada do diploma obrigatório pelo excelentíssimo Gilmar Mendes, “jornalista qualquer um pode ser”? Precisamos nos reencontrar, entender novamente nosso lugar no mundo e, jamais, duvidar de sua importância.

Sim, hoje qualquer um publica seus relatos, mas nós ainda somos necessários como os generalistas da notícia, buscadores incansáveis dos fatos – mas precisamos retornar às raízes e reconsiderar todos os fatos. Todo jornalista é (ou deveria ser) essencialmente um ser plural. Afinal, somos especialistas em nada, mas precisamos falar sobre tudo. Não deixemos a pressa, os deadlines apertados, a necessidade de fazer mais do que nosso tempo nos permite, nos tirar o que temos de mais precioso – e que nos diferencia dos escribas do povo – os fatos, todos eles, com seus pormenores e nuances.

Reportar de cima vale, mas não é fiel à realidade, a visão panorâmica não é a mesma de quem está ao lado e, portanto, não tem o mesmo rigor de quem apenas quer entender o que acontece. E isso, em tempos de imediatismo e hipervelocidade, é muito mais valoroso que qualquer grandeza ilusória.

* Texto originalmente publicado no portal Consumidor Moderno.

Ser ou não ser? Eis a questão

Todo mundo fica abismado com criancinhas passando fome, mas fala que Bolsa Família cria vagabundos.

Todo mundo quer o fim da pobreza e a inclusão social, mas posta no Facebook "quando pobre não tinha internet a qualidade do conteúdo era melhor.

Todo mundo ama a liberação feminina, mas justifica estupros e abusos sexuais com a lamentável frase: "também, com esta roupinha o que ela queria?".

Todo mundo fala que deveríamos devolver o Brasil pros índios e pedir desculpas a eles, mas ninguém se desculpa com o "preto macaco" do trânsito ou, ainda, estuda um pouco de História do Brasil.

Todo mundo acha que o Joaquim Barbosa é o novo herói do Brasil, coitados.

Todo mundo acha que a Angelina Jolie é um exemplo de coragem por ter arrancado tetas perfeitamente saudáveis, enquanto mulheres comuns sofrem os efeitos da mutilação de uma mastectomia.

Todo mundo fala mal de macumbeiro, mas bate três vezes na madeira quando fala sobre algo ruim, evita  deixar aquele par de sapatos embaixo da cama e vai tacar flor no mar pra Iemanjá no fim do ano.

Todo mundo é contra a homofobia, mas prefere ver um filho morto ou na cadeia a aceitá-lo homossexual.

Todo mundo odeia o imperialismo norte-americano enquanto calça seus tênis Converse e faz suas compras no Walmart.

Todo mundo quer ir contra o sistema e banca a revolução com o cartão de crédito do papai capitalista.

Todo mundo tem vocabulário demais e conteúdo de menos.

Todo mundo no mundo todo e em todos os mundos se enoja da imundice, mas escolhe continuar imundo.