Bashing our own country?

We’ve been uploading content –mostly travel guides on what to do, see or eat around Mexico– for almost two years, now. And although the feedback has been mostly positive, some negative comments have really stuck. That’s what this post is all about…

Not so long ago on one of our Instagram pictures we received a comment from a fellow Mexican bashing his own state, saying that it wasn’t beautiful, that when it rained it got flooded and that a certain European country (to which we were stating some similarities with) was way superior. Not a single praise!

First off, let’s make it clear that we were only describing one particular corner (that was indeed breathtaking) and never said that every inch of the city was picturesque or perfect. Which city is! But, putting that aside, it got us thinking the following:

We love the phrase “if you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention”, and we do like to speak our minds on things that bother us (no pink bubble here). But, what is this annoying aspect of our human nature that we tend to focus all our attention on the negative things. Sure, coming from a fellow Mexican was awful, but this constant bashing happens everywhere! Our conversations with fellow travelers from around the world have sometimes gone like this:

Us: – We’ve fallen in love with your country!

Them: –Thank you. But if we’re being honest, we have a terrible government. / Yeah, but too much consumerism. / Yes, but our medical care is terrible and too expensive… And so on.

Do we feel guilty of agreeing? Is it so wrong to just say: Yes! I agree, it is beautiful! Or is it that we’re so immersed in our daily frustrations that we forget the big picture.

There’s not a single country that is completely perfect. But, what they share is that they are all beautiful in their own unique way. This reminds us of a passage in Malala’s book where she describes both the horrors of the Talibans and the green hills with flowers and waterfalls of Pakistan. That’s exactly the point. Looking at both sides, but mainly making emphasis on the beauty. 

Call us naive, but we truly think we can change the world by switching our mindset. Knowing and being proud of the beauty of our country, whichever it is, makes us less reluctant about letting it all go to sh*t. And if we stop looking at other countries, as if they were perfect, we might find that what we’re looking for is right there in our own home.

Would love to know your thoughts… Have you experienced this? On a personal level, we’re constantly fighting against the ‘guilt’ of agreeing when someone compliments our work. Breaking this awful habit is not easy.