The Brazilian people don't want the soccer World Cup in Brazil. It seems.
There are some who are planning on boycotting the World Cup completely. That includes not watching the games on tv. You're reading this right. The great soccer-loving nation of Brazil has people living within it's borders who are not interested in the great festivity and incredible celebration that is the FIFA Soccer World Cup.
They'd rather see their nations money spent on improving education and eradicating poverty. They are close to outrage at the idea of all of this money being wasted on a form of entertainment. The World Cup has exposed these frustrations before, and there were rumours of the similar sentimentality in South Africa in the months leading up to the 2010 World Cup, but I was unaware of any plans to boycott it completely like this. The riots during the Confederation Cup appear to be but a foretaste of the demonstrations of dissatisfaction that the people have towards a mismanagement of priorities in a country world renown for an obsession with soccer.
The blatant investment of precious wealth into an array of stadiums, advertisement and upgrades to already-adequate-in-comparison structures looks like it's a step too far on the tolerance scale of Brazilians when they know how many of their people are struggling to put food on patched-up tables. A demand for justice is rising from the bottom. The culture found amongst the majority, amongst the poor and struggling, may provide some insight into why a higher standard of justice is demanded.
I arrived from South Africa last week, and am in the process of moving into Heliopolis, a famous favela in the impressive city of São Paulo. Within hours of being shown my apartment, I began worrying about how I would afford any of my furniture or appliances. But the family that brought me in, themselves struggling with jobs and money, donated a beautiful cupboard, an adequate fridge, a mattress and a stove to me. They were more than gracious with all that they had. My girlfriend had a similar experience when she was travelling through the slum to visit some of the poorer families of the children that she had encountered. They were amazed at the fact that she didn't own a tv, and while she was going from house to house through the dire situations of these families in the favela she was offered a television by almost each household she came across.
Is this mentality of sharing so that all are taken care of restricted to those who have little to share? Is the lack of this community from the able government the distrubing factor? The rich feel cordoned off with their bounty in impressive estates, the poor out of sight and out of mind. Estates that are hiding them in plain sight. Amongst all of this is the dependable rise in commodities such as public transport or basic foods. Is it then a stretch for the imagination to expect the vast majority of the nation to protest for the money that they are hoping will rescue them from desperation be used to better their situation as opposed to facilitating a celebration that is clearly far beyond their reach?
Very far beyond their reach. The method for purchasing tickets appears to accomodate only the rich, according to the locals here in Brazil. They understand that if they apply for a ticket, they can't even choose what game they're going to watch. Which means that they may end up with a ticket for a game on the other side of the country. A game that they'll need a plane ticket to go and watch, instead of one at the stadium that may be within a short walk from their home.
Justice and community may appear to be substituted for entertainment and profit.
I am challenged personally to be as demanding of justice in my own life. To abandon and cast off that which seeks to feed my own selfishness at the cost of others. Can I, too, become dissatisfied at my own indulgence, and hungrier for community justice to be an effect of my life?