Comments on: Brasyl

By: I, Linkbot « Torque Control

I, Linkbot « Torque Control — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:33:41 +0000

[...] Henry Farrell reviews Ian McDonald’s Brasyl. [...]

By: richard

richard — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:16:14 +0000

that would be speculative fiction idiolectical spelling – like Brasyl itself. Perhaps. If we’re feeling generous.

By: diogo

diogo — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:28:28 +0000

richard, you’re spot on about this popular myth of Brasil. It is a really entrenched one too. As for the book, I have only read the first couple of pages. I was well impressed with the author’s knowledge of Rio’s geography and streets. I was less well impressed with the array of Portuguese typos I found…

By: richard

richard — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:50:02 +0000

What you describe certainly conforms to a popular myth of Brasil – as a sort of dirty paradise, that combines inequality with tolerance. It’s a myth that seems quite widespread in Brasil, actually. I wonder how much this is a projection from people uncomfortably aware that they’re on the right side of the divide.

By: Celso

Celso — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:36:29 +0000

I think it was Ulrich Beck who talked about the “Brazilianization of the West”? Employment would become flexible, inequality would soar, etc. I don’t remember if it was him, also, who mentioned an increased number of inter-racial marriages. Curiously enough, some would argue that informal work in Brazil springs from excessive regulation in the labour market, something many rich countries are familiar with. On the other hand, it is indeed true that globalization is no news in Brazil, a country that began as one of the first big commercial enterprises funded with European (Portuguese and Dutch) capital. By the way, the book seems interesting, I will definitely read it.