Whither the Famed Argentine Ego?

The Argentine ego is almost as famed as the country's beef and women, a kind of national treasure (or embarrassment) that supposedly defines the national character. Jokes, of course, are rampant: "How does an Argentine commit suicide? He climbs to the top of his ego, then jumps." "What is the best deal on earth? To buy an Argentine for his true value and then sell him for what he thinks he's worth." And when former President Carlos Menem was late for the official photo session at the 1998 Summit of the Americas--making 33 heads of state wait--one minister joked, "What is ego? Ego is the little Argentine inside each of us." But since the crash, the Argentine had has taken quite a hit, at least if you believe the press. Still, as members of the press we know how foreign trend stories work: they're often conjured by an editor in New York, dutifully filled with three examples (one is an event, two is a coincidence, but three? A trend!) and edited into facile thumbnail descriptions that confirm the editor's preconceptions. But firsthand evidence? That's hard to fake. And so, yesterday's poll in Clarín proved it: the Argentine ego has wilted. In an answer to the question, "What is the major attraction in Argentina?" 65.5% answered the scenery, 24.5% said the low prices, and only 3.5% said "the people."

Today's poll question promises even more insight: "Do you consider sex an important part of your life?"