Mexican family Christmas dinner --what´s to talk about

Mexican newspaper columnist Alejandro Moreno recently conducted a survey asking respondents what subjects of conversation they expected to surface at their upcoming family Christmas dinner.

-- By a wide margin (75%) folks said important family events in the last year would be welcomed topics, while 25% thought not;

-- 46% said public safety would be a worthwhile subject, while a majority (52%) voiced opposition (curious, because everybody from the Mex. Pres. to the local shoeshine boy talks up public security...);

-- 59% suggested talking about movies would be a common theme at dinner, while 38% thought that dull;

--Sports? 51% said "sí" against 42% "¡que no!";

--How about show biz and celebrity gossip? By a margin of almost 2-1, respondents said they´d get involved in that kind of chat;

--And despite the obvious religious tone of the Christmas season, a solid 70% said religious talk around the dinner table would be out of place, while 29% would encourage it;

--Politics? Nope. 74% said they´d boycott such conversation. 22% "sí";

-- Following on the above, 75% said "no" to any talk of Donald Trump. Only 19% could imagine that person´s name coming up.

Are these results, and the cultural values they reflect, much different from what might be expected "up north?"

Statistics are a fascinating realm of science, but because they must resort to subjective variables, RELIABILITY and METHODOLOGY must be questioned. Besides the cellphone variable, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MEXICANS DON’T ANSWER CALLS FROM UNKNOWN NUMBERS. It’s ingrained in our culture after decades of extortions and kidnappings and threats via telephone.

While the answers seem sensible enough, I get the impression they represent a particular region. Mexico is a magical unbelievable mix of liberal and conservative, erudite and illiterate, genius and idiot, deep and shallow, warm and cold, and alert and dotardish. Few traits are universal among Mexicans apart from being Mexican, its own state of grace.

A very interesting post, and, Rob, a reply well-written. Thanks. These type of posts are important teachings for us visitors.

--
"Zihua Bay" on YouTube/deviny