A serious question

[SpencerH]

I saw something at the gym the other day and it made me think if someone here could help. I'm interested in knowing whether its culturally "OK" to spit in Mexico i.e. whether Mexicans spit on the street more than here?

I'm interested in responses from those who have some long-term experience in Mexico rather than just in TJ for the day and I'll say why I'm interested later.

[Asher]

Racist.

[SlowwHand]

Mexicans are grimey. You think they care about spit? I doubt it. That's a bath to them.

[snoopy369]

I think the no spitting thing is a puritan import, so I'd not be surprised if you're correct [that it's culturally okay in lots of other places, Mexico included]. I'd be curious about non-protestant Europe, for example.

[SpencerH]

I've never heard the puritan connection before. You're kinda on the right track since I'm aware that spitting is common in China and the east. I'm still hoping to here from a experienced Mexico inhabitant (or traveller)

[KrazyHorse]

I spit on the street without compunction. Don't spit inside buildings or vehicles.

[SpencerH]

Are you mexican ? No! so your answer is not really pertinent to the question I posed.


OTOH, seeing that someone had spit on an indoor running track, and knowing that the only guy up there was a mexican led me to think about cultural norms about spitting and the possible effects that that might have on the incidence and severity of animal/human flu epidemics in different countries.

[KrazyHorse]

a) It was relevant to provide a control sample

b) I've spit on an indoor track before. But in my defense I was in high school and we we'd been running for 45 minutes because our coach was a douche.

[SpencerH]

a) Not required. Al Gore has proven that controls and other scientific principles are obsolete.

b) You're quite clearly "an outlier" and I can exclude your data without bias.

With my 'google powers' I have found a comment on the problems of gum on the streets in Mexico which may support the "spitting hypothesis".

[Lorizael]

I'm sensing some confirmation bias in your sampling.

[SpencerH]

Not at all. So far I have no data.

[Asher]

So Fox News will run this story, then.

[bumfister]

There's a lot more then spitting that's OK in Mexico.

[SpencerH]

I'm just interested in the cultural mores of spitting in Mexico.

[Krill]

They should swallow...