Morality begins at the point of a gun.

— Mao Zedong, Chinese revolutionary and national leader




.... Or at least thats how it appears to be in Mexico.

Before we arrived here, I asked my hubby why he liked Mexico and why he didn't. It's beautiful, he said, more free than the US. What didn't he like? Everyone is out to get you.... for their opportunity. They don't think about each other....only themselves.

Well, six months later, we've found that true. We tried avoiding every conflict when we moved down here. Ethics, in the tattoo industry, believe it or not, is very important in the States. Stealing clients, replicating other's tattoos, location of tattoo shops etc... is taboo. If you open next door to another tattoo shop, you better bet that your windows will be broken, your shit stolen, and maybe even get your ass kicked. There is a unspoken respect for person, work and property. but not here in Mexico.

We put all our money into our shop in Mexico. We were planning on opening a Sex Shop and Tattoo Shop, but there was a sex shop two doors down. Out of respect for THEIR business, we decided to only open the Tattoo Shop. Before we came down, we went to all the shops and introduced ourselves. We built our shop more than a fair distance away, invited all the shops for a party, and built from scratch. Now that we built up a little clientel, a weasel sneaks his way in.

One of hubby's first clients was a kid who wanted to open a tagging store. Now, our neighbors in the same building, moved out... so DH said, let me introduce you to our landlord. Landlord asked us what we thought... cool people. Done. They were in....selling t shirts in front and spray paint in the back... not really what we're into, but hey, maybe we can help each other out. Next thing you know... they need drawings for their own shirts... hubby gives some ideas from his work. Next, they need internet. We let them tap into our line. Now, we come to find out that they are not making any money... and they've hired three tattoo artists to come work for them... and decide to pierce. WTF?

Hubby gets a little upset. They refuse to take it down. hmmm.... There was no traffic on that block before, now there is, and they don't understand why DH is upset. Maybe that they're trying to steal clientel. The problem is, they are right next door. Not a block. Not even a building. And they don't understand WHY it's morally wrong. That's like a lingerie store opening up next to Victoria Secret... or an Honda dealer moving in right next to another freaking Honda dealer. Shit. but apparently there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, i think we even got a lecture that we're new here and we don't understand how this whole thing works and this is NORMAL in Mexico.

If Mexicans keep cutthroating other Mexicans without regard for any benefit other than their own, Mexico as country will never progress.

Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value ~ Bertrand Russell