For decades, the word "Chicano" was used as a classist slur in Mexico and a derogatory term in the United States to describe low-income Mexican-Americans. However, during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, the community performed a masterful act of linguistic jujitsu. They reclaimed the word, transforming it into a badge of pride.
A minority view holds that chicanism can serve just ends—for example, an employee using procedural delays to slow-walk an unethical directive from management, or a civil rights lawyer exploiting every technicality to protect a client. In such cases, chicanism becomes a tool of the relatively powerless against the overbearing. chicanism
: It promotes self-respect and a "cultural rebirth," encouraging Mexican Americans to embrace their skin color and heritage rather than feeling pressured to assimilate into "white" society. For decades, the word "Chicano" was used as
Importantly, chicanism is often learned behavior, reinforced in environments where results matter more than methods, and where managers reward “getting things done” without examining the collateral damage. A minority view holds that chicanism can serve
The habitual chicanist is not typically a psychopath or a grandiose narcissist. Clinical profiles suggest three more common traits: