People also stop and like to gather around the tree and gaze at it. After searching the web, I have found a few answers to my questions and quandaries about what makes usus. NEW YORK Al Jazeera wants to make its name as American as pizzaburgers. BANGKOK -- The rest of the world may think Americans eat a lot of burgers, have huge shopping malls and are ruled by an arrogant government. An Outsider Looks at Life in America. "Body Rituals Among the Nacirema, " by Horace Miner, is an essay written about the Nacirema, or American people, from an outsider's perspective. According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . Some even sell fresh fruit and prepackaged mealsbut if you're visiting the States from another country, we recommend getting your sushi elsewhere. . I prefer hanging out with Canadians or students from Europe, because at least they are quite polite." The drum is . The amount of older people I saw on my trip wearing college gear was insane. Americans go nuts with air conditioning, cranking it up on hot days to the point that you might actually need a sweater. You might have been counting down the days until spring, but make the most of these chilly and cloudy days. I threw dirt, I threw stones. It comes as a bit of a surprise, then, when these foreigners visit the U.S. and are checked in on every 10 minutes or so as they eat. This writing helped me understand others' perceptive of the things that I find normal. Nacirema, that "exotic", far-off place where people do "strange" things is one of the best ways to help students look at American culture as an observer rather than as the standard by which all other cultures should be compared. Americans love their free refills. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); I want an outsider's perspective on why this country is so fucked. Many said they found it to be one of the weirdest things about being in the US. Many people's vacation days tend to pile up as the months of 50-hour workweeks roll on. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "Technology makes Americans American." When first reading this analysis, it is not easy to recognize that Miner is talking about American's culture. The Internet has changed that. Every once in a while, an outsider comes along with a new vision or a new way of doing things that revolutionizes a . They miss nuances." Sociology in Everyday Life. The culture of the United States includes traditions, regional customs, institutions, art and so much more. -- Teaching_man, I was not aware that you can buy guns in supermarkets in America. (New York: Penguin . they aren't actually looking for an answer. By looking at our own cultures as outsiders we can see that we are under the same influence of the power of culture as others are. The only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? In cultural anthropology, our fieldwork is referred to as ethnography, which is both the process and result of cultural anthropological research. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. } Curious about which things are considered freaky by foreigners' standards? And so when this newspaper or any other writes about Italy or Ghana, Italians and Ghanaians can now read it. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "I had a roommate a Californian, when I was in Korea as a college exchange student. In 1,100-1,500 AD, it is reported that the first signs of Navajo culture emerged. Don't get me wrong, dental hygiene is important, but not everyone needs a perfect Hollywood smile. All the pomp and circumstance surrounding prom, I have cousins who live in the US and just hearing about the number of hoops they had to jump through to ask someone to a dance is hilarious. -- KevinDevogel, That the price on things in your stores are not the actual price but the price without tax and such -- 77-97-114-99-111, You guys can't separate nudity from sex. In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. I was wearing a T-shirt that said, 'You Can't Get This In The States.' The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Now, besides the few, awesome things, I will end with what was a bit of a mixed review from non-Americans. Due to the individuals moulding as an anthropologist and as a person by society, ethnographies can be clouded by researchers views on subjects as active agents through upbringing, sex . There are few countries in which you'll encounter a billboard or bus ad for a divorce attorney or see several personal injury spots while watching half an hour of daytime TV. They have to lift it up and tie it to the top of their vehicle, and then drive very slowly so the tree will not fall off the car. Lawrence Wetsit misses the days when his people would gather by the hundreds and . In other parts of the world, however, ice isn't something you'll see nearly as frequently. Nacirema, that exotic, far-off place where people do strange things is one of the best ways to help students look at Americanculture as an observer rather than as the standard by which all other cultures should be compared. After considering how Black women might draw upon these key themes as outsiders within to generate a distinctive standpoint on existing sociological paradigms, I conclude by suggesting that other sociologists would also benefit In S.E. For example, Miner writes The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. Persons from religious perspectives other than Christianity, which emphasizes "individual salvation," may see the individual as equal to all living things, as on a journey toward individual fulfillment, or even as . - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, juice seller, Havana, "It is a world imperialist power country. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); I encourage others to take a step outside, in any situation, to see the broader view of things because what you find may surprise you. Even when it's the dead of winter, coffee shops are still serving up iced coffee. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In many instances, the name of a coin will tell you something about how much it's worth. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider jdavem, The way its often described to me is that Americans have a very "open mind", and that we can handle having a lot of different people around, even when we don't agree. They just like speaking their mind, which is a reason that I don't feel quite comfortable going around with Americans." What does it mean to be an American? In restaurants in many other countries, your server runs your credit card through a machine table-side. All Rights Reserved. In most other countries, you take the time to at least park the car and walk through the front doors of the place you're patronizingnot in America, though! On my search I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite view. The reality doesn't match the ideal. Americans are, apparently, much friendlier than most people around the world. One of the reasons why we see so much of servers in the States is because they are constantly refilling customers' water glasses. Throughout the novel The Outsiders, readers can see just how harshly culture can change people. Especially if you have school work to do, background music can help fill the silence of late night studying. But in America, you are expected to add upwards of 20 percent to your bill just to avoid a dirty look from your server. Sometimes it doesnt fit very easily through the entrance to their house, and many members of the family have to help get the tree through the doorway. When a store clerk or acquaintance in America asks, "How are you doing?" "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. The material items that are kept, though, seem to consume all the time of the children. In fact, in a 2017 report from the National Retail Federation, 65 percent of consumers reported owning a U.S. flag. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. Now, I am not saying that America doesnt have its own cultural cues and certain ways that we act that makes us unique. In the process, the new Pittsburgh is helping point the way to the old. WHAT IS THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD "AMERICA"? The following is an excerpt from one of the excellent papers I received from a student, Emily Ong (used with her permission). This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. They must be of some great importance or have some great wisdom, which allows them the honor of completing this task. Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest. A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. Figure 1.6. Where unity and selflessness or altruism are valued traits in collectivist cultures, independence and . Y'all get snow up there.'" From our portions to our PTO, here's where we differ from the rest of the world. The United States of America serves as the global symbol of 'madness' and 'non-stop chaos' in the best and worst ways possible. The spectacle of the Tupinamb men in the French court, as described by Montaigne, could be said to be an instance of "reverse colonization," a phenomenon in which those who embarked in a colonial . if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Many say how underrated our beer is. Your email address will not be published. The report reflected the networks seeming vision of the United States more generally: as a nation dynamic and promising and, at the same time, brutal in ways that distinguish it from its rich-country cousins. In America, the letter Z is, well, zee. It did the same for a story from New Orleans on how murder victims survivors cope with their loss. I can imagine that persons evaluation would be something like the following: During this holiday called Christmas, families take great care to ensure that they decorate their houses and various shrubs with wires. Mehta, 34, health insurance worker, New Delhi, "America is a land of opportunities. They are big and loud and they are in charge of everything." Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. When Al Jazeera becomes a major U.S. cable channel, as it plans, some Americans are likely to click past it, recalling the alleged anti-American tone by the pan-Arab network during the Iraq war a decade ago, CNN wrote in a not atypical comment. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "A lot of (consumer) products. Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. However, if the commercial itself isn't clear, the long list of side effects the narrator rattles off at the end should at least tip them off. xhr.send(payload); What am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? Cultural Perspective on African American Culture Angela Khristin Brown E-mail: brownlas6@aol.com Received: 05-09- 2013 Accepted: 09-10-2013 Published: 31-10-2013 . I did not find any discrimination. has brought about most of the customs and activities. - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. Because there is no such ethnicity. cota main grandstand; chocolate pudding with 2 percent milk I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend . So, traveling down any city block, suburban street, or rural road, a foreigner will probably encounter at least a few American flags flying high, which likely isn't the norm in their home country. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used sparingly, if at all. African . NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. This story deals with issues that are very close to the hearts of teens, whether in the 1960s when this book was written or today. And he drank tap water oh no!" - B.S. In the U.S., every food order requires several decisions. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { When a young girl there was asked about the low-level warfare that engulfs her neighborhood, her answers heart-sinking simplicity seemed to vouch for this approach of chronicling America as though seeing it for the first time. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "America is food fast food and (Coca) Cola. Upon graduating secondary school, many Americans choose colleges and universities outside of and often far from their hometowns. A lot of dresses, and cars, and all that. I thought you had to go to a dedicated gun store for that. What do they think of when they think of America? The tree also seems to serve as some kind of offering place because people gradually place decorated boxes around the tree in the days leading up to Christmas. What I've concluded from my time here so far is that most of the people in Europe consider Americans good-hearted, but completely insane people. -- B_Underscore, A friend came from the UK and he said Wal-mart was the weirdest thing, you could buy 24 rolls of toilet paper and a 12 gauge shotgun in the same store. You have your hot chocolate made, playlist downloaded, movie set and books chosen. the United States, along with further themes such as African-American culture, racism, religion, slavery, a sense of home,[5] segregation, migration, feminism, and more. But if you were to use this pronunciation in conversation with an English speaker from another country, they'd probably give you a puzzled look. I found the people very hospitable, nice and very cordial." And for more on why we pronounce this letter differently, check out Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. As well as supporting your college as an alumni. teach well, it matters. - Liu Xiaodan, 30, hotel manager, Beijing, "America is a country that produces a massive amount of cultural output such as Hollywood movies, music and many other (forms of) entertainment." Whether you're heading into a bar or buying a six-pack at the grocery store, there's a good chance you'll be asked for your ID in the United Stateseven if you're well into your 50s. There is some discussion of dolphin infant mortality, but not so much about the issue in America even though it ranks close to the bottom among the advanced economies. If not, think of a country or place where youve always wanted to go, and become aware of the images your mind creates when you think of this place and its people. Figure 1.6. - Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo, First published on August 4, 2016 / 5:32 PM. In most countries outside the U.S., vacation time is a highly utilized way to get away from work for a few weeks (or even months) every year. And it's a country with quite advanced technology industries. Now, Im not talking about Bud Light and the like, Im talking about the large amount of micro-breweries and craft beers we make. That . That is curious. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "Everything in America is high tech!" In anthropology, folkloristics, and the social and behavioral sciences, emic (/ i m k /) and etic (/ t k /) refer to two kinds of field research done and viewpoints obtained.. Still, and after more than a decade following the publication by Headland, Pike and Harris (1990), discussions about insider versus outsider status of the researcher remain alive and relevant. To outsiders, Blacks may appear terse or disinterested. For a country that's the center of the global economy, America's currency is pretty dull. Mix it up using almond or coconut milk. Foreign tourists might be surprised to find out just how many other destinations in the U.S. have restaurants that are open around the clock. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click hereto follow us on Instagram! You can describe American culture in general, as Miner does, or you can describe an American subculture, such as a specific geographical group (e.g., New Yorkers), a . - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "Americans are American because they feel (they are) better than the rest of the world but in reality we are as good as they are. Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. We don't know what lemonade is: In many countries, lemonade is not the iconic sugary drink that American kids sell at stands in summer. One habit was found to help keep the brain healthy over time. Read more, CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike, The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. American culture is clearly more advanced than all other cultures. Miner describes Americans as "magic-ridden people" (Miner 2009, 507). For example, the view of Northpolians regarding Acimerans is an etic perspective. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? These Americans, thus, are all quite concerned with the overall presentation of their houses: they make sure other people see and admire them. They desire a different one, which holds more importance. By Beth Anne Macaluso, Adam Schubak and Kara Ladd. To examine these facts other cultures are taken into consideration to accurately without prejudices towards African Americans. - Ksenia Smertova, 21, student, Moscow, "America? Anyone can read what you share. It was reported to me that the ritual consists of inserting a small bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, along with certain magical powders, and then moving the bundle in a highly formalized series of gestures.. An outsider can clearly observe behavior but they cannot understand it while conversely an American would not be able to observe an attitude but they would be able to understand the . Native Americans believe that the beating of the drum is a uniting force, bringing together people of different tribes, as well as uniting a person's spirit to their body and mind. } This is baffling to many foreigners, especially since, by the time they're in their 30s, they've been drinking legally for more than two decades. 1 - A Chinese woman with her feet unbound. Some of the answers are pretty hilarious and/or eye-opening. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. Once the family has picked out their rather plump tree, they have to go through the challenging and exhausting task of bringing it back to their home. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "I think the way they are talking and dealing with personal relations is quite direct. Please enter valid email address to continue. It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. in /nfs/c05/h04/mnt/113983/domains/toragrafix.com/html/wp-content . The idea of being self-sufficient is valued highly in the U.S. Does the eating of the man-shaped biscuits represent some sacrifice? Yet, America's admirers have felt betrayed by other shades of the American character: the military interventions in Vietnam, Iraq and elsewhere; the gun violence; the right (inexplicable to many) to carry weapons; the deep and angry racial divisions; and, lately, a presidential nominee calling for harsh restrictions on Muslims and Mexicans. Many posts I read from spoke about not being able to even eat our bread because it was so sugary. Fair enough! To non-Americans the fact that we have a choice of, what kind of bread we want our sandwich on, and what kind of cheese we want on said sandwich, along with what kind of dressing, is just mind blowing. The Greek term "ethno" refers to people, and "graphy" refers to writing. - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "You can easily distinguish an American like here in the restaurant. A European, on the other hand, "will launch into a monologue about their health and wellbeing and ask [how are you?] The Associated Press sent reporters across the world to ask ordinary people about their views of America. Views differ considerably, however, among the country's religious communities - 72% of Lebanese Christians say the spread of these ideas is a good thing; only 23% of Sunni and 13% of Shia . Contents. Andersen, Margaret L. and Taylor, Howard F. 2008. While we do have some American comfort food, especially here in the South, what is there that we created ourselves? but don't tell them (laughing)." But when Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television empire that has long broadcast to viewers around the world in Arabic and English, announced plans to start a U.S. news channel, it ignited a wildfire of controversy. For those who are used to a more leisurely meal with little interruption, all of those check-ins and the waiter's eagerness to bring the bill can be a bit grating. So what does this foreign gaze, as presented on Al Jazeera America, reveal? Loudness. Individualism vs. Collectivism. - Zhila Gudzueva, university lecturer, Moscow, "My definition of Americans is those who are cheerful, friendly and willing to communicate." Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. They look super fake. The book is about observing American culture from an outsider's perspective, and comparing it to other cultures from across the globe. As we said before, Americans live by the phrase, "The more, the merrier!". That's because, in America, we put our eggs through a rigorous washing process (which actually isn't even necessary) that removes the egg's protective layer, so harmful bacteria can get in if we don't refrigerate the eggs. This extraordinary insight highlights the power that outsiders have, forcing us to see ourselves from an altogether different perspective. In England, the so-called "chemist" is the place you go to for medicine and medical suppliesand that's it. These kind greetings can catch foreigners by surprise, and usually it takes a few "hellos" before they trust that it's not some kind of scam. I think it comes from two places: sports, and a sense of community. These wires are attached to a side of the house and only come on at night. Many of the novel's characters, whether they were labeled as Socials (Socs) or greasers . Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.". After doing a little adventuring on the web and seeing all different kinds of opinions and views from people all over the world, I came to love my country even more. One child was given a circle with a hole in it, which was in a rectangular case, and he put this circle into a box and proceeded to stare at the screen and hold a device attached to the box by a wire. The second one is "B", the one you're attempting to write about (say, Chinese, Vietnamese, French). "Long winter nights and the seclusion of the reservation. The novelty here has at least two dimensions. Once the tree is inside, for some reason they put it in the center of the room, and proceed to decorate it with various gaudy balls and gems on strings. Part 1: An etic view of African American race from an outsiders perspective is believed as religious and demonstrates a unique lifestyle. Not only did the geography of precontact America persist, but both the new arrivals and the indigenous inhabitants long retained their respective general characteristics, and it was the fit between . 2 - A Chinese Golden Lily Foot by Lai Afong, c1870s. The first is that, for the longest time, reporters from foreign news organizations sent reports back to the countries that dispatched them, and those reports were seldom seen locally. It's not that we're lazy, per se; it's just that we like to be comfyand despite the weird looks we get from European tourists, being cozy simply trumps looking put together sometimes. Whats more is that once Christmas is over, all of the gaudy gems and balls on the tree have to be removed and the tree must be moved out of the house. Suppose we have two cultures in presence. However, while the quarter makes senseseeing as its value is equivalent to one-fourth of a dollarthat's the only coin whose name is at all logical in terms of its worth. Works Cited. The most peculiar act, however, has yet to be done. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "I think there obviously is the American dream, the idea that unifies them all. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. In every public surveyed - including the U.S. - people ages 18 to 29 are more likely than those ages 65 and older to rate U.S. entertainment as above average or the best. I came to realize how many things are truly American and what makes us great people of a great nation. - Men Xuezhi, 54, doctor, Beijing, "I don't like American guys who always pursue their own personal interests.
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