american culture from an outsiders perspective
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 . However, young people both in and outside the U.S. are particularly fond of American popular culture. Cultural relativism is the idea that the beliefs and practices of a culture should be understood within the context of that particular culture's background, history, and current events surrounding it. But there is an ideology that unites them all." How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . Despite the fact that these people are so punctilious, about care of the mouth, this rite involves a practice which strikes the uninitiated stranger as revolting. The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. In S.E. 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. "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. 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. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "Technology makes Americans American." Instead, it's meant as a simple greeting, similar to "Hi there!" Included 600 grams of cheese. 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. Enter Al Jazeera, which recently sent a correspondent to Cleveland, a city it called Americas infant mortality capital. The question it pursued fused the local and the global: why rates of premature birth and infant death in many neighborhoods exceed those of developing nations.. From the exotic to the ancient, and to the high end cities of the world, we are obsessed. Extra-Large Food Portions. - Zhila Gudzueva, university lecturer, Moscow, "My definition of Americans is those who are cheerful, friendly and willing to communicate." These wires are attached to a side of the house and only come on at night. They rip up all of the paper covering the boxes, and leave a mess on the floor. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "A lot of (consumer) products. 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. Miner takes the approach of explaining the body ritual among the Nacirema from an outsider's point of view, with no real understanding of the American culture. - Gennelyn Escopete, 33, DVD street vendor, Manila, Philippines, "Probably capitalism, but I see it more as freedom that every person can do what he wants, when he wants - true freedom, but it costs a lot I think, and sometimes it brings you lower than takes you higher." Water, whiskey, sodaif it can be sipped, we put ice in it. The material items that are kept, though, seem to consume all the time of the children. No, this isn't the standard bottle of wine in the States, but it's a common sight at any American supermarket or wine store and something you'd rarely encounter in the wine countries of the world like Italy or France. Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest. Americans go nuts with air conditioning, cranking it up on hot days to the point that you might actually need a sweater. There is, of course, diverse reporting on health care and the stock market and climate change on Al Jazeera America, but there is unmistakably in its coverage a hint of this thesis Americas bountiful callousness. What is Ethnocentrism? - Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo, First published on August 4, 2016 / 5:32 PM. This extraordinary insight highlights the power that outsiders have, forcing us to see ourselves from an altogether different perspective. 'Get away!' I screamed." (234) Claudette resists the urge to use wolf like communication to talk to Mirabella to stop chasing her, and instead uses human communication . Whether we're dropping by the post office or shopping for groceries, we Americans are surprisingly comfortable with wearing our clothes typically reserved for bed out in public. "Long winter nights and the seclusion of the reservation. Cushman (2009) used an active learning methodology to explore minority students' insider knowledge and make outsiders aware of their lack of knowledge relative to While many Americans feel their nation is divided as never before, a sampling of the rest of the world reflects a more charitable view. The culture of the United States includes traditions, regional customs, institutions, art and so much more. She was a happy person, better than my Chinese roommate there were three of us in the room. It has been seen as the land of plenty, freedom and equality where Indian migrants could head behemoths like Google, Microsoft and Pepsi, and a South African could capture the imagination with an electric car. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used . Build a pillow fort on your bed in any clear space using four chairs, an abundance of blankets and all the pillows you can find. Once they get home, they have to lift it once again off the car and into their house. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Many Western media companies have seized upon this reality to create sites devoted to the domestic consumption of their foreign reporting including The New York Timess India Ink blog, to cite an example. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Your email address will not be published. - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "They're generous. You don't see cheerleaders at the World Cup, do you? It examines the body rituals and practices of US culture the way anthropologists used to other cultures in seemingly distant lands that seemed unusual, if not weird. The biggest thing I found was that non-Americans are almost disgusted by the sheer amount of sugar in almost all our food. After searching the web, I have found a few answers to my questions and quandaries about what makes usus. What we know so far about the Chinese spy balloon and other objects shot down by U.S. Foreigners, on the other hand, aren't even familiar with the concept. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend. That . 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. 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. Therapists say it can damage your connection. 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. used by the People to entertain and amuse themselves.". There are no Americans as such. Cultural relativism can be seen with the Chinese culture and their process of feet binding. There was a bit of a culture shock when I first went there because the way people dress there is very much different from the way we dress here. Here are some of the best: 1. While we face the last couple of weeks of winter there are many things you need to do. 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 - 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. Let's look at 10 traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them. I'll call the first one "A" (Americans, for instance). The authors' research uncovered four factors: (1) The outsiders were not. "hey would you like to come and get bruised with me doing some fast dances to violins?" Throwing Tailgate Parties. The Reddit user NoDownvotesPlease said: "That was the weirdest one for me. In fact, in a 2017 report from the National Retail Federation, 65 percent of consumers reported owning a U.S. flag. At another moment, she sits beside an 11-year-old as he plays the game, asking him, simply enough, what he likes in it. When a store clerk or acquaintance in America asks, "How are you doing?" First off, there are a variety of flavors, from White Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Mint, Caramel and the list goes on. We should not ethnocentrically impose our own beliefs and opinions, which are products of our own enculturation. Ethnocentrism either restricts us to clear-cut, static, homogenous definitions of us-and-them, or . The process often began between four and seven years old. A lot of dresses, and cars, and all that. Anthropologists conduct their research in the field with the species, civilization, or groups of people they are studying. "A black-and-white look at the world. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { In most European countries, service fees are included in the price of a meal, and tips don't usually go above 8 to 12 percent. The greasers live on the east side and are known as "hoods". https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/business/media/an-outsider-looks-at-life-in-america.html. 2 - A Chinese Golden Lily Foot by Lai Afong, c1870s. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click hereto follow us on Instagram! What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. In the process, the new Pittsburgh is helping point the way to the old. 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. paper from an anthropological perspective. Okay, so besides us Americans in general, what about the other stuff, like our food, drink and entertainment? For example, we can look at Christmas from the perspective of someone who is not a part of American culture. But now its not Nigeria or China being looked at like this, but the great superpower by an upstart Arab network, no less. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 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. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); For a country that's the center of the global economy, America's currency is pretty dull. African . This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. 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. Reducto_Absurdum, Americans are obsessed with straight, white teeth. Soon, weekends can be filled with park trips and beach adventures, but for now, the weather is temperamental, so a movie night can suffice. All Rights Reserved. They are taken to a store where, when presented with a slip of paper, can be exchanged for currency. A thread on Reddit asks the question: Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest? One of the hardest (or at least most expensive) things about being an outsider traveling in the United States is tipping. I came to realize how many things are truly American and what makes us great people of a great nation. Where unity and selflessness or altruism are valued traits in collectivist cultures, independence and . The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. If even we Americans don't get it, we can't expect anyone else to either. They cannot generate these results, because they are based on, and restricted by, the ethnocentric perspective. Ethnocentric views are often closely tied to racism. 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. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? I mean, for the love of our sacredly majestic Bald Eagle, apple pie isnt even American! -- Countsblink, Made Mac n cheese for my aussie cousins. What one culture does and believes to benormal, others may see as unusual. American Culture: The Outsider's Perspective. By Beth Anne Macaluso, Adam Schubak and Kara Ladd. I also like a challenge. WHAT MAKES AMERICANS AMERICAN? In a Reddit thread asking the weirdest things Americans do, many users discussed how strange they thought it was that the US advertised prescription drugs. Not sure whether I actually am ready to move there because it must be a tough country to live in. Though this can vary a bit by regionwe're looking at you, New Yorkersin general, Americans are much quicker than the average foreigner to smile at a stranger and offer a warm hello, even if they're just passing each other on the sidewalk. - Rosa Moscoso, 42, Havana, "A country of freedom, particularly freedom of thought. 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. Finding creative ways to fry things that probably shouldn't be fried is an American specialty and something that definitely confuses tourists. You might have been counting down the days until spring, but make the most of these chilly and cloudy days. All of the Trump stuff in the U.S. has been depressing you would like to think people are smarter than that but definitely surprising and depressing to see how much support he has and how much support his ideas have." Sociology in Everyday Life. The small and thin trees with exposed branches are often not given a second look and are left with the person selling the trees. An etic view of a culture is the perspective of an outsider looking in. Search CNNs Web site on the subject, and the links almost invariably carry you to content about beleaguered places like Madagascar. Stay up to date with what you want to know. 1. They must be of some great importance or have some great wisdom, which allows them the honor of completing this task. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "America is food fast food and (Coca) Cola. I threw dirt, I threw stones. For inquiring minds, think of our food. Now without the photo below (but maybe skewed by the photo above) and in the context of the rest of the paper, many students do not recognize this as our daily habit of brushing our teeth. We dream of America and they dream about Europe. Now, I am not saying that America doesnt have its own cultural cues and certain ways that we act that makes us unique. Not in America it isn't! northern resident killer whale catalogue; incredibox character creator; peugeot 3008 panoramic roof problems. 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. It is especially hard for an outsider to gain access to certain private rituals, which may be important for understanding a culture. Eggs are a universal delicacy, but outside of the U.S., they are seldom stored in the fridge. I did not find any discrimination. Evidently, we're a very trusting sort. And so when this newspaper or any other writes about Italy or Ghana, Italians and Ghanaians can now read it. Holidays are integral parts of different cultures and by looking at them through the eyes of an outsider, we can see how culture influences perspective. Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break".Did you mean to use "continue 2"? Another oddity of American advertising are those spots you see for prescription medication during every commercial break. } To examine these facts other cultures are taken into consideration to accurately without prejudices towards African Americans. Oh, and side note, the customer service in America is seen as amazing. I think that anybody with good ideas, if they want to make a mark, it gives you an equal opportunity in that country. Then they leave hard biscuits shaped like men and a cup of milk out next to the tree. 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 particular ethnicity (e.g., African Americans), or an agerelated category of Americans (e.g., millennials). Americans love their red, white, and blueeven when it's not the Fourth of July or Veterans' Day. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. 2016 The Associated Press. For example, 84% of those ages 18 to 29 in Taiwan hold this view . I found this quite interesting and maybe a bit eye opening, because as Americans, these things are completely normal to us. Time to forget about any work you have to do, and treat the weekend as a weekend. [], Your email address will not be published. Everything else, I do not understand.. The concept of dancing cheer squads that help support sports teams (or compete against each other) is pretty odd for most non-Americans. That is curious. OR WHAT IDENTIFIES AS AMERICAN TO YOU? See the appropriate sections in the textbook, based on your chosen topic from Week Three, for information on how to approach your paper from an anthropological perspective. Ck14, 11. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Andersen, Margaret L. and Taylor, Howard F. 2008. On my search I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite view. The ones immediately outside their house are apparently not fit. } ); One habit was found to help keep the brain healthy over time. Holding "Trials of the Century". This I do not know. And it is a great country; I have visited it. 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. Hash browns or home fries? 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. Ethnocentric people compare their culture to others on such elements as religion, behavior, language, customs, and norms. An Outsider Looks at Life in America. Americans are, apparently, much friendlier than most people around the world. The American was easy to talk with and we had a lot of things in common. One of the reasons why we see so much of servers in the States is because they are constantly refilling customers' water glasses. I prefer it here. C. It is important for Asian Americans to learn American culture as quickly as possible so they don't feel like outsiders. 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. Driven by sustained immigration and refugee resettlement during the 1970s and 1980s, Asian Americans have emerged as the nation's fastest growing racial group. [] detailed search help you gain a new perspective on the Nacirema people. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. -- 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. A European, on the other hand, "will launch into a monologue about their health and wellbeing and ask [how are you?] 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 . America stands out because people recognize merit out there." I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. Trick-or-Treating. 20 American Habits That All Other Countries Think Are Crazy. Al Jazeera America, since going on air on Aug. 20, has worked hard to fight off suggestions of foreignness. This is down to the US communication style which is influenced by the need to be direct, clear . In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. They miss nuances." I have recently begun thinking about my country and our culture, and wanted to learn more about what exactly makes an American. On TripAdvisor, one German tourist even commented on her love of visiting New York, save for these restroom door gaps. Jun 25, 2018. Loudness. Foreigners might not realize right off the bat that those soft-focus commercials featuring happy couples prancing through corn fields are advertising medications for diabetes and back pain. NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. Al Jazeera America has brought this approach to Chicagos violence, actually arranging a sit-down interview with working gang leaders, openly discussing their drugs, guns and ways. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider 5. Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of this story, and it is through his . We love our cheese. The Outsiders was written by a teenager about teenagers. Sometimes, you need an outsiders perspective to get a clearer and wider view of things. American culture is clearly more advanced than all other cultures. 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 . 3Peter N. Carroll and David W. Noble, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the United States, 3rd ed. American culture, they help younger generations avoid changing their personalities to be accepted. I hope that, without sounding whiny, sharing this might help others who also feel like outsiders see that, strangely, they are part of a community. It is a great country and would love to live there. Cheese is life people. Burgers, the American dream, choppers, Elvis, cowboys. While I thought this over, I also began to think of why people, myself especially, are so enthralled with other countries. Adam Schubak Partnerships Editor Adam is a writer based out of New . - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "Everything in America is high tech!" Here are 33 "normal" customs and habits in the U.S. that weird out the rest of the world. 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. So that finally, outsiders will feel they belong. Although the insight of an outsider can clearly observe another's culture, I do not agree with him or her criticizing it as if it is his or her own country. Curious about which things are considered freaky by foreigners' standards? An emic view of culture is ultimately a . But in America, you are expected to add upwards of 20 percent to your bill just to avoid a dirty look from your server. And you don't have to settle for regular milk! The culture can largely be referred to as Western culture, as much of it is shared with the Western world, but there are still influences that come from Asia, Africa and Latin America. What identifies an American? This one might seem obvious, but what if I told you that having a cup of hot cocoa is more than chocolate powder in warm milk? AMS 111: American Culture, Values and Traditions: American Outsiders Section D301 T-Th., 12:30-1:45, Carman Hall, Room 233 Instructor: Kathleen Brennan Kathleen.Brennan@lehman.cuny.edu, Kbrennan@gc.cuny.edu Office hours: Tuesdays, 3:30 - 4:30, Room 292 Google Documents: Sign In: LehmanAMS111@gmail.com Password: Carman233 This course is designed to investigate issues of American citizenship . Many posts I read from spoke about not being able to even eat our bread because it was so sugary. These are the kind of zoomed-out, big-picture stories that result from asking the most basic questions and that in other newsrooms might be killed because they are too obvious, or have been done 1,000 times, or dont have a new angle. They are the kind of stories that result from sending reporters out to ask the biggest unresolved questions about their own society from making them think, in short, like a foreign correspondent freshly returned to a now-unfamiliar home.