american culture from an outsiders perspective

In this game you can.. 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. One of the hardest (or at least most expensive) things about being an outsider traveling in the United States is tipping. Remembering that practices are driven by the culture someone is situated in, including our very own practices, is key to avoiding ethnocentrism the mistaken belief that your culture is the standard by which others should be compared. } For inquiring minds, think of our food. Many posts I read from spoke about not being able to even eat our bread because it was so sugary. [] detailed search help you gain a new perspective on the Nacirema people. 5. When done well, this is in the finest tradition of foreign correspondence: a genre that soars when offering sharp, deeply reported answers to seemingly dumb questions dumb because they are so basic and self-evident that the smugly well settled never think to ask them, any more than fish inquire about the water. 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. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, juice seller, Havana, "It is a world imperialist power country. The general consensus is that Americans are very optimistic dreamers and have been; that we believe that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance. It's a wonderful country and there is high security, standard of living is very high. When a store clerk or acquaintance in America asks, "How are you doing?" The cultural norms and values surrounding the artifacts are relative to the Native American culture and cannot be understood or appreciated from an outsider's perspective. Ethnocentric views are often closely tied to racism. Mix it up using almond or coconut milk. 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. America stands out because people recognize merit out there." 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. People are nice but superficial. For foreigners, the excessively large cracks in the stall doors in public restrooms are just plain confounding. I have recently begun thinking about my country and our culture, and wanted to learn more about what exactly makes an American. Nor am I saying that we dont have an intricately rich history that has shaped us to what we are today. The particular Skittles flavor we call "grape" is an American curiosity of its own, but for those in the United Kingdom and Australia, this flavor doesn't even exist. People also stop and like to gather around the tree and gaze at it. Evidently, we're a very trusting sort. 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. But while these American traditions might seem normal stateside, they are certainly not universal. right back and expect an answer," Sophie-Claire Hoeller wrote for The Independent. Instead, it's meant as a simple greeting, similar to "Hi there!" There are two gangs in this novel, the "greasers", and the "Socs". The Outsiders was written by a teenager about teenagers. 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. Now, I am sure this doesnt just extend to us Americans, but I thought about how each country has their own beautifully unique world of its own. 1 - A Chinese woman with her feet unbound. They are big and loud and they are in charge of everything." Ck14, 11. Holding "Trials of the Century". American Culture: The Outsider's Perspective. In some of my classes, as part of a paper exploring the concepts and influenceof culture, I ask students to explore a ritual within their own culture but from an outsiders view as if they were witnessing the practice for the first time and trying to understand it. First off, there are a variety of flavors, from White Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Mint, Caramel and the list goes on. Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. 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 . Families also make sure they get a hold of a rather sizable green tree, butthey go outside of their property to find such a tree. Our collective workaholism is totally bizarre to outsidersand quite frankly, we can see why. 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. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=910c153b-d868-4c76-96ce-cfd4592b1dc7&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=7762223932942864768'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); So that finally, outsiders will feel they belong. I do not understand the importance of this, as usually the father of the family just eats the biscuits and drinks the milk anyway, and it is always late at night when he does this too. (She believed) that the people's voice should be heard." Water, whiskey, sodaif it can be sipped, we put ice in it. 2022 Galvanized Media. Trick-or-Treating. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend. - Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo, First published on August 4, 2016 / 5:32 PM. A society that has more things than our society." The reality doesn't match the ideal. 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. Because there is no such ethnicity. They are also unified in the sense that the dream isn't really a real thing anymore. 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. What we know so far about the Chinese spy balloon and other objects shot down by U.S. - Zhila Gudzueva, university lecturer, Moscow, "My definition of Americans is those who are cheerful, friendly and willing to communicate." Burgers, the American dream, choppers, Elvis, cowboys. As well as supporting your college as an alumni. Cultural relativism can be seen with the Chinese culture and their process of feet binding. 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. Americans really love their ice. OR WHAT IDENTIFIES AS AMERICAN TO YOU? Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism, however. Once they do, everyone admires the tree even more. It's not uncommon to chat up a stranger while waiting on line or traveling on public transportation. Many people's vacation days tend to pile up as the months of 50-hour workweeks roll on. 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. African . In the United States, pharmaciesthe closest things we have to chemistsdouble as convenience stores, with aisles upon aisles of food, cleaning supplies, and even makeup products. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. But when Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television empire that has long broadcast to . Jun 25, 2018. The Internet has changed that. 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. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used sparingly, if at all. as well as other partner offers and accept our. But elsewhere, there's no reason why eggs can't sit out on a shelf or counter. The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. - B.S. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend . DESCRIBE THE COUNTRY AS YOU SEE IT: "The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word America is 'Arrogance.' In a moments answer, a culture is revealed anew. All Rights Reserved. Throughout the novel The Outsiders, readers can see just how harshly culture can change people. 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. Americans go nuts with air conditioning, cranking it up on hot days to the point that you might actually need a sweater. 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. The more multi-cultural our cities become, the more globalization and hyper-mobility affect our culture, the more it's normal not to be normal. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used . This might be less surprising these days thanks to the ubiquity of Starbucks, but Americans originated the practice of ordering coffee to go, and it still strikes many Europeans as bizarre behavior. But to watch Al Jazeera Americas reports is to discover that the truth lies somewhere in between these visions the network as fundamentally foreign versus the network as all-American. Especially if you have school work to do, background music can help fill the silence of late night studying. Contents. If you want a second soda in a place like Paris, for example, be prepared to dole out some extra cash. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 2 - A Chinese Golden Lily Foot by Lai Afong, c1870s. Eggs are a universal delicacy, but outside of the U.S., they are seldom stored in the fridge. We love our cheese. 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. I read on several different forum sites how things such as the pledge of allegiance and how our flag is plastered everywhere you go is quite strange to outsiders. She was a happy person, better than my Chinese roommate there were three of us in the room. Part 1: An etic view of African American race from an outsiders perspective is believed as religious and demonstrates a unique lifestyle. In cultural anthropology, our fieldwork is referred to as ethnography, which is both the process and result of cultural anthropological research. But, I digress. 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 . American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. Wrapping up in a warm blanket with a hot drink and some calming music is one of the best ways to spend and indoor kind of day. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? So yes, they are fortunate, and it is God bless America - that's what makes America, America." Stay up to date with what you want to know. in /nfs/c05/h04/mnt/113983/domains/toragrafix.com/html/wp-content . - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. As is tradition. "It's uncomfortable and I just don't get why," she wrote. In the process, the new Pittsburgh is helping point the way to the old. Go to many other countries and the smallest differences in culture, language, and background will almost automatically cause some major issues. The point is that we have many amazing things in this country, but how much of it is concretely ours? Here are 33 "normal" customs and habits in the U.S. that weird out the rest of the world. The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. After searching the web, I have found a few answers to my questions and quandaries about what makes usus. - 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. cota main grandstand; chocolate pudding with 2 percent milk The beliefs, customs, art, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time. Cheese is life people. According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . The collector's view of the artifacts as pieces of art is a product of his own cultural background and does not take into account the cultural relativity of the artifacts. Another oddity of American advertising are those spots you see for prescription medication during every commercial break. Y'all get snow up there.'" To outsiders, Blacks may appear terse or disinterested. However, often is not noticed or realized how extreme some people are willing to go to conform to the expected norm of American society, until one looks at the demands that society places upon us from the outsider's perspective of American culture. 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." And he drank tap water oh no!" Scouring forums and blogs, I found that most found Americans very friendly, caring, welcoming, and open people who live in a geographically diverse nation! NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. when we mean "hello", Carding people who are obviously not under 21, Shopping at pharmacies that are mini shopping malls, And prescription drug makers that advertise, Pronouncing the last letter of the alphabet as "zee". . Through the eyes of an etic perspective, we can view the American higher educational system that we all accept as normal and question the system with critical comparisons between ours and those of other . - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "You can easily distinguish an American like here in the restaurant. the culture being studied such that he/she can blend his/her etic (outsider) perspective with the emic (insider) perspective of the society being studied. Even when it's the dead of winter, coffee shops are still serving up iced coffee. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? Some even sell fresh fruit and prepackaged mealsbut if you're visiting the States from another country, we recommend getting your sushi elsewhere. Americans can come across as self-interested, aggressive and rude to some outsiders. I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. 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. but don't tell them (laughing)." Lawrence Wetsit misses the days when his people would gather by the hundreds and . 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. They just don't get the idea of loyalty to the school. Lastly, the best part is the toppings. How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. I did not find any discrimination. And it's a country with quite advanced technology industries. There are no Americans as such. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "A lot of (consumer) products. Fenrir89, I get made fun of all the time in Russia for having an attachment to my college. In the Final Research Paper, you will examine your own culture from an etic (outsider's) perspective and another culture from an emic (insider's) perspective to demonstrate your understanding of cultural relativism and examine misconceptions and ethnocentric beliefs concerning each of these cultures. Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. Your email address will not be published. One problem that anthropologists may run in to is that people tend to act differently when they are being observed. Driven by sustained immigration and refugee resettlement during the 1970s and 1980s, Asian Americans have emerged as the nation's fastest growing racial group. When described the way the Miner does, it sounds strange and maybe even a bit gross. By Beth Anne Macaluso, Adam Schubak and Kara Ladd. } ); To begin, Ill stick with the positives. Therapists say it can damage your connection. And in the opinions that came back, some clear threads emerge, anecdotal yet illuminating. In S.E. Saysthingsfromabush, In Scotland our equivalents are ceilidhs and in school you just go and f***ing dance. Read more, CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike, The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. Americans are nothing if not by the book about the little things, so most foreigners quickly learn that it's wise to keep some form of ID on them at all times if they plan on having a drink. Foreigners, on the other hand, aren't even familiar with the concept. It is so much work to get a hold of the tree and to decorate it, and it seems very important, yet at the end of the day many of the trees are thrown away. Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. In continuation with time, the culture of the native people developed. While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. One habit was found to help keep the brain healthy over time. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. It is especially hard for an outsider to gain access to certain private rituals, which may be important for understanding a culture. -- 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. 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. One of the reasons why we see so much of servers in the States is because they are constantly refilling customers' water glasses. Interpersonal relations among Americans are much more practical, in contrast to the complicated way that we Chinese people treat each other." xhr.send(payload); 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. Independence. Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break".Did you mean to use "continue 2"? And you don't have to settle for regular milk! And yet the "Ugly American," it would seem, isn't all bad. 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. 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. A good book on a rainy day or with calming music is a wonderful way to take a break from the responsibilities of life and escape into another world. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. A European, on the other hand, "will launch into a monologue about their health and wellbeing and ask [how are you?] I came to realize how many things are truly American and what makes us great people of a great nation. -- Source, Amount of cheese Americans can intake at a time. White or wheat? Marketing companies that work from outside of your company bring a fresh perspective that doesn't exist from within your company. 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? Let's look at 10 traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them. Do they think of our wide range of geography and national wonders? - Summer Abu Ltaif, outside the American University of Beirut, "I think everyone is very tolerant there, in a way that there are all kinds of people, whether from different ethnicities, different countries, different religions. An odd ritual occurs the night right before Christmas: children hang socks above a structure that houses a fire although they look far too large to be anyones sock. While many love how so patriotic we are as a people, some, to be blunt, find it a bit creepy. "Long winter nights and the seclusion of the reservation. The book is about observing American culture from an outsider's perspective, and comparing it to other cultures from across the globe. But one thing for sure, they cannot make beer." You see, I even have two iPhones." if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { A thread on Reddit asks the question: Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest? Miner gives an insight on the Nacireman people, which he describes in his essay as an unknown tribe, and the completing of the Nacireman's magical beliefs . they aren't actually looking for an answer. They're calm and kind and friendly and they like to smile." In America, however, these advertisements are everywhereand unsurprisingly, they confuse foreign visitors. You might have been counting down the days until spring, but make the most of these chilly and cloudy days. I created a Chill Pill playlist on YouTube for some relaxing vibes. She does a great job of describing the US rituals of the Christian holiday, Christmas. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); The Outsiders was actually published when the author was only 17 years old. For example, we can look at Christmas from the perspective of someone who is not a part of American culture. And for more on why we pronounce this letter differently, check out Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. And so Al Jazeera Americas recent three-part series on Grand Theft Auto V, a much-heralded new video game, went further and harder than many rivals reports. Anyhow, in the morning, more boxes appear, and children act very wild, almost savage-like. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "Technology makes Americans American." To me a pumpkin spice coffee is so strange!-- TallGrass2, dressing up young girls in short skirts and getting them to dance around and cheer on young men strikes me as odd preparetodobattle, I work at a summer camp and there is nothing funnier than watching the international counselors be totally weirded out by the flag ceremony we have every morning/evening (5-7 camper colorguard raises flag, salutes, 60-90 people recite pledge and girl scout promise in unison, we turn on our heels and file out silently in the morning, in the evening we fold the flag, sing taps, turn on our heels and file out silently to dinner) izzielosthermind, Eating/drinking coffee as you go, to me the best part of eating is sitting down, talking, and relaxing tallgrass2, I know this does not apply to everyone but your attachment to your college/university AFTER you have left. There's an undercurrent of savagery and violence waiting to be expressed on a grand scale it seems, and I believe it's because American culture is unwittingly pushing for complete atomization of society, people can no longer rely on the elite for virtuous principles and leadership, and that people are starting to realize that . Americans are gallant." Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group, Saying "how are you?" In America, the letter Z is, well, zee. From our portions to our PTO, here's where we differ from the rest of the world. I believe they should understand the values that we have as Arabs, embrace them and try to go to a more local level to comprehend why we think and why we live the way we live." He also emptied my friend's fridge, saying he's used to eating and drinking whenever he feels hungry or thirsty. Like so much else in the United States, we go big with our roads, which are a huge contrast to the tight city streets of most European towns and winding mountain roads found in much of the rest of the world. Search CNNs Web site on the subject, and the links almost invariably carry you to content about beleaguered places like Madagascar. We love having lots of options in America, but sometimes for an outsider, ordering food can feel like a multiple-choice quiz. Is this not a national travesty? The Americans are more of a tipper, good tippers. Americans are also seen from afar as generous tippers, friendly, uncomplicated, rich and the standard bearers of freedom, equality, creativity and technological power. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. Sure, fried chicken is hardly a foreign conceptbut try explaining chicken-fried steak or deep-fried Oreos to a non-American. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. I think sometimes we take our freedom and our way of life for granted, not realizing how great it really is. Driving everywhere. Ethnocentrism either restricts us to clear-cut, static, homogenous definitions of us-and-them, or . Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. They also put some wires around it, which when attached to the wall, make the tree look very bright. America permeated their lives - through comics and Coke, through Hollywood and Neil Armstrong, and via the internet, iPhone and Facebook. 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. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. But its one thing for big media companies from the prosperous West to make these domestic inroads overseas, and another thing for a network based in Qatar to reverse the flow and give Americans their version of the foreign gaze. Americans love their red, white, and blueeven when it's not the Fourth of July or Veterans' Day. Figure 1.6. Upon graduating secondary school, many Americans choose colleges and universities outside of and often far from their hometowns. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { They desire a different one, which holds more importance. "hey would you like to come and get bruised with me doing some fast dances to violins?" The second one is "B", the one you're attempting to write about (say, Chinese, Vietnamese, French). teach well, it matters. Every once in a while, an outsider comes along with a new vision or a new way of doing things that revolutionizes a . Get the picture? Throwing Tailgate Parties. Covering the United States this way means, for starters, reporting on subjects like infant mortality. Oh, and side note, the customer service in America is seen as amazing. But now its not Nigeria or China being looked at like this, but the great superpower by an upstart Arab network, no less. What is Ethnocentrism? Generations in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America have grown up under the influence of the superpower U.S. and have felt awe and envy. Hash browns or home fries? Instead, their purple Skittles taste like blackcurrantand while this fruity flavor used to be popular in America, legislators banned the fruit itself in the 20th century because it served as a vehicle for a wood-destroying disease known as white pine blister rust. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Starting off your day this way could increase your odds of cognitive decline. Works Cited. On TripAdvisor, one German tourist even commented on her love of visiting New York, save for these restroom door gaps. And it is a great country; I have visited it. Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. Collectivism stresses the importance of the community, while individualism is focused on the rights and concerns of each person.