This weird American habit leaves many foreign visitors asking, "How much water could you possibly need over the course of an hour or two?". - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "Many things their arrogant ideology of a powerful country and above all they have a language that is practically universal and almost everyone depends on that language. A star, or in some cases an angel or other figurine is put on top of the tree, and it seems to be an honor for the person who is allowed to put it there. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Don't get me wrong, dental hygiene is important, but not everyone needs a perfect Hollywood smile. They rip up all of the paper covering the boxes, and leave a mess on the floor. Evidently, we're a very trusting sort. - Sam Wang, 20, university student, Beijing, "My image of America is a country that goes to war anywhere in the world," - Susumu Inoue, 82, retired agricultural lab technician, Tokyo, "I think of Major League Baseball," Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo. Many American kids and teenagers leave home for extended periods of time, often for summer camps or travel. 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. Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. 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. It's not good." Individualism vs. Collectivism. This works in making work more enjoyable too. African . She does a great job of describing the US rituals of the Christian holiday, Christmas. People are nice but superficial. We love having lots of options in America, but sometimes for an outsider, ordering food can feel like a multiple-choice quiz. The fellow in line asked me in a very American accent, 'Y'all can't get what in the States?' 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. But when Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television empire that has long broadcast to . The fish fry, a long-established Friday staple during Lent, is roaring back from COVID with an assist from something decidedly newfangled: an interactive map built by local volunteer coders that points the way to scores of churches, fire halls and other places that offer battered and breaded seafood for the taking. I don't understand why other cultures are all so primitive. What one culture does and believes to benormal, others may see as unusual. 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. 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 am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? From the exotic to the ancient, and to the high end cities of the world, we are obsessed. To be fair, most Americans don't either. What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. - Zhila Gudzueva, university lecturer, Moscow, "My definition of Americans is those who are cheerful, friendly and willing to communicate." America gave birth to these two soulful genres and in my personal opinion from my search that is that the world is very glad, as these genres gave birth to rock, pop, rap, and hip-hop. Your email address will not be published. Is this not a national travesty? In fact, most of these Americans I have observed highly treasure their material items from under the tree as they pay more attention to them than to fellow Americans. 48-49). Fenrir89, I get made fun of all the time in Russia for having an attachment to my college. If you're a member of B, then . You have your hot chocolate made, playlist downloaded, movie set and books chosen. For example, the average American may be used to big tips and even bigger portions, but to foreigners, that's all far from the norm. All Rights Reserved. In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. To examine these facts other cultures are taken into consideration to accurately without prejudices towards African Americans. . Therapists say it can damage your connection. Anyone can read what you share. The background. 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. Included 600 grams of cheese. Scouring forums and blogs, I found that most found Americans very friendly, caring, welcoming, and open people who live in a geographically diverse nation! 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. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. 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. Time to forget about any work you have to do, and treat the weekend as a weekend. 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. Through this exercise, students hopefully see both their own and other cultures in a new light one that understands how we are all so embedded in a culture that it is difficult not to see dramatically different rituals as exotic or weird. I think sometimes we take our freedom and our way of life for granted, not realizing how great it really is. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. 2 - A Chinese Golden Lily Foot by Lai Afong, c1870s. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. -- 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. Nor am I saying that we dont have an intricately rich history that has shaped us to what we are today. Every once in a while, an outsider comes along with a new vision or a new way of doing things that revolutionizes a . [] https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/nacirema/ (Links to an external site.) '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 . In this game you can.. 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. 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.. It seems that the boxes were for them all along, not another being or deity. Here, we're far too busy to waste time, so we have drive-through restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, liquor stores, and more. They believe in the right to have a good life and to help others to have a good life, and I think that's part of what makes them Americans." They are taken to a store where, when presented with a slip of paper, can be exchanged for currency. Curious about which things are considered freaky by foreigners' standards? An Outsider Looks at Life in America. In restaurants in many other countries, your server runs your credit card through a machine table-side. 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. 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. Boy was I wrong. When first reading this analysis, it is not easy to recognize that Miner is talking about American's culture. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . - 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." 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. 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. Interpersonal relations among Americans are much more practical, in contrast to the complicated way that we Chinese people treat each other." Many are so flabbergasted by the amount of choices we have in, not only our restaurants, but our grocery stores as well. Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. Old charges of Al Jazeeras giving a platform to Islamists resurfaced. But there is an ideology that unites them all." Driven by sustained immigration and refugee resettlement during the 1970s and 1980s, Asian Americans have emerged as the nation's fastest growing racial group. The most peculiar act, however, has yet to be done. They also put some wires around it, which when attached to the wall, make the tree look very bright. 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. (New York: Penguin . 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. Suppose we have two cultures in presence. Al Jazeera America, since going on air on Aug. 20, has worked hard to fight off suggestions of foreignness. In a moments answer, a culture is revealed anew. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "They're generous. Covering the United States this way means, for starters, reporting on subjects like infant mortality. Some of the answers are pretty hilarious and/or eye-opening. DESCRIBE THE COUNTRY AS YOU SEE IT: "The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word America is 'Arrogance.' And after 9/11, the world grieved with America. American Culture: The Outsider's Perspective. [], Your email address will not be published. 2. To get a better picture, think of 100 percent authentic Italian food and wine, visiting a thousand year old English castle that once held kings, queens, and knights, or the awe-inspired embellished clothing worn in the streets of India. As we said before, Americans live by the phrase, "The more, the merrier!". Marketing companies that work from outside of your company bring a fresh perspective that doesn't exist from within your company. The difference is one of cultural ownership and general acknowledgement, of giving credit where it's dueespecially when credit is long overdue to a historically oppressed people. Part 1: An etic view of African American race from an outsiders perspective is believed as religious and demonstrates a unique lifestyle. I have recently begun thinking about my country and our culture, and wanted to learn more about what exactly makes an American. Extra-Large Food Portions. They're calm and kind and friendly and they like to smile." Money rules everything. Red Solo Cups are the symbol of college keggers and backyard barbecues alikeand yet, they're rarely seen outside of the U.S. At Slate, Seth Stevenson gave a good explanation of the appeal of the plastic cup: Its opaque color makes it impossible for authorities to casually tell what's in the cup; its sturdy design makes it virtually spill-proof; and its newly created square bottom makes it easy to hold. The American was easy to talk with and we had a lot of things in common. Even when it's the dead of winter, coffee shops are still serving up iced coffee. Some even sell fresh fruit and prepackaged mealsbut if you're visiting the States from another country, we recommend getting your sushi elsewhere. These wires are attached to a side of the house and only come on at night. Lawrence Wetsit misses the days when his people would gather by the hundreds and . Consider that it was written directly from the perspective of a teenager - experiencing life and writing about it. And in the opinions that came back, some clear threads emerge, anecdotal yet illuminating. 15 Unique Aspects of American Culture. 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 . Despite the fact that these people are so punctiliousabout care of the mouth, this rite involves a practice which strikes the uninitiated stranger as revolting. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? - 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. Hinton's young adult novel The Outsiders, stereotyping is a significant issue. 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. On my search I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite view. Required fields are marked *. Loudness. And he drank tap water oh no!" Sometimes we are even better than them . In S.E. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. They desire a different one, which holds more importance. Driving everywhere. The paper, written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner was originally published in 1956. My American studies courses here have given me the opportunity to observe America from an outsider's perspective and really get an understanding of what Europeans actually think of us. Sign up for notifications from Insider! "It's uncomfortable and I just don't get why," she wrote. People are mostly not concerned with what another (person) is doing. This extraordinary insight highlights the power that outsiders have, forcing us to see ourselves from an altogether different perspective. You see, I even have two iPhones." 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. Through this process, Asian American parents can be transformed themselves, and maybe shift their own conceptions of education towards the one I hold and do their part in encouraging a cultural shift that will benefit future generations, as this new conception of education becomes the one that is passed down. 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? For example, the view of Northpolians regarding Acimerans is an etic perspective. While I thought this over, I also began to think of why people, myself especially, are so enthralled with other countries. Uhh, that's a huge country. - Antara Rao, 18, economics student, New Delhi, "(America) welcomes all different races." Miner describes Americans as "magic-ridden people" (Miner 2009, 507). - 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." Read more, CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike, The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. So when it is too cold for an ice cream party, you can have a hot chocolate party instead! By the time you've been inside an American establishment in the summertime for just 10 minutes, you'll be freezing cold and eager to get back out into the sweltering sun. Trick-or-Treating. 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". 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. From an etic perspective, American practices probably seem just as strange or unusual to outsiders as other cultural practices sometimes appear to us before we understand the cultural context behind them. 1) Outside Marketing Firms Bring Fresh Thinking. used by the People to entertain and amuse themselves.". The "emic" approach is an insider's perspective, which looks at the beliefs, values, and practices of a particular culture from the perspective of the people who live within that culture. While many love how so patriotic we are as a people, some, to be blunt, find it a bit creepy. It's like your entire concept of beauty hangs on it. Americans are also seen from afar as generous tippers, friendly, uncomplicated, rich and the standard bearers of freedom, equality, creativity and technological power. xhr.send(payload); While other countries boast colorful bills with cultural figures, the U.S. seems determined to keep their barely-green dollars as unexciting and indistinguishable as possible. Why did they not just give them to the people in the first place? When a store clerk or acquaintance in America asks, "How are you doing?" While we do have some American comfort food, especially here in the South, what is there that we created ourselves? 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. It's the many electronics we have the bridge in San Francisco." And he said, 'Oh Canada! A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. The only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? } As well as supporting your college as an alumni. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Foot binding was to stop the growth of the foot and make them smaller. - Antara Rao, 18, student, New Delhi, "I have traveled all over the United States in Greyhound buses as a tourist. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? The Associated Press sent reporters across the world to ask ordinary people about their views of America. The United States of America serves as the global symbol of 'madness' and 'non-stop chaos' in the best and worst ways possible. Let's look at 10 traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them. At one moment, she is playing the game while addressing viewers, and, standing before us, begins to beat an innocent man with a golf club: fresh, jarring, thought-provoking television. The general consensus is that American's are very optimistic dreamers and have been; that we believe that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance. The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. I found this quite interesting and maybe a bit eye opening, because as Americans, these things are completely normal to us. NEW YORK Al Jazeera wants to make its name as American as pizzaburgers. The Internet has changed that. Foreigners are constantly baffled by the volume of stuff Americans seem to think they need, and superstores are a perfect encapsulation of this strange sentiment. 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. The foreign gaze makes Al Jazeera America treat nothing as obvious. 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. From our portions to our PTO, here's where we differ from the rest of the world. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "A lot of (consumer) products. Does the eating of the man-shaped biscuits represent some sacrifice? And you don't have to settle for regular milk! American culture, they help younger generations avoid changing their personalities to be accepted. It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. 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. If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. 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. Sure, fried chicken is hardly a foreign conceptbut try explaining chicken-fried steak or deep-fried Oreos to a non-American. 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. In America, the letter Z is, well, zee. Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism, however. Costco, Wal-Mart, and other big-box stores that you need a map to navigate are a particularly American thing. All Rights Reserved. -- 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. It has gone beyond the usual New York-Washington presence of overseas networks, with plans for bureaus in Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; Miami; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; San Francisco; and Seattle. She was a happy person, better than my Chinese roommate there were three of us in the room. Americans love their red, white, and blueeven when it's not the Fourth of July or Veterans' Day. 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.. 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. 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. WHAT MAKES AMERICANS AMERICAN? "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. The etic perspective is data gathering by outsiders that yield questions posed by outsiders. Ethnocentrism either restricts us to clear-cut, static, homogenous definitions of us-and-them, or . 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. Innovation is widely viewed as an engine of progress not only for driving economic growth, but also for bringing vital improvements in a variety of domains, from science and medicine to inequality and sustainability. In other parts of the world, however, ice isn't something you'll see nearly as frequently. Hash browns or home fries? We in Europe have smaller things What I liked when I was over there was the service level, it was very high. Get the picture? (2) the interlocking nature of oppression; and (3) the importance of Afro-American women's culture. The drum is . - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "I think the way they are talking and dealing with personal relations is quite direct. In 1,100-1,500 AD, it is reported that the first signs of Navajo culture emerged. )After you find more information about the Nacirema and gained a new perspective, then complete [].
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