To outsiders, Blacks may appear terse or disinterested. Money rules everything. 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. How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); But in America, you are expected to add upwards of 20 percent to your bill just to avoid a dirty look from your server. Every once in a while, an outsider comes along with a new vision or a new way of doing things that revolutionizes a . A lot of dresses, and cars, and all that. has brought about most of the customs and activities. 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. I don't understand why other cultures are all so primitive. 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. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. 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. 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. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. Al Jazeera America, since going on air on Aug. 20, has worked hard to fight off suggestions of foreignness. To begin, Ill stick with the positives. 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. 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. 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. 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. It's your target audience. Included 600 grams of cheese. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend . - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. Many people's vacation days tend to pile up as the months of 50-hour workweeks roll on. Many are so flabbergasted by the amount of choices we have in, not only our restaurants, but our grocery stores as well. But when Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television empire that has long broadcast to . 15 Unique Aspects of American Culture. 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. On TripAdvisor, one German tourist even commented on her love of visiting New York, save for these restroom door gaps. 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. 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." Most European travelers expect to place their order and then be done interacting with their server for the remainder of their meal. 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. If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. Many say how underrated our beer is. 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. 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. While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. Body Rituals Among the Nacirema Essay. 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. 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." Boy was I wrong. Many posts I read from spoke about not being able to even eat our bread because it was so sugary. People are nice but superficial. African . Figure 1.6. They must be of some great importance or have some great wisdom, which allows them the honor of completing this task. 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. These wires are attached to a side of the house and only come on at night. 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 . By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Sometimes, you need an outsiders perspective to get a clearer and wider view of things. 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. These Americans, thus, are all quite concerned with the overall presentation of their houses: they make sure other people see and admire them. Where unity and selflessness or altruism are valued traits in collectivist cultures, independence and . - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "I think there obviously is the American dream, the idea that unifies them all. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is . 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 . However, young people both in and outside the U.S. are particularly fond of American popular culture. 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. } ); According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . 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. 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 only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? It's baffling. 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. Collectivist cultures are usually contrasted with individualistic cultures. The most peculiar act, however, has yet to be done. The Outsiders was actually published when the author was only 17 years old. They cannot generate these results, because they are based on, and restricted by, the ethnocentric perspective. In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. And you don't have to settle for regular milk! 600 Words3 Pages. 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. While I dont think its exactly a secret that a stereotype of Americans portrays us as arrogant, ignorant, loud and so on. } else { Adam Schubak Partnerships Editor Adam is a writer based out of New . The amount of older people I saw on my trip wearing college gear was insane. Time to forget about any work you have to do, and treat the weekend as a weekend. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. - Kanti, 74, travel agency owner, New Delhi. What does it mean to be an American? The authors' research uncovered four factors: (1) The outsiders were not. 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. 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.. 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. 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. Amazing article that will definitely help people better understand how others may view their culture. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); 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. But, I digress. 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. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "They believe in democracy, in freedom; they are willing to die, kill, et cetera, for that. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. While many Americans feel their nation is divided as never before, a sampling of the rest of the world reflects a more charitable view. A society that has more things than our society." Instead, it's meant as a simple greeting, similar to "Hi there!" It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. There are two gangs in this novel, the "greasers", and the "Socs". Why is so much trouble taken to offer the items to people, wrapped and put under this gaudy tree only to be given away? 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. To be fair, most Americans don't either. Read more, CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike, The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. -- Source, Amount of cheese Americans can intake at a time. - Summer Abu Ltaif, outside the American University of Beirut, "I think that they are formed by an ideology. Do they think of our wide range of geography and national wonders? Coming from the UK where a university is used to gain your degree then its a case of thanks for the piss ups, bye! 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. Flashnewb, many Chinese people do not understand how America can function so "well" since the people here are all so different. "It's uncomfortable and I just don't get why," she wrote. - Ksenia Smertova, 21, student, Moscow, "America? 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. 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. To find out, I thought that I should get a view from the outside of the proverbial white picket fenced, good ol Murican home. Anyone can read what you share. I was wearing a T-shirt that said, 'You Can't Get This In The States.' 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. 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. 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. 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 . 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. In America, the letter Z is, well, zee. What do they think of when they think of America? In American-Indian culture, silence is valued as sacred. 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. It's pretty infuriating to live somewhere where something as natural and beautiful as the human body is viewed as taboo and "corrupts" our youth, but a guy getting his head cut off or getting beaten to death is perfectly okay for kids to watch. In this game you can.. In fact, Al Jazeera may represent something quite new in the business (though not unprecedented): the foreign gaze for domestic consumption. Covering the United States this way means, for starters, reporting on subjects like infant mortality. All Rights Reserved. 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. [], Your email address will not be published. Sure, fried chicken is hardly a foreign conceptbut try explaining chicken-fried steak or deep-fried Oreos to a non-American. Is this not a national travesty? used by the People to entertain and amuse themselves.". 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. Ethnocentric views are often closely tied to racism. But its way of seeing is foreign, the perspective of the curious outsider for whom nothing is obvious and whose questions are big and nave and, in their navet, important. You get a vision of their culture and their way of life. 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. It's the many electronics we have the bridge in San Francisco." In 1,100-1,500 AD, it is reported that the first signs of Navajo culture emerged. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, juice seller, Havana, "It is a world imperialist power country. 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. Basically, I am wondering what non-Americans think of our culture, and of us in general. You don't see cheerleaders at the World Cup, do you? The Americans are more of a tipper, good tippers. 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. Burgers, the American dream, choppers, Elvis, cowboys. The photo below shows different tools for cleaning ones teeth yes, even the sticks. Baby Showers. At another moment, she sits beside an 11-year-old as he plays the game, asking him, simply enough, what he likes in it. Now, besides the few, awesome things, I will end with what was a bit of a mixed review from non-Americans. 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. Hash browns or home fries? 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. The book is about observing American culture from an outsider's perspective, and comparing it to other cultures from across the globe. We in Europe have smaller things What I liked when I was over there was the service level, it was very high. 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 . I mean, for the love of our sacredly majestic Bald Eagle, apple pie isnt even American! But one thing for sure, they cannot make beer." 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. But in the U.S., people are happy to just toss their card in a folder with the bill and let the server take it away for swiping. In fact, in a 2017 report from the National Retail Federation, 65 percent of consumers reported owning a U.S. flag. [] https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/nacirema/ (Links to an external site.) For example, Miner writes The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. 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." This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator. Many said they found it to be one of the weirdest things about being in the US. Grab a blanket and a glass of hot chocolate, and do these five warm indoor activities for those rainy winter days. Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. I kind of like doing some things that I know I cant do in real life, the boy replies. "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. "Body Rituals Among the Nacirema, " by Horace Miner, is an essay written about the Nacirema, or American people, from an outsider's perspective. (2) the interlocking nature of oppression; and (3) the importance of Afro-American women's culture. The point is that we have many amazing things in this country, but how much of it is concretely ours? 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 ); Americans can come across as self-interested, aggressive and rude to some outsiders. - B.S. People are mostly not concerned with what another (person) is doing. Fair enough! Shopping malls, meals, people, cars. What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. Like, for example, in real life, you cant kill people. They simply don't see us as their equal but we are. I thought you had to go to a dedicated gun store for that. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Anyhow, in the morning, more boxes appear, and children act very wild, almost savage-like. It is a great country and would love to live there. 5. America stands out because people recognize merit out there." 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. In England, the so-called "chemist" is the place you go to for medicine and medical suppliesand that's it. When a store clerk or acquaintance in America asks, "How are you doing?" 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. Ck14, 11. Don't get me wrong, dental hygiene is important, but not everyone needs a perfect Hollywood smile. But people expect to be tipped so that is why they are so services-minded. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend. 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. Uber-Friendliness. } That . - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "I had a roommate a Californian, when I was in Korea as a college exchange student. "A black-and-white look at the world. - Zhila Gudzueva, university lecturer, Moscow, "My definition of Americans is those who are cheerful, friendly and willing to communicate." 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. 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. Few embrace the spread of American culture in the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed, although many Lebanese (41%) do want American ideas and customs. Guide to US and American culture, society, language, etiquette, customs, manners and protocol.
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