Interpreting Our Own Culture

Aastha Mehta Interpretation of Culture prof Heo September 27, 2009 Reflection musical theme Horace Miner does a steady-going job of stepping let onside his bear farming and avoiding the galore(postnominal) blunders any insider to a culture is given over to when he writes this badinage. He sees the Nacirema culture, his witness culture, from an go forthsiders spatial relation using the cultures consume standards, as he understands them, to describe their beliefs and practices. He avoids oversimplification and triteness by going to great industry to describe practices at ace time common to us, in brand-new and strange ways. This article and so helps us to see ourselves as others might see us. Miner, however, does non do as well in avoiding ethnocentrism in this article. By applying several(prenominal) value judg manpowerts to Naceriman practices, he is go across the line as an Anthropologist, and non exploring the fundamental question of wherefore these practices are continued. by opportunity this is wherefore it is a satire – not only is he describing our own culture in his writing, only he is stepping out of his position as anthropologist and commenting on the rituals as well. Even though Miner is writing a satire here, I recall that his work is filled with biases and ethnical relativism.

As we spoke in class last week, one give the bouncenot use cultural relativism to distinguish card for the differences between races, and can only use it to scum bag why practices make good sense in the cultures that they are weaken of. For example, the ceremonies performed at the Latipso are among the virtually bizarre practices of the Nacirema. I did not to begin with understand why people would willingly go to a temple where so many people die. later except analysis I realized that the Latipso is a infirmary, the medicine men are doctors, and the virgin maidens are nurses. To an outsider the hospital may seem akin a place of closing but from within the culture it is considered a place for healing. It is valet personality to consider your own culture the best. From this point of receive it is easier to...If you regard to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com

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