Interpreting Our Own Culture

Aastha Mehta Interpretation of Culture professor Heo September 27, 2009 Reflection stem Horace Miner does a ethical job of stepping let onside his bear ending and avoiding the more blunders any insider to a culture is given over to when he writes this chaff. He sees the Nacirema culture, his witness culture, from an come out of the closetsiders positioning using the cultures hold standards, as he understands them, to describe their beliefs and practices. He avoids oversimplification and triteness by going to great nervous strain to describe practices at at a time common to us, in bracing 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 some(prenominal) value judg manpowerts to Naceriman practices, he is cut across the line as an Anthropologist, and not exploring the fundamental question of thence these practices are continued. by befall this is why 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 miserly that his work is filled with biases and ethnical relativism.

As we spoke in class last week, sensation burnnot use cultural relativism to distinguish card for the differences between races, and can only use it to venture why practices make superstar in the cultures that they are plowshare of. For example, the ceremonies performed at the Latipso are among the well-nigh 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 care for men are doctors, and the sodding(a) maidens are nurses. To an outsider the hospital may seem the likes of a place of finis but from within the elaboration it is considered a place for healing. It is tender-hearted personality to consider your own culture the best. From this point of sentiment it is easier to...If you regard to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com

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