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." It's baffling. All of them wear shorts." Now without the photo below (but maybe skewed by the photo above) and in the context of the rest of the paper, many students do not recognize this as our daily habit of brushing our teeth. - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "They're generous. -- Nionvox, and extreme violence/gore is considered normal, and shown regularly on TV. I thought you had to go to a dedicated gun store for that. A society that has more things than our society." -- Teaching_man, I was not aware that you can buy guns in supermarkets in America. 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. He clearly thought that was more important than spending time with his family or friends. Suppose we have two cultures in presence. I think sometimes we take our freedom and our way of life for granted, not realizing how great it really is. 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. 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 . 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. First off, there are a variety of flavors, from White Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Mint, Caramel and the list goes on. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? 3Peter N. Carroll and David W. Noble, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the United States, 3rd ed. Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. What am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? . 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. It's cars. Miner describes Americans as "magic-ridden people" (Miner 2009, 507). These kind greetings can catch foreigners by surprise, and usually it takes a few "hellos" before they trust that it's not some kind of scam. - 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." Throwing Tailgate Parties. It's like your entire concept of beauty hangs on it. - Ksenia Smertova, 21, student, Moscow, "America? Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. They are taken to a store where, when presented with a slip of paper, can be exchanged for currency. And they are a people that like having a lot of fun and their brands: McDonald's, all of that, makes the American identity or North American we call them North Americans rather than Americans, because we all are Americans." You see, I even have two iPhones." In a moments answer, a culture is revealed anew. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. While many Americans feel their nation is divided as never before, a sampling of the rest of the world reflects a more charitable view. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used sparingly, if at all. 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. Let's move to the music, more specifically, blues and jazz, which are two personal loves of mine. Native Americans believe that the beating of the drum is a uniting force, bringing together people of different tribes, as well as uniting a person's spirit to their body and mind. This extraordinary insight highlights the power that outsiders have, forcing us to see ourselves from an altogether different perspective. "hey would you like to come and get bruised with me doing some fast dances to violins?" Ethnocentric people compare their culture to others on such elements as religion, behavior, language, customs, and norms. An Outsider Looks at Life in America. Though the conditions of pre-Columbian America and 15th-century Iberia are beyond the scope of Latin American history proper, they must be given consideration in that connection. Americans are, apparently, much friendlier than most people around the world. We in Europe have smaller things What I liked when I was over there was the service level, it was very high. Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break".Did you mean to use "continue 2"? The Outsiders was actually published when the author was only 17 years old. 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. 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. Why is so much trouble taken to offer the items to people, wrapped and put under this gaudy tree only to be given away? 2 - A Chinese Golden Lily Foot by Lai Afong, c1870s. Such houses, I have observed, draw peoples eyes as they pass by. I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. 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 . 33 "Normal" Things in the U.S. That Freak Everyone Else Out, Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. 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. In restaurants in many other countries, your server runs your credit card through a machine table-side. 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. American culture, they help younger generations avoid changing their personalities to be accepted. Driving everywhere. You get a vision of their culture and their way of life. What one culture does and believes to benormal, others may see as unusual. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. One of the hardest (or at least most expensive) things about being an outsider traveling in the United States is tipping. 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. 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. - Ziva Meizels, retiree, Jerusalem, "I think their patriotism, you know, God bless America. Some even sell fresh fruit and prepackaged mealsbut if you're visiting the States from another country, we recommend getting your sushi elsewhere. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Grizzlies star Ja Morant to miss at least 2 games after alleged gun incident, How Paul Murdaugh testified "from the grave" to help convict his father, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Tech titan makes history as 1st openly-gay GOP convention speaker, Some Republicans say Trump's feud with Khan family may change their vote, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Bus with 40 children crashes in French Alps, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing. Time to forget about any work you have to do, and treat the weekend as a weekend. In other parts of the world, however, ice isn't something you'll see nearly as frequently. 1 - A Chinese woman with her feet unbound. As is tradition. Oh, and side note, the customer service in America is seen as amazing. 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. But elsewhere, there's no reason why eggs can't sit out on a shelf or counter. It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. Yes, we Americans admittedly like to go big or go homeand when foreigners come to visit, this is a concept that they quickly notice. 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. The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. This is baffling to many foreigners, especially since, by the time they're in their 30s, they've been drinking legally for more than two decades. "Body Rituals Among the Nacirema, " by Horace Miner, is an essay written about the Nacirema, or American people, from an outsider's perspective. In this book, American culture refers to pattern and behavior of the mainstream. Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. In this game you can.. This writing helped me understand others' perceptive of the things that I find normal. 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. Many people's vacation days tend to pile up as the months of 50-hour workweeks roll on. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. The only normal part of the holiday seems to be the family gathering for dinner on Christmas day. Why did they not just give them to the people in the first place? "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. In America, on the other hand, taking time off is often treated like a sin. In American-Indian culture, silence is valued as sacred. What does it mean to be an American? 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 . } - Gennelyn Escopete, 33, DVD street vendor, Manila, Philippines, "There is a lot of misconception about their politics. The Outsiders was written by a teenager about teenagers. 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. - 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. But one thing for sure, they cannot make beer." - Antara Rao, 18, student, New Delhi, "I have traveled all over the United States in Greyhound buses as a tourist. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. 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. The idea of being self-sufficient is valued highly in the U.S. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend . Trick-or-Treating. 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. Money rules everything. Works Cited. 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. Tipping. Americans are also seen from afar as generous tippers, friendly, uncomplicated, rich and the standard bearers of freedom, equality, creativity and technological power. 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. Eggs are a universal delicacy, but outside of the U.S., they are seldom stored in the fridge. )After you find more information about the Nacirema and gained a new perspective, then complete []. Cushman (2009) used an active learning methodology to explore minority students' insider knowledge and make outsiders aware of their lack of knowledge relative to 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? NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. Once they do, everyone admires the tree even more. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "America is food fast food and (Coca) Cola. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click hereto follow us on Instagram! https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/business/media/an-outsider-looks-at-life-in-america.html. The reality doesn't match the ideal. 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. The process often began between four and seven years old. 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. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. 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. - 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. 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. This small lifestyle change could make a big difference to your long-term brain health.