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- Ksenia Smertova, 21, student, Moscow, "America? But seriously, don't do it. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.". Here are 33 "normal" customs and habits in the U.S. that weird out the rest of the world. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. Anyone can read what you share. - 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. And after 9/11, the world grieved with America. 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. Curious about which things are considered freaky by foreigners' standards? Remembering that practices are driven by the culture someone is situated in, including our very own practices, is key to avoiding ethnocentrism the mistaken belief that your culture is the standard by which others should be compared. If you want a second soda in a place like Paris, for example, be prepared to dole out some extra cash. - B.S. The Internet has changed that. 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. Uhh, that's a huge country. Fair enough! Like, for example, in real life, you cant kill people. 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. 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. Throughout the novel The Outsiders, readers can see just how harshly culture can change people. Flashnewb, many Chinese people do not understand how America can function so "well" since the people here are all so different. People are nice but superficial. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. And it's a country with quite advanced technology industries. Mix it up using almond or coconut milk. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I was wearing a T-shirt that said, 'You Can't Get This In The States.' 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.. So that finally, outsiders will feel they belong. 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. As we said before, Americans live by the phrase, "The more, the merrier!". From our portions to our PTO, here's where we differ from the rest of the world. [], Your email address will not be published. It seems that the boxes were for them all along, not another being or deity. It is especially hard for an outsider to gain access to certain private rituals, which may be important for understanding a culture. Where unity and selflessness or altruism are valued traits in collectivist cultures, independence and . She was a happy person, better than my Chinese roommate there were three of us in the room. You see, I even have two iPhones." All of them wear shorts." 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. The more multi-cultural our cities become, the more globalization and hyper-mobility affect our culture, the more it's normal not to be normal. Cheese is life people. Ethnocentrism is the process of judging another culture exclusively from the perspective of one's own. 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. She does a great job of describing the US rituals of the Christian holiday, Christmas. In most other countries, you take the time to at least park the car and walk through the front doors of the place you're patronizingnot in America, though! 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. Sometimes, you need an outsiders perspective to get a clearer and wider view of things. I prefer it here. Individualism vs. Collectivism. An outsider can clearly observe behavior but they cannot understand it while conversely an American would not be able to observe an attitude but they would be able to understand the . Grab a blanket and a glass of hot chocolate, and do these five warm indoor activities for those rainy winter days. Basically, I am wondering what non-Americans think of our culture, and of us in general. - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. They also put some wires around it, which when attached to the wall, make the tree look very bright. 5. The biggest thing I found was that non-Americans are almost disgusted by the sheer amount of sugar in almost all our food. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "Everything in America is high tech!" Fenrir89, I get made fun of all the time in Russia for having an attachment to my college. Adam Schubak Partnerships Editor Adam is a writer based out of New . - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "They believe in democracy, in freedom; they are willing to die, kill, et cetera, for that. Some of the answers are pretty hilarious and/or eye-opening. 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. 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. teach well, it matters. 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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. All Rights Reserved. Many posts I read from spoke about not being able to even eat our bread because it was so sugary. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. The culture of the United States includes traditions, regional customs, institutions, art and so much more. Is this not a national travesty? This works in making work more enjoyable too. 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. } ); Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. For example, we can look at Christmas from the perspective of someone who is not a part of American culture. I dont wear any shoes that I cant run in, she said. Evidently, we're a very trusting sort. 600 Words3 Pages. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. An Outsider Looks at Life in America. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. Because there is no such ethnicity. A society that has more things than our society." Upon graduating secondary school, many Americans choose colleges and universities outside of and often far from their hometowns. C. It is important for Asian Americans to learn American culture as quickly as possible so they don't feel like outsiders. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Your email address will not be published. I also like a challenge. Starting off your day this way could increase your odds of cognitive decline. Countries whose intellectuals have long protested the Wests tendency toward Orientalism in its presentation of foreigners now have an opportunity to engage in a bit of Occidentalism.. There are two gangs in this novel, the "greasers", and the "Socs". fawkesandthehound. There are no Americans as such. Every once in a while, an outsider comes along with a new vision or a new way of doing things that revolutionizes a . Many say how underrated our beer is. Not sure whether I actually am ready to move there because it must be a tough country to live in. 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. In America, on the other hand, taking time off is often treated like a sin. They desire a different one, which holds more importance. However, young people both in and outside the U.S. are particularly fond of American popular culture. 33 "Normal" Things in the U.S. That Freak Everyone Else Out, Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. 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. In American-Indian culture, silence is valued as sacred. Many are so flabbergasted by the amount of choices we have in, not only our restaurants, but our grocery stores as well. 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. The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. Lawrence Wetsit misses the days when his people would gather by the hundreds and . I explained it was a joke, I was from Canada. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "I think there obviously is the American dream, the idea that unifies them all. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "I think the way they are talking and dealing with personal relations is quite direct. In most other countries, when you buy a drink, that prince is for a single cupful of your beverage of choice. The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. I read on several different forum sites how things such as the pledge of allegiance and how our flag is plastered everywhere you go is quite strange to outsiders. OR WHAT IDENTIFIES AS AMERICAN TO YOU? It's a wonderful country and there is high security, standard of living is very high. 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. And it is a great country; I have visited it. After doing a little adventuring on the web and seeing all different kinds of opinions and views from people all over the world, I came to love my country even more. 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. "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. (She believed) that the people's voice should be heard." 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. 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. 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 . This might be less surprising these days thanks to the ubiquity of Starbucks, but Americans originated the practice of ordering coffee to go, and it still strikes many Europeans as bizarre behavior. 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. They must be of some great importance or have some great wisdom, which allows them the honor of completing this task. According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . A lot of dresses, and cars, and all that. 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., 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. 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. By Beth Anne Macaluso, Adam Schubak and Kara Ladd. 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. Why is so much trouble taken to offer the items to people, wrapped and put under this gaudy tree only to be given away? This termas well as terms used in the United States such as "Native American" and "American Indian"refers to hundreds of culturally diverse groups who inhabited the Americas before Europeans settled there. 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. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend. Contents. } As the stage moves on, Claudette has managed to separate a little more of herself from wolf culture by saying "I used my new motor skills. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. While I thought this over, I also began to think of why people, myself especially, are so enthralled with other countries. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. One of the reasons why we see so much of servers in the States is because they are constantly refilling customers' water glasses. For example, the view of Northpolians regarding Acimerans is an etic perspective. The reporter, Lori Jane Gliha, made deft use of practiced innocence. On TripAdvisor, one German tourist even commented on her love of visiting New York, save for these restroom door gaps. Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break".Did you mean to use "continue 2"? What we know so far about the Chinese spy balloon and other objects shot down by U.S. Most European travelers expect to place their order and then be done interacting with their server for the remainder of their meal. - Liu Xiaodan, 30, hotel manager, Beijing, "My impression of Americans is that they uncomplicated. When done well, this is in the finest tradition of foreign correspondence: a genre that soars when offering sharp, deeply reported answers to seemingly dumb questions dumb because they are so basic and self-evident that the smugly well settled never think to ask them, any more than fish inquire about the water. It is told in a first-person narration style, with the narrator being a 14-year-old boy. This is down to the US communication style which is influenced by the need to be direct, clear . Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. xhr.send(payload); The amount of older people I saw on my trip wearing college gear was insane. Many American kids and teenagers leave home for extended periods of time, often for summer camps or travel. One habit was found to help keep the brain healthy over time. 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. In America, however, these advertisements are everywhereand unsurprisingly, they confuse foreign visitors. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. Boy was I wrong. The spectacle of the Tupinamb men in the French court, as described by Montaigne, could be said to be an instance of "reverse colonization," a phenomenon in which those who embarked in a colonial . And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? Even when it's the dead of winter, coffee shops are still serving up iced coffee. 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. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? Amazing article that will definitely help people better understand how others may view their culture. 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. A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. This I do not know. There is some discussion of dolphin infant mortality, but not so much about the issue in America even though it ranks close to the bottom among the advanced economies. Concept of building up the courage to ask someone to a ceilidh is simply ridiculous. And for more on why we pronounce this letter differently, check out Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. Americans are also seen from afar as generous tippers, friendly, uncomplicated, rich and the standard bearers of freedom, equality, creativity and technological power. In continuation with time, the culture of the native people developed. 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. 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. 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". I kind of like doing some things that I know I cant do in real life, the boy replies. as well as other partner offers and accept our. 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 non-Americans the fact that we have a choice of, what kind of bread we want our sandwich on, and what kind of cheese we want on said sandwich, along with what kind of dressing, is just mind blowing. Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. Soon, weekends can be filled with park trips and beach adventures, but for now, the weather is temperamental, so a movie night can suffice. First off, there are a variety of flavors, from White Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice, Mint, Caramel and the list goes on. Ethnocentric people compare their culture to others on such elements as religion, behavior, language, customs, and norms. 15 Unique Aspects of American Culture. African . 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. We have black, asians, white, hispanics, indians just to name of few and yet we don't have massive in fighting between races or religions. Everything else, I do not understand.. D. When Asian Americans speak about their experiences as minorities, they help younger generations feel comfortable in NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. The only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. This extraordinary insight highlights the power that outsiders have, forcing us to see ourselves from an altogether different perspective. They just like speaking their mind, which is a reason that I don't feel quite comfortable going around with Americans." 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. The Greek term "ethno" refers to people, and "graphy" refers to writing. Coming from the UK where a university is used to gain your degree then its a case of thanks for the piss ups, bye! Why go Tall when a Venti is just a dollar more? [] https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/nacirema/ (Links to an external site.) Collectivist cultures are usually contrasted with individualistic cultures. I came to realize how many things are truly American and what makes us great people of a great nation. - Antara Rao, 18, economics student, New Delhi, "(America) welcomes all different races." While many love how so patriotic we are as a people, some, to be blunt, find it a bit creepy. In restaurants in many other countries, your server runs your credit card through a machine table-side. We in Europe have smaller things What I liked when I was over there was the service level, it was very high. They rip up all of the paper covering the boxes, and leave a mess on the floor. Americans are gallant." 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. Cultural relativism is the idea that the beliefs and practices of a culture should be understood within the context of that particular culture's background, history, and current events surrounding it. White or wheat? 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. Burgers, the American dream, choppers, Elvis, cowboys. 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. 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 particular ethnicity (e.g., African Americans), or an agerelated category of Americans (e.g., millennials). This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. It's not uncommon to chat up a stranger while waiting on line or traveling on public transportation. We love our cheese. I do not understand the importance of this, as usually the father of the family just eats the biscuits and drinks the milk anyway, and it is always late at night when he does this too. After searching the web, I have found a few answers to my questions and quandaries about what makes usus. When they do, the house and shrubs look very bright, and not a single house on the street is without these wires. "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . An etic view of a culture is the perspective of an outsider looking in. Does the eating of the man-shaped biscuits represent some sacrifice? What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. 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. It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. Mehta, 34, health insurance agent, New Delhi, "Has a very liberal culture, great people and a country that drives innovation." Throwing Tailgate Parties. It's like your entire concept of beauty hangs on it. - Kanti, 74, travel agency owner, New Delhi. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. 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. America permeated their lives - through comics and Coke, through Hollywood and Neil Armstrong, and via the internet, iPhone and Facebook. Works Cited. 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. (2) the interlocking nature of oppression; and (3) the importance of Afro-American women's culture. but don't tell them (laughing)." The Reddit user NoDownvotesPlease said: "That was the weirdest one for me. 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. Why did they not just give them to the people in the first place? In other parts of the world, however, ice isn't something you'll see nearly as frequently. They just don't get the idea of loyalty to the school. 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." NEW YORK Al Jazeera wants to make its name as American as pizzaburgers. What am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? - 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. - Karin Cohen, 25, bookshop worker, Jerusalem, "The first thing I think when I hear United States is a world power." To outsiders, Blacks may appear terse or disinterested. In cultural anthropology, our fieldwork is referred to as ethnography, which is both the process and result of cultural anthropological research. To begin, Ill stick with the positives. - 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 is curious. Now, Im not talking about Bud Light and the like, Im talking about the large amount of micro-breweries and craft beers we make.