Readings: Watson and Kluckhon
Passage #1: Watson “The fast food industry in Hong Kong had to deliver hot items that could compete with traditional purveyors of convenience foods…Café de Coral’s strategy was simple: It moved Hong Kong’s street foods indoors, to a clean, well-lighted cafeteria that offered instant service and moderate prices; popular Cantonese items were then combined with (sinicized) “Western” foods that had been poplar in Hong Kong for decades. Café de Coral’s menu reads like the locus classicus of the Pacific Rim cuisine…The formula was so successful it spawned dozens of imitators, including three full-scale chains.” (Watson 91). This passage describes how the fast food industry in Hong Kong was revolutionized and how it …show more content…
The answer is both yes and no. In general Hong Kong consumers have accepted the basic elements of the fast food formula, but with ‘localizing’ adaptations. For instance, customers generally do no bus their own trays, nor do they depart immediately upon finishing.”(Watson 95) This passage supports Watson’s claim that Hong Kong has become transnational and does not belong to only the Chinese culture or only the American culture. The Chinese welcome McDonald’s into their society, but they controlled how McDonald’s was going to operate within their society. Unlike Americans, Chinese McDonald is a place for socializing and snacking. There is no rush for customers to leave even if they are taking up tables for potential customers. This really shows how, although McDonalds was an American phenomenon to start with, the Chinese adapted it to fit their culture. Eventually, McDonalds helped change the Chinese culture, but it was a gradual change that is still happening and will continue to …show more content…
Some, however, seek to deny all sexual expression before marriage, whereas a Polynesian adolescent who was not promiscuous would be distinctly abnormal. Some cultures enforce lifelong monogamy; in still other cultures, two or more women may be joined to one man or several men to a single women…To us marriage is first and foremost an arrangement between two individuals. In many more societies, marriage is merely one facet of a complicated set of reciprocities, economic and otherwise between two families or two clans. The essence of the cultural process is selectivity. The selection is only exceptionally conscious and rational. Cultures are like Topsy. They just grew.” (Kluckhohn 78) This passage helps to represent how different cultures have different variations of the same concept. Marriage and sexuality is a concept that varies greatly among cultures. Over time, these understandings have evolved and different groups have changed their variations. This does not mean that there will ever be universal concepts, but it does show how concepts can change. This passage is important because it helps describe how not all cultures will be in agreement with each other, It also follows Kluckhohn’s discussion on being aware of what you say when you are around an unfamiliar culture. The teacher and Navajo children example comes to mind, which allowed me to connect Kluckhohn’s train of thought throughout the entire
Passage #1: Watson “The fast food industry in Hong Kong had to deliver hot items that could compete with traditional purveyors of convenience foods…Café de Coral’s strategy was simple: It moved Hong Kong’s street foods indoors, to a clean, well-lighted cafeteria that offered instant service and moderate prices; popular Cantonese items were then combined with (sinicized) “Western” foods that had been poplar in Hong Kong for decades. Café de Coral’s menu reads like the locus classicus of the Pacific Rim cuisine…The formula was so successful it spawned dozens of imitators, including three full-scale chains.” (Watson 91). This passage describes how the fast food industry in Hong Kong was revolutionized and how it …show more content…
The answer is both yes and no. In general Hong Kong consumers have accepted the basic elements of the fast food formula, but with ‘localizing’ adaptations. For instance, customers generally do no bus their own trays, nor do they depart immediately upon finishing.”(Watson 95) This passage supports Watson’s claim that Hong Kong has become transnational and does not belong to only the Chinese culture or only the American culture. The Chinese welcome McDonald’s into their society, but they controlled how McDonald’s was going to operate within their society. Unlike Americans, Chinese McDonald is a place for socializing and snacking. There is no rush for customers to leave even if they are taking up tables for potential customers. This really shows how, although McDonalds was an American phenomenon to start with, the Chinese adapted it to fit their culture. Eventually, McDonalds helped change the Chinese culture, but it was a gradual change that is still happening and will continue to …show more content…
Some, however, seek to deny all sexual expression before marriage, whereas a Polynesian adolescent who was not promiscuous would be distinctly abnormal. Some cultures enforce lifelong monogamy; in still other cultures, two or more women may be joined to one man or several men to a single women…To us marriage is first and foremost an arrangement between two individuals. In many more societies, marriage is merely one facet of a complicated set of reciprocities, economic and otherwise between two families or two clans. The essence of the cultural process is selectivity. The selection is only exceptionally conscious and rational. Cultures are like Topsy. They just grew.” (Kluckhohn 78) This passage helps to represent how different cultures have different variations of the same concept. Marriage and sexuality is a concept that varies greatly among cultures. Over time, these understandings have evolved and different groups have changed their variations. This does not mean that there will ever be universal concepts, but it does show how concepts can change. This passage is important because it helps describe how not all cultures will be in agreement with each other, It also follows Kluckhohn’s discussion on being aware of what you say when you are around an unfamiliar culture. The teacher and Navajo children example comes to mind, which allowed me to connect Kluckhohn’s train of thought throughout the entire