Nacirema Culture A Review of the Literature
Abstract
Various anthropologists and sociologists have used the term Nacirema to examine aspects of the behavior and society of citizens of the United States of America. Nacirema offers a form of word play by spelling “American” backwards. This literature review will explain how “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” relates to ethnocentrism.
Nacirema Culture
A Review of the Literature
“Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by (Miner, June 1956) describes Nacirema as a little-known tribe living in North America between Mexico and Canada. Nacirema culture is characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved in a rich natural habitat.
When first reading the paper it was a slight culture shock but after further reading I realized the paper was actually describing modern-day Americans. After I finished reading the paper I had a much better understanding of how other cultures see Americans and how they see us. Which would be an example of ethnocentrism; the tendency to assume that one’s own culture and way of life represents the norm or is superior to others.
Ethnocentrism …show more content…
After re-reading I understood the aspects of the Nacirema culture including Medicine men (doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists), a latipso (hospital), a shrine (bathroom), and the mouth-rite ritual (brushing teeth). Things like going to the dentist, taking prescription drugs when we are sick, and going to the bathroom in private all seem like appropriate, "normal" behavior. Other things, such as a cultural obsession with women 's breast size, we might be more critical of and yet we still accept as "normal" behavior. But how quickly our opinions are changed when the above mentioned practices are described in a slightly different way than we are familiar with and we are to believe that the society that practices them are not our
Abstract
Various anthropologists and sociologists have used the term Nacirema to examine aspects of the behavior and society of citizens of the United States of America. Nacirema offers a form of word play by spelling “American” backwards. This literature review will explain how “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” relates to ethnocentrism.
Nacirema Culture
A Review of the Literature
“Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by (Miner, June 1956) describes Nacirema as a little-known tribe living in North America between Mexico and Canada. Nacirema culture is characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved in a rich natural habitat.
When first reading the paper it was a slight culture shock but after further reading I realized the paper was actually describing modern-day Americans. After I finished reading the paper I had a much better understanding of how other cultures see Americans and how they see us. Which would be an example of ethnocentrism; the tendency to assume that one’s own culture and way of life represents the norm or is superior to others.
Ethnocentrism …show more content…
After re-reading I understood the aspects of the Nacirema culture including Medicine men (doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists), a latipso (hospital), a shrine (bathroom), and the mouth-rite ritual (brushing teeth). Things like going to the dentist, taking prescription drugs when we are sick, and going to the bathroom in private all seem like appropriate, "normal" behavior. Other things, such as a cultural obsession with women 's breast size, we might be more critical of and yet we still accept as "normal" behavior. But how quickly our opinions are changed when the above mentioned practices are described in a slightly different way than we are familiar with and we are to believe that the society that practices them are not our