Why should we judge other groups from the perspective of one’s own cultural point of view? Why can’t we be able to view other cultures equally regardless if it has its differences? We should not believe that one’s own culture is above and astounding over all the other cultures. Why disregard other cultures and believe that one’s own culture is the only way to go? Before we take a look at ethnocentrism we need to know what it exactly mean. According to Sumner, "ethnocentrism is the technical name for this view of things in which one 's own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it". Ethnocentrism is the belief that your own culture, ethnic group, or society is essentially better than others.
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What anthropologist do is something called participant observation. A participant observation is where one actually devotes their time with the people they want to learn more about and collect information on why they do what they do. In order for anthropologists to understand people’s lives and culture they need to actually take the time to look at their perspective and way of living through observation. In order for them to understand people in culture groups, anthropologists avoid their own prejudices and assumptions. If an anthropologist judges a group based on their own cultural beliefs, then the anthropologist will not be able to see the accurate representation of the group being observed. An anthropologist puts their ethnocentrism on hold, in order to be able to work to understand people. Cultural relativism is actually what is used. What is that you may be …show more content…
Looking at the government in North Korea is a great example to show how their citizens were completely brainwashed into believing and thinking that there is no other culture with the use of propaganda. What do the North Koreans believe? How do they see themselves and the world around them? According to the video Meyer discusses the book ‘The Clean Race” where he discusses Korea’s nationalism and how the regime wants the Koreans to have pride in their culture. Kim Il Sung manipulated the news and media to emphasize only his importance and played on the North Korean people’s biased view that they needed a paternal figure to guide their pure, worthy, and innocent race. North Korean’s government blocks almost all social networks and communication. This was done because then the citizen don’t have the opportunity to interact or be influenced by other culture so that they will remain loyal to the own homeland. The only information they were accessed to was what they are told by the regime. Having this done affects the people and the way they will look start to look at cultures that different from them. The regime will only teach the people that their race is unique, worthy, and innocent. The block on social networks and communication as well as closed to gaining information other than the regime, will limit the North Korean citizens exposure to the outside world and leave them with no choice
What anthropologist do is something called participant observation. A participant observation is where one actually devotes their time with the people they want to learn more about and collect information on why they do what they do. In order for anthropologists to understand people’s lives and culture they need to actually take the time to look at their perspective and way of living through observation. In order for them to understand people in culture groups, anthropologists avoid their own prejudices and assumptions. If an anthropologist judges a group based on their own cultural beliefs, then the anthropologist will not be able to see the accurate representation of the group being observed. An anthropologist puts their ethnocentrism on hold, in order to be able to work to understand people. Cultural relativism is actually what is used. What is that you may be …show more content…
Looking at the government in North Korea is a great example to show how their citizens were completely brainwashed into believing and thinking that there is no other culture with the use of propaganda. What do the North Koreans believe? How do they see themselves and the world around them? According to the video Meyer discusses the book ‘The Clean Race” where he discusses Korea’s nationalism and how the regime wants the Koreans to have pride in their culture. Kim Il Sung manipulated the news and media to emphasize only his importance and played on the North Korean people’s biased view that they needed a paternal figure to guide their pure, worthy, and innocent race. North Korean’s government blocks almost all social networks and communication. This was done because then the citizen don’t have the opportunity to interact or be influenced by other culture so that they will remain loyal to the own homeland. The only information they were accessed to was what they are told by the regime. Having this done affects the people and the way they will look start to look at cultures that different from them. The regime will only teach the people that their race is unique, worthy, and innocent. The block on social networks and communication as well as closed to gaining information other than the regime, will limit the North Korean citizens exposure to the outside world and leave them with no choice