american culture from an outsiders perspective american culture from an outsiders perspective

According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . } else { The greasers live on the east side and are known as "hoods". People are mostly not concerned with what another (person) is doing. Collectivism stresses the importance of the community, while individualism is focused on the rights and concerns of each person. In the process, the new Pittsburgh is helping point the way to the old. There are two gangs in this novel, the "greasers", and the "Socs". In America, however, these advertisements are everywhereand unsurprisingly, they confuse foreign visitors. What does it mean to be an American? 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. Guide to US and American culture, society, language, etiquette, customs, manners and protocol. 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. Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. "hey would you like to come and get bruised with me doing some fast dances to violins?" Throwing Tailgate Parties. 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. If we ask for a high price, they don't bargain. The material items that are kept, though, seem to consume all the time of the children. There's the American way and then there's everybody else. We're desensitizing the wrong thing. An etic view of a culture is the perspective of an outsider looking in. I prefer hanging out with Canadians or students from Europe, because at least they are quite polite." The paper,written by University of Chicago trained anthropologist Horace Miner wasoriginally published in 1956. 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. They look super fake. When a young girl there was asked about the low-level warfare that engulfs her neighborhood, her answers heart-sinking simplicity seemed to vouch for this approach of chronicling America as though seeing it for the first time. The Outsiders was actually published when the author was only 17 years old. What one culture does and believes to benormal, others may see as unusual. Everything else, I do not understand.. 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. Some of the answers are pretty hilarious and/or eye-opening. "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . 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. Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. - 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." The Americans are more of a tipper, good tippers. Ck14, 11. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. Cultural relativism can be seen with the Chinese culture and their process of feet binding. I thought you had to go to a dedicated gun store for that. She does a great job of describing the US rituals of the Christian holiday, Christmas. Here are 33 "normal" customs and habits in the U.S. that weird out the rest of the world. right back and expect an answer," Sophie-Claire Hoeller wrote for The Independent. 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 . NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. 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. Andersen, Margaret L. and Taylor, Howard F. 2008. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is . Uber-Friendliness. WHAT IS THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD "AMERICA"? - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "America is food fast food and (Coca) Cola. This I do not know. The American was easy to talk with and we had a lot of things in common. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "Technology makes Americans American." The drum is . While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. the culture being studied such that he/she can blend his/her etic (outsider) perspective with the emic (insider) perspective of the society being studied. If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. Wrapping up in a warm blanket with a hot drink and some calming music is one of the best ways to spend and indoor kind of day. At one moment, she is playing the game while addressing viewers, and, standing before us, begins to beat an innocent man with a golf club: fresh, jarring, thought-provoking television. When Al Jazeera becomes a major U.S. cable channel, as it plans, some Americans are likely to click past it, recalling the alleged anti-American tone by the pan-Arab network during the Iraq war a decade ago, CNN wrote in a not atypical comment. 33 "Normal" Things in the U.S. That Freak Everyone Else Out, Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest. 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. - Kanti, 74, travel agency owner, New Delhi. - Rosa Moscoso, 42, Havana, "A country of freedom, particularly freedom of thought. Americans are, apparently, much friendlier than most people around the world. We like to eat when we like to eatand if that means going to Denny's at 3 a.m., so be it. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "They believe in democracy, in freedom; they are willing to die, kill, et cetera, for that. But in America, you are expected to add upwards of 20 percent to your bill just to avoid a dirty look from your server. While I thought this over, I also began to think of why people, myself especially, are so enthralled with other countries. American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. And yet the "Ugly American," it would seem, isn't all bad. Yes, we Americans admittedly like to go big or go homeand when foreigners come to visit, this is a concept that they quickly notice. Another oddity of American advertising are those spots you see for prescription medication during every commercial break. - Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo, First published on August 4, 2016 / 5:32 PM. "It's uncomfortable and I just don't get why," she wrote. When first reading this analysis, it is not easy to recognize that Miner is talking about American's culture. - Karin Cohen, 25, bookshop worker, Jerusalem, "The first thing I think when I hear United States is a world power." Let's look at 10 traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them. Overweight people, Donald Trump, elections, shootings." Now, Im not talking about Bud Light and the like, Im talking about the large amount of micro-breweries and craft beers we make. What am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? NEW YORK Al Jazeera wants to make its name as American as pizzaburgers. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "I was stunned to see how big everything is over there. In other parts of the world, however, ice isn't something you'll see nearly as frequently. 2016 The Associated Press. For example, we can look at Christmas from the perspective of someone who is not a part of American culture. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.". There are no Americans as such. Boy was I wrong. 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 . Not sure whether I actually am ready to move there because it must be a tough country to live in. I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. 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. By adding some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick, a regular cup of warm chocolate powder in milk becomes more like a dessert. Money rules everything. Americans go nuts with air conditioning, cranking it up on hot days to the point that you might actually need a sweater. 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. the United States, along with further themes such as African-American culture, racism, religion, slavery, a sense of home,[5] segregation, migration, feminism, and more. So yes, they are fortunate, and it is God bless America - that's what makes America, America." In 1,100-1,500 AD, it is reported that the first signs of Navajo culture emerged. For a country that's the center of the global economy, America's currency is pretty dull. Sometimes we are even better than them . Go to many other countries and the smallest differences in culture, language, and background will almost automatically cause some major issues. In cultural anthropology, our fieldwork is referred to as ethnography, which is both the process and result of cultural anthropological research. The photo below shows different tools for cleaning ones teeth yes, even the sticks. A society that has more things than our society." But if you were to use this pronunciation in conversation with an English speaker from another country, they'd probably give you a puzzled look. They are also unified in the sense that the dream isn't really a real thing anymore. Most European travelers expect to place their order and then be done interacting with their server for the remainder of their meal. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Todd Beer, PhD, is a faculty member in the department of Sociology and Anthropology at Lake Forest College, a wonderful liberal arts college north of Chicago. And it is a great country; I have visited it. in /nfs/c05/h04/mnt/113983/domains/toragrafix.com/html/wp-content . The United States of America serves as the global symbol of 'madness' and 'non-stop chaos' in the best and worst ways possible. My American studies courses here have given me the opportunity to observe America from an outsider's perspective and really get an understanding of what Europeans actually think of us. 1) Outside Marketing Firms Bring Fresh Thinking. Cultural Perspective on African American Culture Angela Khristin Brown E-mail: brownlas6@aol.com Received: 05-09- 2013 Accepted: 09-10-2013 Published: 31-10-2013 . All of the Trump stuff in the U.S. has been depressing you would like to think people are smarter than that but definitely surprising and depressing to see how much support he has and how much support his ideas have." They are big and loud and they are in charge of everything." Many said they found it to be one of the weirdest things about being in the US. 2. What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. 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. They simply don't see us as their equal but we are. 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. cultural frames of reference" and "learn to step outside of their own thinking in order to examine it and also to acknowledge others' thinking" (pp. Foot binding was to stop the growth of the foot and make them smaller. 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. While I dont think its exactly a secret that a stereotype of Americans portrays us as arrogant, ignorant, loud and so on. The etic perspective is data gathering by outsiders that yield questions posed by outsiders. Search CNNs Web site on the subject, and the links almost invariably carry you to content about beleaguered places like Madagascar. We don't know what lemonade is: In many countries, lemonade is not the iconic sugary drink that American kids sell at stands in summer. Curious about which things are considered freaky by foreigners' standards? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. An odd ritual occurs the night right before Christmas: children hang socks above a structure that houses a fire although they look far too large to be anyones sock. 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. Miner describes Americans as "magic-ridden people" (Miner 2009, 507). Americans are unusually casual about handing over their credit cards in a way that tends to freak foreigners out. If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. Therapists say it can damage your connection. (2) the interlocking nature of oppression; and (3) the importance of Afro-American women's culture. As is tradition. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used . "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. It's like your entire concept of beauty hangs on it. They're calm and kind and friendly and they like to smile." It's not uncommon to chat up a stranger while waiting on line or traveling on public transportation. This is down to the US communication style which is influenced by the need to be direct, clear . 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. 15 Unique Aspects of American Culture. This works in making work more enjoyable too. WHAT MAKES AMERICANS AMERICAN? 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. This small lifestyle change could make a big difference to your long-term brain health. If even we Americans don't get it, we can't expect anyone else to either. From the exotic to the ancient, and to the high end cities of the world, we are obsessed. DESCRIBE THE COUNTRY AS YOU SEE IT: "The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word America is 'Arrogance.' In most other countries, when you buy a drink, that prince is for a single cupful of your beverage of choice. It is told in a first-person narration style, with the narrator being a 14-year-old boy. Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism, however. "Long winter nights and the seclusion of the reservation. Using an etic perspective, we can gain an outsiders view on our cultural practices that we deem "normal" in comparison to other cultures. They desire a different one, which holds more importance. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "I had a roommate a Californian, when I was in Korea as a college exchange student. 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. Okay, so besides us Americans in general, what about the other stuff, like our food, drink and entertainment? In the United States, pharmaciesthe closest things we have to chemistsdouble as convenience stores, with aisles upon aisles of food, cleaning supplies, and even makeup products. paper from an anthropological perspective. It has gone beyond the usual New York-Washington presence of overseas networks, with plans for bureaus in Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; Miami; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; San Francisco; and Seattle. 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. BANGKOK -- The rest of the world may think Americans eat a lot of burgers, have huge shopping malls and are ruled by an arrogant government. 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. The difference is one of cultural ownership and general acknowledgement, of giving credit where it's dueespecially when credit is long overdue to a historically oppressed people. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Generations in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America have grown up under the influence of the superpower U.S. and have felt awe and envy. 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In the U.S., every food order requires several decisions. C. It is important for Asian Americans to learn American culture as quickly as possible so they don't feel like outsiders. [] detailed search help you gain a new perspective on the Nacirema people. Upon graduating secondary school, many Americans choose colleges and universities outside of and often far from their hometowns. I think sometimes we take our freedom and our way of life for granted, not realizing how great it really is. - Kenni Friis, 28, computer technology student, Copenhagen, Denmark, "You can easily distinguish an American like here in the restaurant. Their approach is different from ours we do it because we care about others, they do it because they get tips they were raised that way." Instead, it's meant as a simple greeting, similar to "Hi there!" In Japan, open-mouthed, teeth-exposed laughter is thought to "sound like horses," and is considered impolite, and in particular, unladylike, in the same manner Americans consider coughing . The following is an excerpt from one of the excellent papers I received from a student, Emily Ong (used with her permission). The authors' research uncovered four factors: (1) The outsiders were not. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "Everything in America is high tech!" Anyone can have a good idea, so you could expect the distribution of U.S. patents to resemble the demographics of the workplace. They were floored (and clogged probably) -- Marcvsgrippa, Pumpkin flavored things, pumpkin is a vegetable yet it is always in seasonal items in combination with sweet flavors. The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. The Associated Press sent reporters across the world to ask ordinary people about their views of America. In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. People also stop and like to gather around the tree and gaze at it. Figure 1.6. Please enter valid email address to continue. A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. - Ksenia Smertova, 21, student, Moscow, "America? America permeated their lives - through comics and Coke, through Hollywood and Neil Armstrong, and via the internet, iPhone and Facebook. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. Persons from religious perspectives other than Christianity, which emphasizes "individual salvation," may see the individual as equal to all living things, as on a journey toward individual fulfillment, or even as . To find out, I thought that I should get a view from the outside of the proverbial white picket fenced, good ol Murican home. It's not that we're lazy, per se; it's just that we like to be comfyand despite the weird looks we get from European tourists, being cozy simply trumps looking put together sometimes. BANGKOK -- The rest of the world may think Americans eat a lot of burgers, have huge shopping malls and are ruled by an arrogant government.And yet the "Ugly American," it would seem, isn't all . Still, and after more than a decade following the publication by Headland, Pike and Harris (1990), discussions about insider versus outsider status of the researcher remain alive and relevant. - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. I also like a challenge. 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. Mehta, 34, health insurance worker, New Delhi, "America is a land of opportunities. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? What I've concluded from my time here so far is that most of the people in Europe consider Americans good-hearted, but completely insane people. No, this isn't the standard bottle of wine in the States, but it's a common sight at any American supermarket or wine store and something you'd rarely encounter in the wine countries of the world like Italy or France. 3Peter N. Carroll and David W. Noble, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the United States, 3rd ed. NEW YORK Al Jazeera wants to make its name as American as pizzaburgers. Al Jazeera America has brought this approach to Chicagos violence, actually arranging a sit-down interview with working gang leaders, openly discussing their drugs, guns and ways. Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. 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. Anyone can read what you share.