'Horace Miner – Nacirema Tribe Location\r'

'â€Å"Body Rituals among the Nacirema” is an clause written by Horace miner nigh a group of people, the Nacirema, and their e preciseday functions or rituals. mineworker relates the culture, practices, values, and beliefs of a protrudemingly grotesque and strange tribe. He vividly and descriptively describes behaviors and activities that atomic number 18 interpreted as uncommon and strange. The tribe Miner depicts take toms primal and uncivilized, and nevertheless somewhat familiar. They are a â€Å" matrimony the Statesn group living in the territory between the Canadian Creel the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles” (Miner).This landing field is the United States of America and upon recognizing the location, the reviewer starts to construct cognizant of the presence of an ulterior message. Miner’s depiction draws us in but shortly, we realize he is referring to Ameri slew cabaret; read backwards, Nacirema spells ‘Ameri whoremaster. ’ Instead of describing a far-a way of life and exotic tribe, as the reader offset printing expects, the article describes very ‘ customary’ aspects of American life, such as dental hygiene and care for. The use of language like â€Å"mouth-rite,” â€Å"holy-mouth-men,” and â€Å"medicine men” frames these aspects in a very abnormal way.Miner does an exceptional job of disguising the American culture as ‘Nacirema. ’ Once unveil this disguise, many references can easily be seen and the article is interpreted in a whole new way; for example, the â€Å" purging shrine” as the washroom, â€Å"magical potions” as medicine, and â€Å"latipso” as hospital. This article is written as an observation on American society but could be generalized as ‘ sum American’ practices. The article demonstrates that attitudes more(prenominal) or less the body keep a far-flung influence on many friendly institutions.Many of the rituals that we have in North America involve manipulating our image and this value contradicts the learned person and rational creatures we sometimes imagine ourselves to be. Miner effectively convinces the reader of the somewhat anomalous nature of (North) America’s obsession with health and visual appeal. This is accomplished by provoking readers to form an outside confidence of themselves before realizing they are their consume subject. His compend portrays himself and the reader as superior, civilized beings perusing this tribe, which creates a distance and diverseiation wizing to comparison.By describing American culture from the berth of an external observer, we can realize how a different purview or stand spotlight can perceive our rituals as quite strange. As such, Miner’s article can be seen as speaking to how former(a) cultures could view our possess, and shows how ethnocentrism can affect how we see and interpret culture. Miner uses his style of indite to prove his apparent point that Americans are ethnocentric. Furthermore, the tone of the article displays how this ethnocentrism can take aim to judgment of other, unknown cultures.A resonating point for me throughout this article is Miner’s success in translating Peter Berger’s concept of the sociological perspective, making the reader see the strange in the familiar. By thinking of these familiar rituals as strange, a new perspective is formed and our regular, ‘normal’ world can be seen in a fresh, unique way. Importantly, the sociological imaging begins to engage and give rise as we retake the ability to be astonished by what we norm completelyy take for granted.This broadening of perspective and how we look at ourselves can lead us to think beyond our rack and better understand someone of a different background. Upon first reading, the rituals/institutions described have a familiarity, but in unremarkable life we have become mixerised so as we do non see the odd and sometimes upset actions we perform. As Miner begins, â€Å"the anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ship canal in which different people behave in similar situations that he is not quick to be surprised by even off the most exotic customs. I regard Horace Miner wrote this piece to touch on all of these points; to make us see the familiar as strange, to develop the sociological imagination, and to bring awareness to the ethnocentrism of our culture/society. The targeted hearing whitethorn be fellow anthropologists, sociologists, scholars/ schoolchilds, or even the general public. Miner challenges all North Americans to look at themselves in a new light, to look critically upon our own society. He is effective in conveying his messages through his unique admittance to the idea, and ability to re-arrange our thought process.He seems to challenge the way cultures, and American culture in particular, whitethorn have been previously represented or misrepresented. Furthermore, the article breaks the parapet of viewing American culture as ‘normal’ and that which others may be measured against; he breaks the barrier of ethnocentrism. Another reason to comment on these points may have been to try to scram better, less biased research and jolly along colleagues, students etc. to consider the existence of perspective and potential for ethnocentrism in all that they do.I risk the article relevant, personally, as a student studying sociology and business, and as a North American. Our society is continually becoming more culturally diverse, and international interaction (whether in business, academics or elsewhere) is becoming commonplace. Therefore, it is increasingly meaning(a) to learn to step outside of our modify perspective and to be aware of others we interact with, as well as of our own biases, viewpoints, and barriers.The clever way Mine r provokes looking at the familiar as strange lead me think of the many ways we view the ‘familiar,’ having become accustomed to our social norms and values. I have begun to see these in a new way, and will kick upstairs keep in mind the sociological perspective and presence of potential ethnocentric views when evaluating situations. We naturally look at other cultures or societies through the lens of our own but if we are able to understand our own culture †our social circumstance †the water in which we swim, we can develop our relationships and interactions with those from other waters.\r\n'