Due: Thursday, October 4th
Please answer at least one of the following questions:
Question #1: Chapter Two discusses the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. Please provide one example in which you encountered a culture different from your own and describe which one of the two concepts you practiced when you experienced that cultural difference.
Question #2: Chapter Two explains that cultures have subcultures as well as countercultures. Please describe the distinction between the two and list an example of each. Further, do you feel that the distinction between subcultures and countercultures is cut and dry? Why or why not?
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Although I've been living in this country for about 15 years, I still have difficulty using cultural relatavism in regards to shoving ones grandma or parent into a nursing home. This practice is a total culture shock to me. As in my culture we for the most part and with few exceptions would ever consider the idea. Now there are times when an elder might be better taken care of by a nurse, for example an elder suffering from cancer. However, I am 100% guilty of ethnocentrism in feeling the way I do. My judgement is fully based on my ingrained belief that if at one point in time that elder took care of me and infact has probably sacrifised more than I can imagine, how then can I ever come up with an excuse valuable enough to merit my abandonment of my mother,father, grandmother etc. I value my lifestyle don't get me wrong,but if my mother were to need care I without a doubt would drop whatever it may be that I have at that point in time. So, cultural relativism is easier said than done.
I am answering question # 2.....
I take it as subcultures are more like a large group that behave differently and have different values then the larger culture that they are surrounded by. Subcultures more or less blend in to their surroundings as to counter culture beliefs and values places them almost in their own little bubble. They tend to stick out of the crowd.
Yea, I would have to say that it is pretty much cut and dry. Because, it basicaully states that counter cultures are more on the rebelious side than subcultures. Them both having their own values and beliefs places them in subcultures or counter cultures.
In 2005 I went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. This is not the first time I was out of the country, but the first time I had visited a place that didn’t primarily speak English. I am a very open minded individual and am fascinated with other cultures and their every day way of life. I definitely tried to be cultural relative and not ethnocentric. I tried very hard to communicate with restaurant and resort employees in their language. I also, as much as I don’t like cheese, tried several unusual Mexican dishes, rather than ordering foods that I am familiar with. I also enjoyed the nightly entertainment of the traditional dancing and attire. However, I do have to admit that ethnocentrism did lead me to some judgment without me even realizing it at the time. I feel terrible admitting this but an example was on a evening booze-cruise and I witnessed the young Mexican 'tour guides' taking full advantage of underage girls by encouraging them to become extremely intoxicated and then doing very inappropriate things to them. I know that some people would not consider this behavior part of their culture, but they seemed to do this on a daily basis. So from that point, for the rest of the trip, I had very little respect for the Mexican men of Cabo. Again, I feel terrible admitting my feelings about this however it is an example of how I used discrimination. So, no matter how hard I tried to appreciate the culture, there was definitely a wrongful judgment made on my end.
Am answering question #2
First, ethnocentrism is the tendency to use our own group ways to do things as the yard stick for judging others.
One example of ethnocentrism i have experienced is coming from a foreign country to the US.When i first got here, my first day at school was very surprising. Students challeged teachers concerning the work they were asked to do. Main looking at that, it was a huge diffrence from the culture that i was brought up in.
Well i could say i practiced ethnocentrim because we live in a soceity that is not regulated by culture but law.
About a year ago I visited my family in oklahoma, believe it or not I felt out of place. Most of the diallect was different and just ways of doing things were odd to me, different stores, just about everything was different from pennsylvania. At first I used ethnocentrism and tried to judge them from the ways I was used to doing things like calling coca cola soda instead of pop like they do, and even down to the clothes they were wearing. But I quickly realised that I really have to think about this in a cultural relativism kind of way If i was going to fit in and feel comfortable in my new enviroment. By the middle of my trip I felt very welcome in my new surroundings and I am glad I tried to understand they way they live and no be so head strong on my own ways.
I went to the Philipines in 2003 because that's my wife's home country.
Instead of using culture relatism when i was there i used ethnocentrism because it was such a culture shock that to me because i was so overwhelmed of how their way of life is. As i mentioned in class they have no stop signs or traffic lights. I was just flabber gasted by that and that there were no lines on the road to indicate lane usuage. In my mind, back then, every industrial country that has major citys has traffic lights. Also i am used to being surrounded by people that know and speak english as if its their native tongue. So i either hung around with my wife or i watched Tv. Also i used to being able to pet a dog if i see one. In their country, they dont treat their dogs like pets they treat them like a security measure. Well, in the future I hope i will use culture relativism.
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