- Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "Americans are American because they feel (they are) better than the rest of the world but in reality we are as good as they are. American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. The greasers live on the east side and are known as "hoods". In addition, for some reason, the tree must be a rather large tree with lots of foliage. 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. Culture, or the environment a person is exposed to, can alter how people behave, along with shaping part of someone's, or their whole, life. After considering how Black women might draw upon these key themes as outsiders within to generate a distinctive standpoint on existing sociological paradigms, I conclude by suggesting that other sociologists would also benefit Americans can come across as self-interested, aggressive and rude to some outsiders. Figure 1.6. It's baffling. Your email address will not be published. The culture can largely be referred to as Western culture, as much of it is shared with the Western world, but there are still influences that come from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Do people of different nationalities and tongues think of our star spangled flag and hyper-patriotism? See the appropriate sections in the textbook, based on your chosen topic from Week Three, for information on how to approach your paper from an anthropological perspective. "My one piece of American culinary advice: order the medium," one New Zealander wrote in a piece for Stuff. Collectivist cultures are usually contrasted with individualistic cultures. While many love how so patriotic we are as a people, some, to be blunt, find it a bit creepy. How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. That is curious. Obviously (the people) don't have much to do with the government's political decisions but I do think that it is a big, powerful country that has always tried to dominate countries it doesn't favor." So much hard work gone to waste. While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. 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. But in America, you are expected to add upwards of 20 percent to your bill just to avoid a dirty look from your server. Let's move to the music, more specifically, blues and jazz, which are two personal loves of mine. I found the people very hospitable, nice and very cordial." In many instances, the name of a coin will tell you something about how much it's worth. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "America is food fast food and (Coca) Cola. Driven by sustained immigration and refugee resettlement during the 1970s and 1980s, Asian Americans have emerged as the nation's fastest growing racial group. This works in making work more enjoyable too. An etic view of a culture is the perspective of an outsider looking in. -- KevinDevogel, That the price on things in your stores are not the actual price but the price without tax and such -- 77-97-114-99-111, You guys can't separate nudity from sex. Loudness. -- Nionvox, and extreme violence/gore is considered normal, and shown regularly on TV. -- Teaching_man, I was not aware that you can buy guns in supermarkets in America. The etic perspective is data gathering by outsiders that yield questions posed by outsiders. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? Costco, Wal-Mart, and other big-box stores that you need a map to navigate are a particularly American thing. The Associated Press sent reporters across the world to ask ordinary people about their views of America. Many said they found it to be one of the weirdest things about being in the US. A Quest to Return the Banjo to Its African Roots - Smithsonian Instead, their purple Skittles taste like blackcurrantand while this fruity flavor used to be popular in America, legislators banned the fruit itself in the 20th century because it served as a vehicle for a wood-destroying disease known as white pine blister rust. Read more, CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike, The daily body ritual performed by everyone includes a mouth-rite. - Sam Wang, 20, university student, Beijing, "My image of America is a country that goes to war anywhere in the world," - Susumu Inoue, 82, retired agricultural lab technician, Tokyo, "I think of Major League Baseball," Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo. 20 American Habits That All Other Countries Think Are Crazy. To me a pumpkin spice coffee is so strange!-- TallGrass2, dressing up young girls in short skirts and getting them to dance around and cheer on young men strikes me as odd preparetodobattle, I work at a summer camp and there is nothing funnier than watching the international counselors be totally weirded out by the flag ceremony we have every morning/evening (5-7 camper colorguard raises flag, salutes, 60-90 people recite pledge and girl scout promise in unison, we turn on our heels and file out silently in the morning, in the evening we fold the flag, sing taps, turn on our heels and file out silently to dinner) izzielosthermind, Eating/drinking coffee as you go, to me the best part of eating is sitting down, talking, and relaxing tallgrass2, I know this does not apply to everyone but your attachment to your college/university AFTER you have left. But seriously, don't do it. White or wheat? Things That Are Normal in the US but Are Weird Everywhere Else - Insider In some of my classes, as part of a paper exploring the concepts and influenceof culture, I ask students to explore a ritual within their own culture but from an outsiders view as if they were witnessing the practice for the first time and trying to understand it. It is especially hard for an outsider to gain access to certain private rituals, which may be important for understanding a culture. In most other countries, you take the time to at least park the car and walk through the front doors of the place you're patronizingnot in America, though! Stay up to date with what you want to know. Countries whose intellectuals have long protested the Wests tendency toward Orientalism in its presentation of foreigners now have an opportunity to engage in a bit of Occidentalism.. We love our cheese. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. People also stop and like to gather around the tree and gaze at it. On my search I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite view. In fact, most of these Americans I have observed highly treasure their material items from under the tree as they pay more attention to them than to fellow Americans. These are the kind of zoomed-out, big-picture stories that result from asking the most basic questions and that in other newsrooms might be killed because they are too obvious, or have been done 1,000 times, or dont have a new angle. They are the kind of stories that result from sending reporters out to ask the biggest unresolved questions about their own society from making them think, in short, like a foreign correspondent freshly returned to a now-unfamiliar home. To simplify matters, let's assign letters (yup, engineer at work). It has been seen as the land of plenty, freedom and equality where Indian migrants could head behemoths like Google, Microsoft and Pepsi, and a South African could capture the imagination with an electric car. Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break".Did you mean to use "continue 2"? )After you find more information about the Nacirema and gained a new perspective, then complete []. A society that has more things than our society." 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. A European, on the other hand, "will launch into a monologue about their health and wellbeing and ask [how are you?] 2022 Galvanized Media. - Antara Rao, 18, student, New Delhi, "I have traveled all over the United States in Greyhound buses as a tourist. Outsider Approach In Anthropology - 1865 Words | Cram Those who choose to study and observe people can take two approaches to in recording ethnographies; a subject orientated perspective or an outsiders perspective. Suppose we have two cultures in presence. It has hired big-name stars, including Soledad OBrien and Ali Velshi, from American networks. - Ayumi Takeoka, 41, housewife, Tokyo, First published on August 4, 2016 / 5:32 PM. 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." 33 "Normal" Things in the U.S. That Freak Everyone Else Out, Why the World Pronounces "Z" as "Zed" And Americans Don't. The drum is . Sign up for notifications from Insider! But elsewhere, there's no reason why eggs can't sit out on a shelf or counter. I created a Chill Pill playlist on YouTube for some relaxing vibes. Uhh, that's a huge country. American culture is clearly more advanced than all other cultures. 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. For example, the average American may be used to big tips and even bigger portions, but to foreigners, that's all far from the norm. in /nfs/c05/h04/mnt/113983/domains/toragrafix.com/html/wp-content . In the U.S., every food order requires several decisions. And yet the "Ugly American," it would seem, isn't all bad. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. In American-Indian culture, silence is valued as sacred. Whether we're dropping by the post office or shopping for groceries, we Americans are surprisingly comfortable with wearing our clothes typically reserved for bed out in public. 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. They must be of some great importance or have some great wisdom, which allows them the honor of completing this task. There are few countries in which you'll encounter a billboard or bus ad for a divorce attorney or see several personal injury spots while watching half an hour of daytime TV. they aren't actually looking for an answer. But while these American traditions might seem normal stateside, they are certainly not universal. 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. To begin, Ill stick with the positives. Not sure whether I actually am ready to move there because it must be a tough country to live in. Instead, it's meant as a simple greeting, similar to "Hi there!" Whether you're heading into a bar or buying a six-pack at the grocery store, there's a good chance you'll be asked for your ID in the United Stateseven if you're well into your 50s. Now, besides the few, awesome things, I will end with what was a bit of a mixed review from non-Americans. } American Culture, Values and Traditions: American Outsiders - Academia.edu So when it is too cold for an ice cream party, you can have a hot chocolate party instead! "hey would you like to come and get bruised with me doing some fast dances to violins?" The fellow in line asked me in a very American accent, 'Y'all can't get what in the States?' He also emptied my friend's fridge, saying he's used to eating and drinking whenever he feels hungry or thirsty. Anyone can read what you share. 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. A good book on a rainy day or with calming music is a wonderful way to take a break from the responsibilities of life and escape into another world. As is tradition. - Men Xuezhi, 54, doctor, Beijing, "I don't like American guys who always pursue their own personal interests. DESCRIBE THE COUNTRY AS YOU SEE IT: "The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word America is 'Arrogance.' Americans are gallant." Cheese is life people. What am saying, or asking rather, is what makes us American to non-Americans? In continuation with time, the culture of the native people developed. In most other countries, when you buy a drink, that prince is for a single cupful of your beverage of choice. Now, I am sure this doesnt just extend to us Americans, but I thought about how each country has their own beautifully unique world of its own. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. You can describe American culture in general, as Miner does, or you can describe an American subculture, such as a specific geographical group (e.g., New Yorkers), a . In cultural anthropology, our fieldwork is referred to as ethnography, which is both the process and result of cultural anthropological research. The Outsiders: About The Outsiders | Book Summary & Study Guide The culture of the United States includes traditions, regional customs, institutions, art and so much more. By the time you've been inside an American establishment in the summertime for just 10 minutes, you'll be freezing cold and eager to get back out into the sweltering sun. We dream of America and they dream about Europe. They are also unified in the sense that the dream isn't really a real thing anymore. Sometimes it doesnt fit very easily through the entrance to their house, and many members of the family have to help get the tree through the doorway. - Knut Braaten, 43, handyman, Oslo, Norway, "When I was driving to North Carolina I stopped at McDonald's. A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. I had a wonderful time doing my book report on "American Cultural Patterns: A cross-cultural Perspective". xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); But, I digress. Included 600 grams of cheese. Why did they not just give them to the people in the first place? Culture In The Outsiders - 600 Words | Internet Public Library 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. There's the American way and then there's everybody else. Another oddity of American advertising are those spots you see for prescription medication during every commercial break. - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "It is powerful." How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. 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. Burgers, the American dream, choppers, Elvis, cowboys. The term is frequently heard in situations . And so Al Jazeera Americas recent three-part series on Grand Theft Auto V, a much-heralded new video game, went further and harder than many rivals reports. The American Scholar: Culture Shock - Ilan Stavans All of them wear shorts." In America, on the other hand, taking time off is often treated like a sin. It's not good." Lastly, the best part is the toppings. How Outsiders Become Game Changers - Harvard Business Review Through this process, Asian American parents can be transformed themselves, and maybe shift their own conceptions of education towards the one I hold and do their part in encouraging a cultural shift that will benefit future generations, as this new conception of education becomes the one that is passed down. Through this exercise, students hopefully see both their own and other cultures in a new light one that understands how we are all so embedded in a culture that it is difficult not to see dramatically different rituals as exotic or weird. Through the eyes of an etic perspective, we can view the American higher educational system that we all accept as normal and question the system with critical comparisons between ours and those of other . And they are a people that like having a lot of fun and their brands: McDonald's, all of that, makes the American identity or North American we call them North Americans rather than Americans, because we all are Americans." 1. An Outsider Looks at Life in America. Now, I am not saying that America doesnt have its own cultural cues and certain ways that we act that makes us unique. - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "They believe in democracy, in freedom; they are willing to die, kill, et cetera, for that. Things Americans Do That Seem Just Bizarre to the Outside World 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." - Ziva Meizels, retiree, Jerusalem, "I think their patriotism, you know, God bless America. [email protected] +44 0330 027 0207 or +1 (818) 532-6908 . In a Reddit thread asking the weirdest things Americans do, many users discussed how strange they thought it was that the US advertised prescription drugs. When first reading this analysis, it is not easy to recognize that Miner is talking about American's culture. Anyhow, in the morning, more boxes appear, and children act very wild, almost savage-like. Anthropologists conduct their research in the field with the species, civilization, or groups of people they are studying. -- Countsblink, Made Mac n cheese for my aussie cousins. When done well, this is in the finest tradition of foreign correspondence: a genre that soars when offering sharp, deeply reported answers to seemingly dumb questions dumb because they are so basic and self-evident that the smugly well settled never think to ask them, any more than fish inquire about the water. 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. What is Ethnocentrism? Views differ considerably, however, among the country's religious communities - 72% of Lebanese Christians say the spread of these ideas is a good thing; only 23% of Sunni and 13% of Shia . The idea of being self-sufficient is valued highly in the U.S. It's like your entire concept of beauty hangs on it. It's cars. Foreigners Reveal: 17 Weird Things Americans Do (That We Think - Forbes That . WHAT IS THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD "AMERICA"? It is told in a first-person narration style, with the narrator being a 14-year-old boy. In this game you can.. Amazing article that will definitely help people better understand how others may view their culture. Ethnocentrism is the process of judging another culture exclusively from the perspective of one's own. Many Western media companies have seized upon this reality to create sites devoted to the domestic consumption of their foreign reporting including The New York Timess India Ink blog, to cite an example. 3Peter N. Carroll and David W. Noble, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the United States, 3rd ed. The novelty here has at least two dimensions. Not only did the geography of precontact America persist, but both the new arrivals and the indigenous inhabitants long retained their respective general characteristics, and it was the fit between . 37 Weirdest Customs in American Culture - Unique US Traditions - Redbook - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are.