teach well, it matters. } ); I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend . 2022 Galvanized Media. The Americans are more of a tipper, good tippers. Works Cited. The tree also seems to serve as some kind of offering place because people gradually place decorated boxes around the tree in the days leading up to Christmas. And so when this newspaper or any other writes about Italy or Ghana, Italians and Ghanaians can now read it. So what does this foreign gaze, as presented on Al Jazeera America, reveal? But its one thing for big media companies from the prosperous West to make these domestic inroads overseas, and another thing for a network based in Qatar to reverse the flow and give Americans their version of the foreign gaze. This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator. 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. 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. Ethnocentric views are often closely tied to racism. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.". ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. 20 American Habits That All Other Countries Think Are Crazy. The Socs live on the west side and are known as the west side rich kids who have all the breaks. The only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "I think the way they are talking and dealing with personal relations is quite direct. To examine these facts other cultures are taken into consideration to accurately without prejudices towards African Americans. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? A lot of dresses, and cars, and all that. Americans are, apparently, much friendlier than most people around the world. but don't tell them (laughing)." The following is an excerpt from one of the excellent papers I received from a student, Emily Ong (used with her permission). Supersizing Food. 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 American Culture: The Outsider's Perspective. In 1,100-1,500 AD, it is reported that the first signs of Navajo culture emerged. 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. 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. 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. By looking at our own cultures as outsiders we can see that we are under the same influence of the power of culture as others are. } We're desensitizing the wrong thing. The growth and diversification of the Asian American population in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest. Despite the fact that these people are so punctilious, about care of the mouth, this rite involves a practice which strikes the uninitiated stranger as revolting. One of the hardest (or at least most expensive) things about being an outsider traveling in the United States is tipping. Many are so flabbergasted by the amount of choices we have in, not only our restaurants, but our grocery stores as well. Sure, fried chicken is hardly a foreign conceptbut try explaining chicken-fried steak or deep-fried Oreos to a non-American. As well as supporting your college as an alumni. In restaurants in many other countries, your server runs your credit card through a machine table-side. 'Get away!' I screamed." (234) Claudette resists the urge to use wolf like communication to talk to Mirabella to stop chasing her, and instead uses human communication . In the Final Research Paper, you will examine your own culture from an etic (outsider's) perspective and another culture from an emic (insider's) perspective to demonstrate your understanding of cultural relativism and examine misconceptions and ethnocentric beliefs concerning each of these cultures. 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. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used . 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. White or wheat? 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. An emic view of culture is ultimately a . Part 1: An etic view of African American race from an outsiders perspective is believed as religious and demonstrates a unique lifestyle. A European, on the other hand, "will launch into a monologue about their health and wellbeing and ask [how are you?] The foreign gaze makes Al Jazeera America treat nothing as obvious. The general consensus is that American's are very optimistic dreamers and have been; that we believe that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance. Yet, America's admirers have felt betrayed by other shades of the American character: the military interventions in Vietnam, Iraq and elsewhere; the gun violence; the right (inexplicable to many) to carry weapons; the deep and angry racial divisions; and, lately, a presidential nominee calling for harsh restrictions on Muslims and Mexicans. Americans really love their ice. The report reflected the networks seeming vision of the United States more generally: as a nation dynamic and promising and, at the same time, brutal in ways that distinguish it from its rich-country cousins. They are big and loud and they are in charge of everything." Water, whiskey, sodaif it can be sipped, we put ice in it. The United States of America serves as the global symbol of 'madness' and 'non-stop chaos' in the best and worst ways possible. When they do, the house and shrubs look very bright, and not a single house on the street is without these wires. Finding creative ways to fry things that probably shouldn't be fried is an American specialty and something that definitely confuses tourists. DESCRIBE THE COUNTRY AS YOU SEE IT: "The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word America is 'Arrogance.' Throughout the novel The Outsiders, readers can see just how harshly culture can change people. [], Your email address will not be published. On my search I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite view. 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. 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. It did the same for a story from New Orleans on how murder victims survivors cope with their loss. The way its often described to me is that Americans have a very "open mind", and that we can handle having a lot of different people around, even when we don't agree. By adding some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick, a regular cup of warm chocolate powder in milk becomes more like a dessert. I'll call the first one "A" (Americans, for instance). Starting off your day this way could increase your odds of cognitive decline. How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. "Sometimes I enjoy ordering freakishly large things over hereit turns consumption into tourism and makes me feel as though I'm at a carnival. But there is an ideology that unites them all." Your email address will not be published. While New York City famouslynever sleeps, it's not the only city with 24-hour businesses. In the U.S., every food order requires several decisions. Here are some of the best: 1. Guide to US and American culture, society, language, etiquette, customs, manners and protocol. African . And he drank tap water oh no!" I came to realize how many things are truly American and what makes us great people of a great nation. 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." Y'all get snow up there.'" Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. Figure 1.6. Hinton's young adult novel The Outsiders, stereotyping is a significant issue. 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. But elsewhere, there's no reason why eggs can't sit out on a shelf or counter. For a country that's the center of the global economy, America's currency is pretty dull. According to the (Journal of Psychology, 2000) culture and beliefs about time is . The drum is . 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. Why have an 8-ounce steak when you can have a 20-ounce one? 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. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); used by the People to entertain and amuse themselves.". Trick-or-Treating. Jeroen Seynhaeve / View all { 18 } / Vertaal naar Nederlands Traditional ways of evaluating cultures, and managing value clashes between these cultures, fail to generate desired results. Here is a link to start:https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/nacirema/(Links to an external site. But one thing for sure, they cannot make beer." I hope that, without sounding whiny, sharing this might help others who also feel like outsiders see that, strangely, they are part of a community. 48-49). The reporter, Lori Jane Gliha, made deft use of practiced innocence. they aren't actually looking for an answer. This termas well as terms used in the United States such as "Native American" and "American Indian"refers to hundreds of culturally diverse groups who inhabited the Americas before Europeans settled there. The collector's view of the artifacts as pieces of art is a product of his own cultural background and does not take into account the cultural relativity of the artifacts. They believe in the right to have a good life and to help others to have a good life, and I think that's part of what makes them Americans." - Marren Cahilig, 21, bartender, Manila, Philippines, "A friend had an American friend over and he was surprised to see how laid back we are. "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . - Shitij, 26, sales and marketing worker, New Delhi, "They believe in democracy, in freedom; they are willing to die, kill, et cetera, for that. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. 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. But, I digress. Whether it be through something small or something quite significant, it's a . There is, of course, diverse reporting on health care and the stock market and climate change on Al Jazeera America, but there is unmistakably in its coverage a hint of this thesis Americas bountiful callousness. America permeated their lives - through comics and Coke, through Hollywood and Neil Armstrong, and via the internet, iPhone and Facebook. What may feel totally normal to Americans is often far from it for outsiders. Americans go nuts with air conditioning, cranking it up on hot days to the point that you might actually need a sweater. - Men Xuezhi, 54, doctor, Beijing, "I don't like American guys who always pursue their own personal interests. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is more cozy (laughing), less restrictive (made drinking gesture)." 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 .