depiction of American culture in the reading "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema"
your reaction to the article and how it depicted American culture
I thought it was interesting how it was worded. At first, it took me a few read-throughs to fully understand
what was being depicted. I found it to be an interesting perspective on what is American culture. I found
certain descriptions of doctors and other occupations to be an intuitive interpretation. American culture
has its own unique way of seeing things and it would only make sense for other cultures to do the same.
describe a communication pattern, practice, ritual, or event in your culture as it might be seen by
an outside observer
Everyone gathers in a large community area that is well known to all. The people indulge in lots of
ceremonial and traditional eats. The event is centered around the looking box. Which in morla days would
be considered a daily ritual but because of the vast crowd and specific attire it is unique on this day every
year. Inside the gather the community it split in two based on the colored garments they chose to wear.
The evening is filled with chants, growls, and other celebratory expressions, It all comes to an end when
the looking box shuts off and the timer has run out.
This would be a description of the Super Bowl or any Sunday football game through the observation of an
outsider.
how this communication pattern, ritual, or event is connected to a U.S. cultural worldview or
values.
This event is connected to a U.S. cultural worldview because there is a sense of community. Which I think
no matter where you are in the US everyone can feel that sense in some type of way. No just bonding
over watching football but among other things as well. The value of family and community is something
central to the U.S.
describing how this pattern, practice, ritual, or event has changed throughout history.
This event has changed throughout history because obviously sports have evolved and become higher
quality in the players themselves and their choices of viewing. The sense of team and the value that holds
has grown stronger over the years. The team you choose to root for can be a historical, family thing that
many generations enjoy together. It can also be a source of tension between others because your teams
are known rivals.
share your evaluation of these changes as beneficial or detrimental to U.S. culture. When
evaluating the change as beneficial or detrimental, include at least one verbal citation of a credible
or authoritative source that supports your evaluation.
I think that these changes have been both beneficial and detrimental to the U.S. culture. The beneficial
aspect is that it brings together a unique community that has the capacity to bond no matter who they are.
But the detrimental side of this is rivalry can cause serious tension. Passionate fans of the game can take
rivalry too seriously and do more harm than good. In an article from Penn State called “The Good, The
Bad, and The Ugly: Rivalries in Sports”. It says that “the rivalry is no longer a competition of
sportsmanship and integrity, it’s greater than that. It’s personal, it’s brutal, and it can sometimes be violent
and destructive” This article describes shows fun and exciting rivalry can be but also the cautions of ti.
