Sadistic:
Sadistic because their culture and rituals revolve around the infliction of pain as a means to purify themselves and their bodily imperfections via ritual. These rituals are embraced despite the extreme pain the individual experiences but there also appears to possibly be a level of pleasure given to the person performing the ritual upon the receiver of the purification.
Fringe:
While I am not an anthropologist, I would say that there are very few people and/or cultures that would allow themselves to voluntarily allow themselves to be subjected to such torture. While I am aware that the Satere-Mawe people perform a ritual lining gloves with fire ants that they then put their hands into, and other cultures will use self-flagellation as a form of religious ritual the rituals of the Nacirema must be to the extreme of this.
Dysmorphic:
The Nacirema people by their own admission believe that the human body is imperfect and must be perfected by ritual means. Because of this body dysmorphia appears to be infused into the culture.
Faith:
To subject yourself to such a brutal and torturous ritual that is likely to not heal your affliction but, in some cases, probably makes it worse must be done as an act of faith. Faith is the only word to describe something you subject yourself to when it appears there is little to base that there will even be a successful outcome to your sufferings.
Humiliation:
Many of the Nacirema cultural practices appear to be centered around avoiding things that they perceive as taboo and humiliating if observed or talked about. But they then put themselves purposefully into those positions of humiliation for the purpose of being cleansed of the taboos which they culturally seek to avoid.
Nacirema Part-B
As an American, I can see where some of the words I used to describe the 'Nacimera' as a reflection of our society. Some, but not all.
Sadistic: I guess I could see how someone from the "outside" looking in could specifically see our dental care as perhaps a little sadistic because it seems like it probably hurts a lot and sometimes it does. I guess I could also see that this same person could make the assumption that the person performing the procedure might be getting some enjoyment from it.
Fringe: It might seem fringe to a culture that has no concept of dental health. But then again some of it might be fringe, especially in the cosmetic realm.
Dysmorphic: I would agree that the American culture is very dysmorphic because we seem to be overly obsessed with bodily perfection and will sometimes go through extreme measures to obtain this ideal of perfection, i.e. plastic surgery.
Faith: We, as Americans, put a lot of faith into our medical establishment, especially doctors. But this faith I believe is often bolstered by the fact that real results (medical miracles) can be acknowledged.
Humiliation: I could see how someone unfamiliar with our medical practices could see some of what we must endure as humiliating and sometimes it is.
I'll assume that some of the words I used to describe Nacirema culture come from a biased perspective. Because, after all all cultures can be ethnocentric.
My terms of dysmorphic, faith, and humiliation I believe are not ethnocentric because I see those same traits in our own healthcare and dental care systems,
My terms of sadistic and fringe may come from a place of bias because in hindsight it may be coming from a judgment based on my life living in America. But this is also true of all other cultures.
For the words with potential bias, I could trade those for maybe necessary and different.
If you're approaching anthropology as a strictly scientific practice then I would say that the importance of avoiding bias in your observations is so you may get the most pure product of your observations. Similar to having a near-sterile environment before you start mixing chemicals during a chemistry experiment.
I do not think it's possible to remove all bias but you can mitigate it by being thoughtful of it before entering into the study.
,_found_in_Pompeii,_Moi,_Auguste,_Empereur_de_Rome_exhibition,_Grand_Palais,_Paris.jpg)
Hello Mike,
ReplyDeleteI agree with that it's not possible to remove all bias when comparing or studying a culture that's vastly different than what we are used to. With practice from being in the field of anthropology, it's possible to minimize bias as much as you can out of respect and for the data to be accurate as possible. When an anthropologist is being bias as little as they can, it makes them much more trustworthy.
Hello Mike,
ReplyDeleteI thought the words you used to describe the Nacirema were pretty applicable to American culture, so I think you did a good job on this assignment. I hadn’t thought about how dental practices could be humiliating, as we often visit the dentist’s office when something is wrong and needs fixing. American culture does heavily value having straight white teeth and it is understandable if someone who didn’t fit that standard felt humiliated. I also agree that it is impossible to remove all bias from our thoughts.
My initial comment from Wednesday confirming your submission is missing. I'll repost. Part A submission confirmed.
ReplyDeletePart B Comment: I'll start by listing your five word choices from Part A.
ReplyDeleteSadistic
Fringe
Dysmorphic
Faith (This is a noun... how about "faithful"?)
Humiliation (This is a noun... how about "humiliated"?)
1. So back up just a bit here... While I agree that some of our medical/dental practices might look barbaric for outsiders (as described by Minor), the question here is, does your choice of words accurately reflect YOUR understanding of these practices as an insider? You reference outsiders in your discussion here, but I'm asking about YOU. ;-) We can pull out examples here and there of where the words you chose might fit, but in general, do your words accurately describe the behaviors Minor is discussing. Do they describe the process of brushing your teeth? Going to the dentist to get your teeth checked? Visiting the hospital to see a doctor?
A lot of students feel pressure to justify their word choice. It's okay to recognize that they don't really fit. You chose them based upon an intentionally biased article. No real surprise your own words are "off".
You say: "I'll assume that some of the words I used to describe Nacirema culture come from a biased perspective."
Sure... but this is YOUR culture. ;-)
2. "My terms of dysmorphic, faith, and humiliation I believe are not ethnocentric because I see those same traits in our own healthcare and dental care systems"
But Minor is describing specific behaviors, such as brushing your teeth, going to the dentist and visiting a hospital. Just focus on THOSE identified behaviors. If you gave your five words to a person not from our culture, would they accurately describe for them what it is like to brush your teeth, visit the dentist and go to the hospital?
Good heavens, I hope not!
3. I appreciate your attempt to find better words. That said recognize that the difficulty in choosing alternate words may not lie with the words themselves but the process of describing this culture in the first place. Part of what I want you to understand here is that you chose these words based upon a biased narrative...Horace Minor's narrative was designed to be a biased outsider's view of this culture, so nearly all words you choose are going to perpetuate that bias. It might be better to recognize that this attempt to define a culture with individual words isn't possible in the first place. It is a futile and biased practice and doesn't reflect what anthropologists are trying to do in their jobs. As an anthropologist, your job is to not describe from an outsider's perspective but to understand a culture.. and that means starting to see it as insiders do.
4. "I do not think it's possible to remove all bias but you can mitigate it by being thoughtful of it before entering into the study."
Agreed. Let's take this to another level. While Anthropologists can strive to avoid bias and practice this skill, I suggest it is just as important to be aware that our biases are deeply ingrained in our psyche and are likely impossible to avoid completely. Better to be aware of this and be receptive to those who point it out when it happens. This is one of the reasons anthropologists collaborate with others... so that they can watch out for each other's bias seeping into their work.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteVery good report. Your word choice and method of defining them were clear and provided good examples. I too can see the similarities in your word choice, in the American Health care system and a many more circumstances. It was very a very honest passage. Something that others may try an give more credit to themselves than need. I look forward to reading more of you post.