Cultural Observation Essay Example

For a long time, the popular belief about anthropology was that it was the study of “far away” or “exotic” cultures. After my 10 weeks in Professor Michael Perez’s Anthropology 101 class, I now know this to be anything but the truth. My immediate thought’s for a cultural event to observe were reflective of these misconceptions – I considered an Indian wedding, a winter festival, a family friend’s Quinceanera. Nothing stood out to me.
One night several weeks ago, I was riding the 72X back to campus from downtown. It was a Saturday night around six o’clock in the evening, and as a result the bus was packed with people, young and old, of all races and dress. The commuter crowd in Seattle is extremely diverse; a collection of white collar business people, students, homeless people, and other various characters utilizing public transit. The bus-goers behaved typically of Seattle transit users – heads down, headphones in, eyes closed or glazed over from staring into the

Proper bus etiquette is essential for the comfort of all passengers. When I first boarded the bus, the people on it were modelling near perfect behavior – head down, headphones in, eyes closed, staring out the window, focused on a book or activity in their lap. There were practically no conversations, and the few that were taking place consisted of a few hushed whispers between those travelling together. These mannerisms are never taught in school or explicitly stated, yet every transit user is aware of them, and follows them as such. The way that people are expected to behave on a bus, or train, or in line at the grocery store is indicative of our culture and the social values within it. When in public, it goes without saying that one must mind their own business and limit behaviors disruptive to others. The question now becomes; what effect does breaking or violating these unspoken rules have on the