Ethnocentrism, specifically defined as, “The attitude that other societies’ customs and idea can be judged in the context of one’s own culture” (Ember 22), promotes the practice of comparing certain elements of different culture to the same standards of one’s own. To put it simply, this means that individuals tend to view specific behaviors or practices common in a different culture through the lens of the culture they follow, therefore finding them to be bizarre or unacceptable. Consequently, ethnocentrism hinders our understanding of other cultures, specifically because it makes people believe that “…their own behaviors and attitudes are the correct ones” (Ember 22). This means that those with an ethnocentric attitude tend to believe that …show more content…
According to an article titled “Do Koreans Really Eat Dog?” published on About.com and written by Naomi Imatome-Yun, a Korean food expert, the practice of consuming dog meat emerged “thousands of years ago in Korea, when the country was extremely impoverished” (“Do Koreans Really Eat Dog?”), but it is generally not a prominent ingredient in Korean cooking. Additionally, the practice itself isn’t as common as it once was, with there being “a very small percentage of the population that eats it regularly” (“Do Koreans Really Eat Dog?”). Among that small percentage, the main reasoning for consuming dog meat stems from the belief that it contains “power to enhance stamina and virility” (“Do Koreans Really Eat Dog?”). This shows that, while uncommon, it can be considered acceptable to consume dog in Korea, specifically because of traditional roots and beliefs tied to the practice. However, to Americans and many people of the Western world, the existence of this practice is condemned and despicable, specifically because canines are kept as beloved companions. Consequently, it comes as a personal blow to the heart to know that our four-legged family members may meet a fate identical to that of livestock. But, the fact is that Americans are so disgusted and outraged that someone would even think of eating “man’s best friend” specifically because we’re a dog-loving society. In our culture, there is a separation of animals into distinct categories such as “pets” and “food”, with dogs falling into the prior and never the latter. Due to the fact that we tend to be ethnocentric, we cannot accept this practice because it is heinous in our own culture, thus hindering us from fully understanding the Korean
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's ethnic group or culture is superior (Leeder, 2004). In order to gain citizenship David Aldwinkle was subject to investigation by inspectors to prove he was culturally Japanese. These investigations included interviewing his neighbors,
Each culture has a certain level of ethnocentrism which can have positive and negative consequences. Ethnocentrism provides a feeling of unwillingness to change one’s culture or specific institution by placing them in a box. They can only see things through their specific lens and when something differs from what they know, they believe that it is a violation of the ways things should be. They become ignorant of the cultures that they may be right in the middle of by comparing them to the culture that they are familiar with and grading it on a scale. This causes a level of unwillingness to change institutions within a society because they are the standard. This makes it exceedingly difficult to relate to other people and the world as a whole because when someone is always trying to look at something while envisioning it as something else; they will never fully see the beauty of what they are observing. They limit their own experience for the sake of comfort and security, for the safety found within the familiar. Ethnocentrism is the safety blanket for many people yet the enervation that prevents them from fully experiencing the world and all of its different
We live in a world that nothing is, as it seems. Every one is raised within societies that have different cultures and subcultures. We conform to the norm and judge the not norm as influences come from media, peers, authority, and so on because we grow into ethnocentrism people. It takes great self-awareness to separate ethnocentrism when looking at any subject matter because our social norm runs deep. But it is imperative to gain cultural relativism if you want to understand any culture outside your
The term “ethnocentrism,” meaning the sense of taken-for-granted superiority in the context of cultural practices and attitudes, described the way Europeans looked at their “culture” as though they were superior to all others. Westerns even stated that non-Westerns had no culture and that they were inferior to the culture that was building in Europe.
Ultimately, William Saletan argues his point very well in ?Wok the Dog.? He systematically deconstructs both the argument that dog meat should be outlawed because of cruel treatment of dogs, and the argument that dog meat should be outlawed because dogs have a special position as ?man?s best friend,? and this takes away the foundation for the overarching argument that eating dog meat is unsightly and wrong, and exposes the arguments for what they truly are; an attack by westerners against a foreign practice that they find odd. Saletan effectively presents dog-eating Koreans, people whose dietary practice seems grotesque to many people, as the victims of foreign bullying, and leaves the reader no choice but to support them.
It is true that dogs have a high mental capacity but “such a definition would also include the pig, cow and chicken. And it would exclude severely impaired humans” (Foer 604). Foer effectively uses humor to explain why dogs are no more intelligent than many of the animals Americans find acceptable to eat. He also compares animals to severely impaired humans to allow the reader to analyze why he or she chooses to eat certain animals. Likewise, Foer questions if it’s not acceptable to eat dogs because they are companion animals, “but dog eating isn’t a taboo in many places, and it isn’t in anyway bad for [people]. Properly cooked, dog meat poses no greater health risks than any other meat” (Foer 604). Similarly, humor is used to demonstrate how it is acceptable to eat dog in other cultures and why it should be acceptable in the United States. Humor draws the reader in and makes the writing more lighthearted. This shows that with the wide variety of cultures in the United States, Americans can move to accepting dog eating customs. Thus, the author shows why it should be acceptable to eat dogs in the United States because it is acceptable in other
Having an ethnocentric attitude changes how we view other cultures and limits our capability to be culturally relative to others not a part of our own. Ethnocentrism by definition is the “evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of
Ethnocentrism can be defined as an individual’s belief that the ethnic group or cultural they identify with is superior to all others. “The ethnocentric person judges other groups and other cultures by the standards of his or her own group” (Schaefer 34).
Ethnocentrism is when one culture judge’s another culture by the standard of their own (Health, 2001). Stereotypes, biases, and prejudices against other people are all in a sense a form of ethnocentrism (Astle, Barton, Johnson, & Mill, 2014). It is okay to be proud of your own culture, but you need to remember to do so in such a way, that you are not putting down any other culture (Arnold, 2016).
The eating of companion animals is a taboo, but dog is not the only companion animal. I believe Foer stops at dogs to preserve the man’s best friend angle. Foer sites research that shows dogs have very similar mental capacities of a pig, cow, and chicken. Ethos kicks in due to the fact that researchers say dogs have mental capacities similar to other animals, yet people think it is immoral to kill dogs but moral to kill chickens, cows, or pigs; Furthermore, Foer states “if we let dogs breed on their own, the country would have a local meat s...
When one encounters a culture that has little in common with own, one may experience culture shock. This is a sense of confusion, anxiety, stress and loss one may experience. One of the barriers in effective intercultural communication is ethnocentrism. It stems from a conviction that one’s own cultural traditions and assumptions are superior to those of others. It leads to a tendency to look the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. It is one of the fastest ways to create a barrier that inhibits, rather than enhances communication (Jandt, 2012).
Korean food is unique. It’s known for its spicy flavor and the use of other seasonings to enhance the taste. Dishes are usually flavored with a combination of soy sauce, red pepper, green onion, bean paste, garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard, vinegar, and wine. The Korean peninsula is surrounded water on three sides, but connected to the Asian mainland. This environment contributes to the uniqueness of Korean cuisine. Seafood plays a very important role as do vegetables and livestock. Let’s examine three of the most common and famous types of Korean food.
Ricky Gervais see dogs as ‘man’s best friend’ and to them, they cannot fathom why one would brutally butcher dogs and consider dog meat as a gourmet dish. They judge and disapprove of the harsh acts of the Yulin locals simply because of the difference in beliefs. Brought up in an American culture, he absorbs a certain set of behaviour and belief. When exposed to Yulin’s culture, Ricky has difficulty understanding their behaviour in their viewpoint and does not see dog-eating as a norm at
... its proper expressions, structure and grammar. Moreover, each language is linked to a specific dialect which is associated with educational, economic, social and historical conditions. Moreover, cultural variations also exist in the rules for general discourse in oral communication. Similar to verbal communication, there are also variations in non-verbal communication between cultures. Gestures, facial expressions, sense of time and personal distance take different forms in different cultures. Furthermore, there is an infinite number of cultural diversities which are at the root of intercultural miscommunication. Variations in values , social relationships, religion, economy and politics consist of only a few of these diversities. These differences can be the source of ethnocentrism, if one becomes over patriotic in regards to one’s own culture. Ethnocentrism, is the concept which states that we tend to judge other cultures through our own. Ethnocentric behavior, can cause racism and chauvinism, as in the case of the Second World War. However, intercultural problems can be avoided if we all develop mindfulness, a sense of flexibility and seek information about the other culture.
Ethnocentrism, as stated above, means the belief that one’s own culture is above and beyond all other cultures. Although this is somewhat of a shallow definition, it still provides an adequate explanation of a very complex issue. We see ethnocentrism every single day, in all aspects of life. The United States of America is a prime example of ethnocentrism is action. The people of this country have a tendency to disregard other cultures, instead believing that American culture is the only way to go. This is not to say that this is how everyone thinks, although most people, at one time or another, have had thoughts along these lines.