Horace Miner’s Body Ritual Among the Nacirema Essay

Abstract: Horace Miner’s point throughout the entire article of â€Å"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema† was to prove to us, Americans, that we are not superior to anyone else or any other culture, society, or religion. We are all the same, and we just to need to keep in the back of our minds that everyone does everything differently. Whether it is a dramatic difference, or barely noticeable, each person does everything different from the next person. Throughout this essay willbe examples on how Miner’s article went to prove how ethnocentric Americans through the use of sociological imagination. Abstr Anthropologist, Horace Miner, wrote an article on a tribe called the Nacirema, who originated from Between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles. This specific tribe is so superficial, and focuses so much time on their bodily appearance. The people of this tribe go through many daily rituals to stay healthy, clean, and as perfect as possible. This tribe that is spoken of is the American. Nacirema is American spelled backwards. Throughout the article, Miner, strived to prove how ethnocentric we, Americans, are through sociological imagination. Reading the article without knowing it is about Americans will put a person in the point of view of an outsider from a different culture. We think the tribe, Nacirema, thinks that the human body is ugly and its natural leaning to weakness and disease is an awful thing, and that their only hope to avoid these characteristic of the human body, is to keep up with their daily rituals. Americans are always trying to come up with new ideas to prevent natural aging, the deterioration, and weakness of the body. We feel so  ashamed of our supposed weak bodies that the rituals performed in our families’ shrines (bathrooms) are kept completely private and should not be shared with anyone. Just because of our shamefulness, we have already proven that we are not a perfect people. Americans can alter their appearances in simple, almost no effort ways. â€Å"†¦Professor Linton referred in discussing a distinctive part of the daily body ritual which is only performed by men. This part of the rite includes scraping and lacerating the surface of the face with a sharp instrument.† (Miner Paragraph 12) This ritual described the process of men shaving their face with a razor and along with the ritual is a possibility of cutting the face. â€Å"Special women’s rites are performed only four times during each lunar month, but what they lack in frequency is made up in barbarity. As part of this ceremony, women bake their head in small ovens for about an hour.† (Miner Paragraph 12) This ceremony is talking about women going to get their hair done to improve their looks. The small ovens are old fashioned hair dryers, which would dry their hair into the style that woman wanted it to be. Another ritual that the Nacirema people go through is to find a holy-mouth man (dentist). The holy-mouth man pokes and prods at the client’s teeth, and it is not always a pleasant experience. The holy-mouth man likes performing uncomfortable and slightly painful rituals on the client’s teeth. The client allows for the holy-mouth man to whatever he or she likes with their teeth. The man ritual of shaving, woman ritual of getting their hair done, and going to see a holy-mouth man at least once a year all have sadistic and masochistic qualities. The specialists that complete these services like seeing their client uncomfortable and in pain on some level. The people of the Nacirema tribe continue to return these specialists and continue the rituals, proving that in some sort of way that they must like being uncomfortable and in pain. People of the Nacirema tribe can also physically change their appearance by having a special medicine man alter parts of the body. Mainly the women of the tribe are the ones who see the specialist. These specialists can make a woman’s breasts larger or smaller if needed. Other surgery, besides on the breasts, can be performed, such as the face, stomach, and arms. To view all these rituals that have been aforementioned, from an outsider’s point of view can make the American people look barbaric, weird, and not natural. The people of the American culture are so wrapped up in self-image that it is almost sickening to look at it from another view point. The people will go to almost any length to look better and stay looking young that they will go through many painful and uncomfortable rituals. Talking about sexual intercourse is a not something to talk about openly, especially in public. To avoid pregnancy â€Å"the use of magical materials or by limiting intercourse to the certain phases of the moon.† (Miner Paragraph 19) Birth control is taken to avoid becoming pregnant, and when women do become pregnant they wear loose clothing as to hide the fact that there are carrying a child. Other cultures see intercourse as a natural thing to reproduce, and that pregnancy is a beautiful thing. They see us not talking and being open about sex as taboo. We, Americans, are not superior to anyone else. That is what Horace Miner wanted to get across to all of us. He wanted us to think outside of the box. We need not to look at other cultures as strange, but just as different and unique because the other cultures look at us and think we are the weird ones. References: http://jihunkmla.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-on-nacirema-colored-glasses-i.html https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/miner.html

Escape Essay

All day long Orloff had paced his cell. The blackness of the sky outside was equaled only by the blackness of his thoughts. The deep rolling of the thunder reverberated through the thick stone walls of his prison, and every now and then a fitful gust of rain swirled through the tiny broken window, wetting his face as he stared out into the night. Orloff cursed, wiped the water from his face with his grimy fingers, and turned to pacing his cell once more. For seven long years Orloff had been thus confined – but a small fraction of the life sentence he was serving for the horrible crime he had committed. But at times he had asked himself, â€Å"Was it not worth it, after all?† He could still feel the wet, warm blood trickling between his fingers, and see the whites of his victim’s eyes. Then, too, there was that great day of the trial, when so many officials, in their splendid uniforms and gold braid, and so many beautiful women, clad in their furs and satins, had gazed at him, horror-struck, unable to avert their eyes from his face, or miss one word that fell from his lips†¦At such times Orloff would rub his hands and smile to himself, in memory of that great day. But tonight Orloff was in a different mood. Black despair and vengeance reigned supreme in his soul; he wished only to escape, in order that he might seek out his destroyers and in turn destroy them. His steps became more feverishly agitated; perspiration gathered on his forehead and he clenched his hands until the nails bit into his flesh and little trickles of blood oozed from between his fingers. A brilliant lightning flash illuminated the far wall of his cell –lighting it as it had never been lighted before. Orloff’s eyes became riveted upon a huge stone, on the lowest tier†¦Were his eyes deceiving him, or had he in truth seen a tiny crack surrounding it, as though the cement had been scraped away or altogether removed? Hardly daring to breathe he tip-toed across the room and fell on his knees before the stone, feeling its edges with his blood-stained fingers. Yes, there was a deep crevice surrounding it. And, what was more, the stone was loose. Orloff tugged at it, scraping the flesh from his fingers, sweat pouring from his face and matted hair†¦It moved†¦He pulled the great stone from its place and peered into the blackness beyond. Another lightning flash showed him what he had hardly dared hope for – a passage in the rock, leading downward from his place of torment. On the floor was a piece of paper, folded and yellow with age. With trembling fingers he carried it to the window, through which shone the faint rays of a lamp in the courtyard below, and there unfolded it. On it was a brief message, apparently written with some dark red fluid. For the first time in his life Orloff was glad that he had been made to read, if only a little. For on the paper was written: â€Å"I escaped by this passage. May he who finds this share my good fortune.† It was signed S.K. The tramp of the sentry’s feet resounded outside the door of his cell. Orloff threw himself over the stone till the footsteps had died away; then he thrust his head and shoulders into the opening, and began slowly to worm his way along the narrow passage before him. The walls of the passage were wet with slime and mould, and sharp, jagged rocks protruded, tearing Orloff’s clothes and scratching deep into his flesh†¦But of all this Orloff knew nothing. His eyes were gleaming, but only one thought was present in his mind –escape. He dug his bloody fingers into the mud and pushed himself steadily forward, flat on his stomach, like a serpent. As he advanced, the floor of the passage became steeper and steeper, sloping at an ever-greater angle. The walls became yet wetter and more slimy and the jagged rocks bit deeper into his writhing limbs. Foot after foot Orloff propelled himself along this narrow, sloping path. His breath came in short gasps, while the darkness seemed to become ever more intense. For one moment he paused, an agonizing fear shooting through him. He realized that it would be impossible for him ever to ascend that sloping passage to regain his cell. A cold shiver ran down his spine. Then, he clenched his teeth and propelled himself forward with the superhuman strength of despair. A sharp bend in the passage revealed a sight which made him gasp. A faint circular opening in the distance permitted the rays of the moon –which had fitfully begun to shine –to penetrate the stygian blackness. The end of the passage lay before him. Victory –escape! The cold night air fanned his face; he urged himself onward in a last desperate effort. The passage became ever more sloping as he advanced. His body was inclined at a sickening angle. Strange streaks of blackness seemed to cross his vision, as he half fell, half slid the few feet which yet remained to be traversed. Orloff’s head crashed into something hard, which half stunned him. A moment later he opened his eyes, and saw before him a heavily barred iron grating, and – a skeleton.

Analysis Of Athena In The Odyssey English Literature Essay

Analysis Of Athena In The Odyssey English Literature Essay After ten years, the Trojan War is over and the Achaeans head home. Some heroes of the war, like Nestor, come home quickly to find things pretty much as they left them. Others, like Agamemnon, arrive home to find things considerably changed. Still others, like Menelaus, wander around for a time but eventually return home safely. Odysseus, on the other hand, has been having no end of trouble getting home. As the story opens, we find ourselves in the tenth year since the end of the war, a full 20 years since Odysseus first left his home and wife Penelope to sail off for Troy with the rest of the Achaean forces. Since then Telemachus, the son of Odysseus has grown up without a father wondering if he will ever come home. Imagine, if you will, that you are in a world that is not of your own. Hear you can walk freely in any form you want. Every word you speak and every action you take can affect the lives of millions and cost them everything. But if you can bring those people together, an d engage them in the test of their lives you would have been the savior and protector of those people. This is the role of Athena in Homer’s epic â€Å"The Odyssey†. In this essay I will analyze Athena’s major role of protection and guidance throughout the epic, and how her use of disguise and transformation affects their motivation and choices in the epic poem. Athena the goddess of wisdom and strategy, a shape shifter of many forms, and daughter of Mà ©tis and Zeus, plays as significant role throughout â€Å"The Odyssey. While she does occasionally judge human actions, the dominant role she plays is to offer challenge and protection to both Odysseus and Telemachus. The goddess Athena becomes their chief protector, and she is seldom far away from Odysseus or his son. Throughout the epic Athena instills confidence into Telemachus and aids him in his travels and journey into manhood. She continually helps Odysseus, giving him advice and practical assistance. At hena’s role is not just that of helping Odysseus and Telemachus; she also helps in their development as characters, teaching them patience, humility, and restraint. From her first act of assistance to her final peacemaking, she is largely responsible for the development and conclusion of the plot. Telemachus’ daydreams before meeting Athena for the first time: â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦sitting among the suitors, heart obsessed with grief. He could almost see his magnificent father, hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (B1:L134-136). Growing up without his father Odysseus, the only knowledge Telemachus knows of him are only the stories told to him by his consorts. With all the suitors roaming freely through the great halls of his father’s palace, chasing after his mother Penelope’s hand in marriage, Prince Telemachus is left hopeless to stop them. Athena uses her great skills of strategy and wisdom to quickly find a way to inspire our hero Telemachus to journey to find his father. She shape shifts into Odysseus’ old friend Mentes, and predicts that Odysseus is still alive and that he will soon return to Ithaca.†Take my words to heart. At daybreak summon the islands lords to full assembly, give your orders to all and call the gods to witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ sail in quest of news of your long- lost father,† Athena declared (B1:L315-325). With these words of encouragement, Athena uses her disguise to influence the prince to find his father. If it not for Athena, Telemachus might have taken his father for dead and encouraged his mother to marry one of her suitors.  The journey is also important because the journey of Telemachus plays an important part of him becoming a man on his own.

Housing for Aboriginal Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Housing for Aboriginal Australia - Essay Example Indigenous architecture necessarily identifies with the otherwise inexplicable participatory and consultative design methodologies (Memmott, 2008). Such methodologies or techniques are presumed to be not-so-well calculated or inarticulate though. Australian aboriginals have been known for their indefatigable behavioral tendencies in relation to habitat building efforts (Glascott, 1985). Despite their indigenous qualitative outcomes, a series of deficiencies too has been noted by analysts. The following dimensional analysis of the Australian aboriginals' abode building experience illustrates the whole process of community house building efforts of an indigenous community and their related outcomes (Vulker, 1990). The impact of indigenous culture on the design and construction processes of abodes or dwellings has received much wider attention, especially with emphasis on indigenous people's gregarious behavioral tendency. The community feeling or congregational behavior in indigenous communities such as aboriginals has been investigated with reference to many other aspects though it has very little been studied with reference to their effort to build structures for living (Trewin and ABS, 2006). Indigenous culture of Australian aboriginals has been necessarily associated with their community living experience that presupposes societal interaction at each and every level of social transformation. For instance the aboriginal houses built at Broken Hills in Mutawintji have communal living rooms, bigger cooking areas for preparation of hunted animals, dormitory-like bedrooms and huge compounds (www.heritage.nsw.gov.au, see Appendix).For instance despite the larger impact of migration on these cul tures, still these indigenous populations have managed to remain relatively uninfluenced by exogenous forces of change. However the dichotomy between the traditional culture and the contemporary culture being absorbed by them cannot be emphasized too much. Under exceptional circumstances this dichotomy can be taken to identify a clash of sorts, viz. the contemporary culture might seek to influence the traditional culture to such an extent that societal transformation of the indigenous populations would acquire a heterogeneous element of identity (Flood, 2007). Thus Australian aboriginals have recognized the all too important dichotomy to be a phase just preceding the fluid situation (Burke, 2004). In fact Australian aboriginals have seen how their own culture in housing design and construction has been influenced by the contemporary culture of the heterogeneous diversity. This is an inevitable influence on structure, design and materials. (2). Indigenous design dimensionIndigenous populations like the Australian aboriginals have particularly been able to develop their own design parameters and above all the participatory and consultative paradigms that have been essentially associated with such design processes occupy a still more significant place. Australian aboriginals have been noted for their exotic structural design perspectives in housing (Read, 2000). While autochthonous design traits persist to a greater extent there are also some exogenous characteristics that permeate through the design and construction process. For instance desp

Could the Tide be Changing (Travel Agency Management) Essay

Could the Tide be Changing (Travel Agency Management) - Essay Example and Horner, S. 2006). However the recent proliferation of the e-commerce business model has challenged traditional adage that â€Å"location, location, location† is critical to commercial success (Chaffey, D. 2006); effectively undermining the traditional travel agency distribution model, forcing travel agencies to re-develop and reformulate competitive strategies to sustain growth (Zhou, Z. 2003). This is further evidenced by the recent merger of package holiday specialists MyTravel and Thomas Cook in 2007 (Taylor, I. 2007). It was reported that the merger was driven by business necessity in order to ensure survival in the competitive nature of the market facilitated by the e-commerce business model (Taylor, I. 2007). Moreover, it was propounded that â€Å"the merger is predicted to save  £75million a year by 2009/10 through cuts in duplicated services and assets including staff, shops, aircraft, offices and IT systems, particularly in the UK† (Taylor, I 2007). Whilst some analysts reacted to the merger as a further nail in the coffin of the high street travel agent, the alternative question posed is whether this in fact matters in the digital arena (Taylor, I. 2007). Moreover, it is arguable that the proliferation of the Internet and online growth could in fact have signalled a new tide against the recent trend of losses and closures within the industry. The focus of this analysis is to evaluate recent business analyst forecasts signalling the decline of the high street travel agency within the emerging online market as evidenced by the rapid growth of â€Å"virtual† travel agencies such as Expedia and lastminute.com (Evans, N., Campbell, D. & Stonehouse, G. 2003) Whilst, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) figures indicate a significant reduction in high street travel agencies (www.abta.com), this analysis will evaluate whether such

Germany's Political Situation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Germany's Political Situation - Research Paper Example The state has high living standards, and an inclusive system of community security. The country is known worldwide for its cultural and political history (Hilmer, 2002, p. 5). Germany’s political influence is well documented both locally and international. The country influenced global politics that led to the two World Wars and locally through the Nazi regime. However, the country has grown politically, and it currently is a democratic hallmark for other countries. Germany has a federal, representative and parliamentary system of government. The political system functions under a structure laid out in the constitutional document of 1949. Amendments to the constitution require 66% majority votes from the chambers of parliament. The fundamental principles of the German constitution express human dignity, federal structures, and separation of power and rule of law as valid in perpetuity. The President heads the state, and the presidential institution has the representative power s and responsibilities. The President comes to power through a federal convention, which constitutes members of the Bundestag and state delegates. The President of the Bundestag has the second highest official powers after the president. This President, elected by the Bundestag, oversees the daily sessions of the German parliament. The Chancellor occupies the third highest office in Germany. The Chancellor heads the government and is appointed after elections by the Bundestag (Schmidt, 2005, p. 149). The Chancellor heads the government and has executive powers similar the Prime Minister in other democracies. The parliament has the federal legislative powers, and it consists of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. The Bundestag undergoes direct elections through proportional representation. Members of the Bundesrat make the government of 16th federal state, and the state cabinet (Schmidt, 2005, p. 155). Since 1949, party system dominated German politics. The Christian Democratic Union an d the Social Democratic Party of Germany characterized German politics, with all German Chancellors having membership of the two parties. However, liberal parties such as the Alliance ‘90/The Greens and the Free Democratic Party also played crucial roles in German politics. The law system in Germany has its basis on the Roman law that is civil. Germany comprises 16 states, referred to as Lander. Each state has a constitution, and they are largely autonomous with regard to internal organization. Germany has states of varying sizes and populations. In 2009, the country was divided into 403 districts, with 102 urban districts and 301 rural districts (Wheeler-Bennet, 1965, p. 468). In the past, Germany was divided into kingdoms, which later united to form the German Empire. This empire had a ruler known as an Emperor or Kaiser. The Kaiser did not gain power through election, but rather through inheritance or nomination. Only men took part in the elections of the Reichstag, as wome n did not have voting powers. The Reichstag or Imperial Assembly was a weak body. This body could not formulate laws; it could only pass, reject or amend bills initiated by the Kaiser appointed chancellor. During the early days of the empire, the Reichstag functioned in agreement with the Kaiser; this means that the Kaiser controlled the body. However, with time, the body became less compliant with Kaiser’s wishes. Disagreement between Kaiser and the Reichstag led to

Application 6.2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Application 6.2 - Assignment Example the university level, there was a consideration of a proposal to make alterations to the job designs of staff of the MSOD program (Cummings, Thomas, and Worley 116). The composition of the staff at MSOD program comprises of a faculty director, an administrative assistant and a program administrator. The main pint of focus of this application is on the roles and responsibilities of the Program Administrator of the MSOD program. The holder of the particular office is charged with the responsibility of recruitment of n students while conducting marketing for the said educational institution, the management of logistics delivery pertaining the off-site program, foreseeing the student registration process, managing the financial payment procedures of students and finally keeping close links with the MSOD alumni. Under the marketing docket, the Program administrator is supposed to work in collaboration with the Marketing Director and the Program Director to come up with clear cut initiatives for marketing such as advertisements, conference support an marketing and the designing an issuance of brochures during various exposures (Cummings, Thomas, and Worley 116). Moreover, the office is also charged with the overseeing of the recruitment process through explaining to the eligible cand idates on the modes of applications and the expectations. The functions of the Program administrator of the MSOD program was influenced by the increment of the tuition fees, the corporate policy on tuition reimbursement was restricted and the economy also played a difficult note for the program and its prospectus to suit (Cummings, Thomas, and Worley 116). The main reason as to why the institution had overtasked the Program Administrator was that it was trying to enrich the position through allocation of vital roles without the measurement of the magnitude and possible completion of the tasks allocated. The institution had tried creating of different but elated programs to increase its