Nacirema

1. What happened yesterday? Why couldn't we recognize our own culture?

Yesterday we read about a tribe, called the Nacirema located between Canada and Mexico, who, we decided were barbarians, savage, and uncivilized. However, at the end of the class, we found out that the tribe being described were actually Americans, and the word "american" had simply been spelled backwards. I think that we couldn't recognize our own culture because of the terms in which it was describe to us. The language of the article altered our perception, and so they way it was presented, as if by an outsider was observing our culture.
2. What does your answer say about the the strengths and weaknesses of the Social Sciences like Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology?

My answer shows both the strengths and weaknesses of the social sciences. On one hand, the article allowed us a look at the psychology, not only of our own culture, but also of how an insider might view American culture, which is a strength, to have the two different view points. At the same time, there is the weakness in the bias opinion one takes of anyone who is different. In the article, many words describing "rituals" not only had negative connotations, like "witch-doctor," but also had a condescending tone when describing a "magical," tool or supply. This shows the weakness of social sciences, in that we are condescending towards other cultures, and we look down on other cultures and ideas about what is "normal."