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Class Survey: 5=Best 1=Worst. 1) Technological capabilities 5 4 3 2 1 (2) Friendliness to strangers 5 4 3 2 1 (3) Honesty 5 4 3 2 1 (4) Political freedom 5 4 3 2 1 (5) Generosity 5 4 3 2 1
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Class Survey: 5=Best 1=Worst • 1) Technological capabilities 5 4 3 2 1 • (2) Friendliness to strangers 5 4 3 2 1 • (3) Honesty 5 4 3 2 1 • (4) Political freedom 5 4 3 2 1 • (5) Generosity 5 4 3 2 1 • (6) Desire for peace 5 4 3 2 1 • (7) Scientific contributions 5 4 3 2 1 • (8) Artistic contributions 5 4 3 2 1 • (9) Equality between male and female 5 4 3 2 1 • (10) Racial tolerance 5 4 3 2 1 • (11) Religious tolerance 5 4 3 2 1 • (12) Respect for environment 5 4 3 2 1 • (13) Concern for children 5 4 3 2 1 • (14) Manners 5 4 3 2 1 • (15) Style of dress 5 4 3 2 1
Definition • Ethnocentrism is judging another culture by the values and standards of your own culture.
2 Kinds of Ethnocentrism • Moderate Ethnocentrism: Looking at another culture through the lens of your own culture • This is a natural part of human psychology. • Extreme Ethnocentrism: Considering another culture inferior because it is different from yours • Extreme ethnocentrism can be dangerous.
Origins • The first person to use the word ethnocentrism was William G. Sumner. • “…when one's own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it.”
Racism? • Do not confuse racism with ethnocentrism. • Race is not considered to be a valid form of human classification. • What is race?
Causes of Ethnocentrism • Members of a group make strong connections with other members. • This bond produces positive feelings toward members of the group. • Sometimes causes negative feelings toward outsiders.
Causes of Ethnocentrism • Little or no contact with members of outsider groups produces strong feelings of ethnocentrism.
Causes of Ethnocentrism • Lack of education sometimes increases ethnocentrism. • Men are more willing to express ethnocentrism than women. • People with low wealth or low self-esteem seem to be more ethnocentric.
Examples of Ethnocentrism • Language Example 1: • What we call others • Eskimo means “eaters of raw flesh” • Eskimo is a word used by outsiders. • Inuit is a word used by members of the group (insiders). • Inuit translates to real people.
Examples of Ethnocentrism • Language Example 2: • Barbarian comes from the Greek word Barbar which translates to “the sound a dog makes.” • The Greeks used this word for people who could not understand their language. • These are cases of extreme ethnocentrism.
How to Avoid Extreme Ethnocentrism • Cultural Relativism: all cultures are relevant…no one culture is better or worse than others • Cultural practices can not be judged right or wrong. • Tolerance is the ultimate goal. • Observers must suspend ethnocentrism in order to properly judge other cultures.
Cultural Relativism • Extreme cultural relativism can be just as dangerous. • Humanity must have guidelines of morality. • Human life is precious
Cultural Relativism • We can tolerate different perspectives.
Cultural Relativism • But can we tolerate moral crimes in the name of tolerance? • Murder • Rape • These crimes can be considered universally wrong.
Cultural Relativism: Death Rituals • Aztec people practices human sacrifice because they felt it would guarantee that the sun would continue to rise every morning. • The United States leads the world in the number of death penalties.
Cultural Relativism: Death Rituals • We now know that the sun has nothing to do with human sacrifice. • Statistics now show that the death penalty does not decrease crime in the United States. • Crime actually decreases when death penalty is outlawed.
Why Death Rituals? • Both Aztec and U.S.A. death rituals are no longer relevant today. • However, cultural relativism allows us to know why. • Both rituals made promises that society would remain stable.
Conclusion • Members of different cultures are no less human than anyone else. • We must avoid premature judgments until we understand the reasons behind actions. • Only then can we criticize.
Discussion Questions • What is a pluralistic society? • Could you imagine marrying someone from another culture or subculture?