anthropology
Zakaria Ibnatik
Cultural Anthropology
Spears
2 October 2013
Critical Analysis
1. Oring Elliot 1975 “From Uretics to Uremics: A Contribution toward the Ethnography of Peeing.” In Cultural Anthropology: A Sampler. Pp.:19-22.
2. Elliot Orings objectives for the article were to observe male urinating behaviors in public restrooms. I believe he did meet his objectives because he was able to observe them pee.
3. As stated before, the method that Orings used to research his topic was to observe males urinate. I feel like watching people pee could make people uncomfortable, mad, or actually violate their privacy. Although, the only way to actually understand the culture behind males urinating is to actually observe their behaviors so I think that his method was inappropriate but necessary.
4. The author’s findings started off not in the bathroom, but actually led up to why a male goes into the bathroom. While in a social group, one must withdraw themselves from the group by some sort of excuse or statement like saying, “I have to go to the bathroom.” He further discusses that bathrooms could also be used as a social setting. For example, in high school hanging out in the hall ways was not allowed, yet if students met up in the bathrooms, they could hangout and talk without the disturbance of a teacher. Going on, he discovers that “peeing is the activity primarily intended by…males”. He discovers that men prefer to have there own personal space of one urinal to the left and right. This becomes violated when one another know each other. Another key fact that Orings realizes is that during the act of peeing, one must look forward and keep they’re eyes to themselves. If one was to look at another man, this might “invite the suspicion of homosexual interest.” Also, he notices the “shaking of the penis” to get the last drops out, even though no matter how much shaking you do, when you finish up and walk out the bathroom, the last drops of pee come out and onto your
Cultural Anthropology
Spears
2 October 2013
Critical Analysis
1. Oring Elliot 1975 “From Uretics to Uremics: A Contribution toward the Ethnography of Peeing.” In Cultural Anthropology: A Sampler. Pp.:19-22.
2. Elliot Orings objectives for the article were to observe male urinating behaviors in public restrooms. I believe he did meet his objectives because he was able to observe them pee.
3. As stated before, the method that Orings used to research his topic was to observe males urinate. I feel like watching people pee could make people uncomfortable, mad, or actually violate their privacy. Although, the only way to actually understand the culture behind males urinating is to actually observe their behaviors so I think that his method was inappropriate but necessary.
4. The author’s findings started off not in the bathroom, but actually led up to why a male goes into the bathroom. While in a social group, one must withdraw themselves from the group by some sort of excuse or statement like saying, “I have to go to the bathroom.” He further discusses that bathrooms could also be used as a social setting. For example, in high school hanging out in the hall ways was not allowed, yet if students met up in the bathrooms, they could hangout and talk without the disturbance of a teacher. Going on, he discovers that “peeing is the activity primarily intended by…males”. He discovers that men prefer to have there own personal space of one urinal to the left and right. This becomes violated when one another know each other. Another key fact that Orings realizes is that during the act of peeing, one must look forward and keep they’re eyes to themselves. If one was to look at another man, this might “invite the suspicion of homosexual interest.” Also, he notices the “shaking of the penis” to get the last drops out, even though no matter how much shaking you do, when you finish up and walk out the bathroom, the last drops of pee come out and onto your