professor from the University of Michigan‚ Horace Miner‚ wrote an article in The American Anthropologist that has become a mainstay of learning for anthropology students. Miner published the article to show a fictional exotic society called “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” as an example of how one’s own limited perspective might affect the perception of a foreign culture (Miner‚ 1956‚ p. 503). The article uses subtle humor to make the reader more comfortable in examining cultural behaviors‚ physical appearance
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Reaction Paper In his article Body Rituals among the Nacirema‚ Miner effectively convinces his reader of the ridiculous nature of America’s obsession with the body’s health and visual appeal by allowing his readers to form an opinion about themselves without realizing they are their own subject. At first glance the reader may be convinced he is reading about magical beliefs and extreme practices of a little know civilization. Miner effectively employs an academic tone as he opens the paper with
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Miner’s article describes the Nacirema culture as one that pays special attention to economy‚ wealth‚ and body-focused rituals performed to keep oneself looking aesthetically pleasing‚ not unlike our own American culture. Found between Canada and Mexico‚ the people of the Nacirema tribe perform these rituals to keep death and disease at bay‚ while also improving the looks and social life of the worshipper. Common practices mentioned in the article include washing themselves with purified water‚ visiting
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n the article‚ “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner‚ the author’s purpose is revealed through judgemental and magical word choice. The author’s purpose is shown through his judgmental word choice. For example‚ to describe going to the dentist he uses the words‚ “ritual torture”‚ “augers‚ awls‚ probes and prods” and “gouge.” All of the words that Horace Miner used to describe going to the dentist sound negative and foul. The words make people judge the Nacirema for doing these ill sounding
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Read the Body Rituals of the Nacirema and answer the following questions. 1. What are 3 things these people believe? As the article states‚ The Nacirema believe that parents bewitch their own children and for that the doctor has the power to exorcise the devils that lodge in the heads of people who have been bewitched All natives believe they couldn’t live without many charms and magical potions They also believe that The Nacirema human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility
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Body Ritual Among the Nacirema Edward Hamilton Sociology Professor January 15‚ 2014 The “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner‚ is an article that examines the various rituals that manifests within industrialized societies‚ specifically referencing to the United States. In the article Miner joked about the invasion of privacy and the obsession of becoming immortal. Miner provides gives outstanding evidence that the characteristics or an attitude of the human
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study on the Nacirema Tribe. In the study he talked about their body rituals‚ and revealed to the world every strange ritual these people had. After reading this study‚ I decided to do one for myself. So I visited the Nacirema tribe. The things I observed still puzzles me. I noticed that everyday around the same time at daybreak‚ young Naciremas are awaken by an unusual noise coming from some sort of object. I have never in my life heard such an agitating sound. The young Nacirema then changes
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“Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner discusses the ritual practice of Nacirema people‚ which is an ethnic group of people in America. In freshman year‚ I had a chance to take freshman seminar class about religion‚ so I know that even in one religion they have various way of ritual practice. The ritual practices are usually formed very early in the acient period of time‚ so most of them are unreasonable and superstitious. It is very interesting to read an article about the ritual practice
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The rituals of the Nacirema To most of us‚ hospitals are a place to help you when you’re in need or want to get healthy. But for the Nacirema‚ it’s quite the opposite. According to the Nacirema ritual article‚ they call hospitals a latipso‚ which is hospital spelt backwards without the ‘H’. They discuss and caricature the repulsive viewings on what they think goes on in hospitals (latipso’s)‚ or what they think they do. I will now tell you how in Miner’s perspective‚ the body is ugly and how
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of the perceived “normal” individual‚ rituals and rites performed by individuals as part of a different culture might seem harsh‚ cruel or even barbaric. After my first read of "Body Ritual among the Nacirema"‚ that is how I perceived their daily way of life. They believe in magic potions‚ seeking pain from the “holy – mouth – men” a couple of times a year‚ and the men and women perform acts that seem to contradict one another by trying to obtain abnormal body shapes‚ and then the men cut their face
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