What Are Examples of Nacirema Culture?
Quick Answer
"Nacirema" is a satirical look at the United States of America, so any aspect of the culture of that country could be said to be nacireman. In keeping with the spirit of the academic paper that introduced the term, such observations would be recorded as if they were made by an American social scientist or anthropologist observing a formerly unknown tribe.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
"Body Ritual among the Nacirema" was the satirical paper that introduced the term. It was written by Horace Mitchell Miner and published in American Anthropologist in June of 1956. The paper observes the practice of brushing teeth daily (which it calls the "mouth ritual"), and refers to doctors and psychiatrists as medicine men and women and medicine chests as "charm boxes." The paper also references a cultural hero called Notgnihsaw, a satire of George Washington.
Three follow-ups to this paper were written by other authors. In 1970, Willard Walker commented on the deterioration of spoken English with "The Retention of Folk Linguistic Concepts and the TI'YCIR Caste in Contemporary Nacireman Culture." Neil B. Thompson wrote "The Mysterious Fall of the Nacirema" in 1972, commenting mostly on the worship of the flibomotua (automobile) and how it led to the degradation of the Nacirema environment. And Gerry Philipsen commented on Nacirema speech codes by contrasting them with those of a new culture in the region, the residents of Teamsterville.
Learn more about Cultures & TraditionsRelated Questions
-
Q:
What Is a Dominant Culture?
A: A dominant culture is the prominent cultural group in an area that is not influenced by other cultures that may come to the country or region. In the Unite... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the Main Characteristic of Cultural Imperialism?
A: The main characteristic of cultural imperialism is that the cultural products of a first-world country "invade and conquer" the culture of a third-world co... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Are Examples of Folk Culture?
A: Specific examples of folk cultures include Louisiana Creole cuisine, the Claddagh rings of Galway in Ireland and Amish culture. Folk culture can refer to a... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Are Some Examples of Pop Culture?
A: Pop culture, or popular culture, is the collection of ideas, opinions, and images popular within a culture at a given time. It is constantly changing with ... Full Answer >Filed Under:
You May Also Like
-
Q:
What Are Examples of Sphynx Cat Clothes?
-
Q:
What Are Some Examples of a Spiritual Harvest?
-
Q:
Where Can You Find Examples of Test Questions for a Middle School Civics Curriculum?
-
Q:
What Are Some Examples of Free Social Studies Lesson Plans for Middle School Children?
-
Q:
What Is the Definition of "racial Stratification"?
-
Q:
What Are Examples of Good Telephone Greetings?
