In describing the various rituals of the “Nacirema” culture, Horace Miner is attempting to show how the “Nacirema” culture, as Miner satirically spells “American”, can be viewed as primitive through the lens of an anthropologist. Yet, the American culture, in general, regards itself as much more advanced than other civilizations (Miner). Such ethnocentrism gives American – and Western – anthropologists the license to view other civilizations as primitive -- as being consumed by superstition and magic.
Thus, in much anthropological research, there is a great deal of cultural relativism at work. Of course, the anthropologist views his culture as superior, yet he is still a product of that culture. Thus, qualitative research methodology is largely biased. Moreover, the methodology is tainted by the fact that the scientists who study other cultures “forget” about cultural relativism. That is, what one culture thinks and practices is not necessarily superior to another culture’s practices (or rituals) (Miner). It is merely different.
Despite cultural relativism, Miner points out in his satire that Western anthropology is subject to its pervasiveness. After all, it is extremely difficult to view other cultures with an unbiased perspective. As a result, their daily rituals, especially health-related ones, are viewed as superstition and hocus-pocus, whereas the rituals of the cultures of Western scientists, such as Americans, are viewed as superior, or are not taken into account at all. Most scientists would consider that the “ospital”, for example, is a completely-scientific concept, blinding themselves to its ritualistic, almost-primitive function in modern “Nacirema” culture.
Work Cited
Miner, Horace. “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.” American Anthropological Association. 02 Jan, 2012. Web. 19 Jun. 2016.
