Analyzing Horace Minor's 'Body Ritual Among The Nacerima'

Elise Murray
Analysis of the Nacirema
Sociology 101 04D
Ivy Tech Community College

Abstract
The analysis of the article Body Ritual Among the Nacerima by Horace Minor uses key principles to help decipher the hidden meanings behind his work. The article is based off of Americans but written in a primitive manner to help show readers the importance of keeping an open mind. Cultural relativism is crucial when researching a new topic. This culture is different than others based on their obsession with physical appearance but it does not make them wrong. Also, the culture that practices different rituals has a different belief system. One culture may place great importance on preserving the land while
Based on the article, these people are part of a very ritualistic culture in which they spend several hours a day in a specific room. These practices are very private but people subject themselves to great “torture” or “pain” in order to minimize the decaying ways of the body. (Minor, 1956) They enable the help of medicine men and holy mouth-men to dole out trinkets and practice painful procedures to promote beauty of the body and teeth. Sexual intercourse is widely discussed and certain procedures are taken to prevent pregnancy. He discusses the act of bathing in a shrine. In all reality, this discusses present day America. Americans spend several hours a day in the bathroom focusing on enhancing their beauty. They take showers or baths every day to clean off the grime of the day. Doctors and dentists are seen on a semi-regular basis to decrease the risk of illness or infection. Women in present day America are obsessed with body image and do many different types of makeovers to themselves to be beautiful. Also, as discussed, sex is no longer a taboo subject. Condoms and birth control are used to help prevent pregnancy and are a social norm in the society. The fact that this was written in disguise helps show how easy it is to pass judgment on what one does not know or what is
One reading this might form a biased opinion without doing research or keeping an open mind. This article helps show one to practice cultural relativism in every day life. It is imperative to realize that just because a culture is different, it is not wrong. Furthermore, defeating ethnocentrism is also an important hidden aspect of this article. A reader might assume a higher status than the culture written about based on some of the rituals mentioned. Reading about shrines or a room dedicated to beauty could seem absurd to anyone, until they realize that it is describing a bathroom in accurate detail and with truthful facts. Realizing that one is no better than anybody else because of a specific belief or choice is an important lesson to be learned in sociology. As learned by the article, one must collect research before forming any opinion. Research is they key ingredient to success in learning about other cultures or forming an opinion on them. Horace Minor wrote a truthful article, but it is what was taught hidden in the article that is important. In order to ensure success in sociology, one must always practice cultural relativism, try to defeat the feeling on ethnocentrism, and do the research before