Horace Miner's Body Ritual Among The Nacirema

INTRODUCTION After reading Laura Bohannan’s Shakespeare in the Bush and Horace Miner’s Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, a common theme presents itself between the two articles. Ethnocentrism, particularly within the U.S., is elucidated through the actions of Bohannan while in West Africa, and the reaction of any American reading Miner’s piece about the “magical” Nacirema culture. In Bohannan’s piece, she struggles to prove that Hamlet is a universal story that any culture can easily understand. She speaks to the elders of the Tiv people, and is shocked to conclude that they do not understand Hamlet the way Americans understand it. In Miner’s piece, he cleverly presents the idea of the culture of the Nacirema people who are sadistic in nature, and lack logic and independence. By the end of his article, you realize that
has made me look at American people through the lens of an outsider. Although I moved here when I was young, and I am currently a U.S. citizen, I still fail to understand some aspects of the logic of the American people. I have merged my Bosnian culture with bits and pieces of American culture to become who I am today, however, my culture predominantly focuses on my Bosnian heritage. In all the years that I have lived here, I have discovered that Americans believe they are supreme. You may ask, “Why do they believe this?” It is because it is what they have been told and what they have come to believe after hearing it so many times. Americans are very focused on themselves. We have the best economy, the richest people, the nicest houses, the best cars, the smartest people, and the most advanced technology, so why shouldn’t we be labeled as “the best.” If everyone acted like Americans, then perhaps the world would be a better place. However, it appears that this is not the case. Horace Miner’s article and Laura Bohannan’s story proves us all wrong. We are not the best and we are not as logical as we think we