I agree with Mitch, I was surprised by the idea that a slave could make their own money, to the point that they could buy their own freedom. At first I was confused as to why a slave master would agree to letting their slave buy their freedom, but after some thought it seems logical. If the slave gives them enough money then the slave owner can buy another slave with that profit. Their next slave will likely be stronger because they won't have been worked so hard.…
bathroom. I decided to choose this norm because I witness this revolting act almost every day at…
Everybody knows millions of years ago before the manifestation of the global society, man and woman ran around buck naked and fancy-free. However, Nowadays running around naked is somewhat frowned upon society.…
There are some beliefs and customs that are considered morally justified in some cultures but in another, they are considered to be morally wrong.…
A more is also breaking of a norm, but breaking a more is considered to be significantly unacceptable. Most more that are broken are judge by religious doctrines. For example, followers of Islamic religion are forbidden from eating pork. Breaking of such norm could cause the person to be stigmatized by members of the Islamic society. Other instances of breaking mores could be more severe such as receiving threats or punishment. Breaking of folkways and mores are treated differently, however,…
I have learned from different anthropology, that taboo is just what a society regards as forbidden, it is not something universal and it does not apply to everyone.…
What is your opinion about eating toasted ants, about eating fried frog legs, about eating puppies and kittens? About eating raw monkey brains? If you were reared in U.S. society, more than likely you think eating frog legs is okay; eating ants is disgusting, and eating dogs, cats, and monkey brains is downright repugnant. How would you apply the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism to your perception of these customs?…
We don't, at least in the USA, have to wear certain clothing unless it is part of your job’s or school’s rules.…
Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American poet once wrote “the value of a dollar is social, as it is created by society.” Throughout time society has become a “parent” to the many people. Society is the most influential aspect of life in today’s world. Many factors influence a person’s life, such as the media, work and school. Going back to Emerson, people have taken the place of the dollar in his quote. An individual is no longer valued by what he thinks of himself, he is valued by what society thinks of him. What does this mean? In order to be accepted in society there are “social norms” that one has to follow. If one does not live by these norms, then you are be ridiculed and you become the outsider for this.…
The perspective on what tastes good and what doesn’t creates a powerful dichotomy that is applied towards food. Cultures prioritize certain types of food and tastes. For instance, Americans have dogs for pets and would think of it absurd to eat their pets for food. However, on the other hand, Indonesians view dogs as a means of food. Indonesians raise dogs the same way Americans raise cows and pigs. Neither culture is right nor wrong for each one has different perspectives on what is considered acceptable to eat and what is…
Today when I was dining with my family in a formal restaurant, I broke two of the similar cultural norms. One being that, I drank my soup using a fork, where the norm is to drink soup with spoon. The second being that I use my knife to eat my cake, where it should’ve been eaten using a fork.…
In order to understand our adherence to social norms we must understand what they are and the various ways in which they can be broken and violated. These violations can vary greatly and be anywhere between quirky and frightening. The intensity of discomfort associated with these violations depends not only on the violation itself but on the individual performing, experiencing, or witnessing it making the spectrum of reactions widespread and interesting. There are two ways to truly explore norm violations, to observe others both performing and reacting to violations and to perform them yourself and observe the reactions of others.…
These examples of cultural differences lead us to the Cultural Differences Argument for Moral Relativism : “Different cultures have different moral codes ; there is neither an objectively right nor objectively wrong custom. It is a matter of opinion that varies from culture to culture.” (Rachels, 19) When looking back at the Greeks and Callatians example, we are able to see that the Greeks thought it was “wrong” to eat the dead, whereas the Callatians believed it was “right”. From a logical…
Personal space. All people value this as social boundary and create appropriate norms. As we were assigned this task of violating a social norm in public, I began to consider all the strange personal space norms our society and campus holds. For example, while riding the bus if there a few people on it, you are typically going to sit two seats or more away from one another. However, when the bus is packed to the brim, which is the only time you are permitted to sit right beside a person or stand right up next to them. I found this fascinating; how in our campus society, people try to stay as far away from each other as possible. Moreover, the reason behind why I decided to violate this norm on the way home from class.…
Cited: Axtell, Roger E., Do 's and Taboos Around The World. 3rd ed. New York: Wiley, 1993.…