You Are What You Eat: Cultural Diversity And Diet
Everest UniversityPrinciples of Sociology July 25, 2009You are what you eatThis paper is about an exploration in different cultures and what they eat. In this paper one 's opinion about the different types of food eaten in different cultures will be discussed. Also in this paper there will be a discussion on cultural diversity and diet. Included in this paper will be a discussion on the sociological theories of functionalism, conflict theory, and interactionism. Also included in the discussion will be the terms ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
Cultural Diversity and DietThe story of "you are what you eat? An exploration in cultural relativity," the foods eaten by these cultures sound nauseating. According to Henslin, J. M., (2009) the …show more content…
It can also stand for why one diet is good for one but not the other even though they live in the same culture. The French chose their food that is high in protein and low in fat. This is one reason why they eat snails. If snails are good for your diet why is it that most people in the U. S. find it sickening to eat? (Kwintessential, N. D.)East Asians eat dogs and cats. Why do some say that it is not different from Americans eating goat meat? Why is it that the Asians could care less about the cruelty of animal? This is the reason why they eat them. Why are dogs and cats good enough to eat for East Asian and not the U. S.? The U. S. feels that the killing and eating of cats and dogs is awful. Why do the Asians feel different about it? (Why do Asians eat dog/cat Meat?, 2007)Conflict Theory and InteractionismThe conflict theory would be more of a debate of which is better, so let us use Japan and Sudan as an example. Japan feels that cod sperm is a good source of food to eat. On the other hand Sudan feel that a camel 's liver is a good source of food to eat. Suppose someone from Japan and Sudan decide to meet somewhere with each other and they serve them some camel 's live and cod sperm. One meal may not seem appetizing to the other and begin to debate that their meal is the better meal. Each culture has their own diet but there are some similarities as well as …show more content…
The U. S. would not serve a member of China frog legs. They would serve them something they all would eat. This way no one would be offended.
Ethnocentrism and Cultural RelativismEvery culture feels that their diet is better than the other. Each culture judges the other according to their diet. Cultures tend to view their ways higher than the other this is called ethnocentrism. To avoid judging other cultures each culture can try to look at the other culture to learn from them and why their diet seems to better for them. When taken others culture into consideration and not judging them or labeling one better than the other is called cultural relativisms.
ConclusionCultures have their own way of doing things. Every culture has a cultural diet of its own. Viewing these cultures and seeing what each culture eat makes my stomach turn. After reading the story, I realize that I have never eaten any of the foods written in the story. It is good to see that the cultures do have some of their food in common.
ReferencesHenslin, J. M. (2009). Essentials of Sociology A-Down-To-Earth-Approach,Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, pgs. 16, 18, 19, 37, and 39, 5
Cultural Diversity and DietThe story of "you are what you eat? An exploration in cultural relativity," the foods eaten by these cultures sound nauseating. According to Henslin, J. M., (2009) the …show more content…
It can also stand for why one diet is good for one but not the other even though they live in the same culture. The French chose their food that is high in protein and low in fat. This is one reason why they eat snails. If snails are good for your diet why is it that most people in the U. S. find it sickening to eat? (Kwintessential, N. D.)East Asians eat dogs and cats. Why do some say that it is not different from Americans eating goat meat? Why is it that the Asians could care less about the cruelty of animal? This is the reason why they eat them. Why are dogs and cats good enough to eat for East Asian and not the U. S.? The U. S. feels that the killing and eating of cats and dogs is awful. Why do the Asians feel different about it? (Why do Asians eat dog/cat Meat?, 2007)Conflict Theory and InteractionismThe conflict theory would be more of a debate of which is better, so let us use Japan and Sudan as an example. Japan feels that cod sperm is a good source of food to eat. On the other hand Sudan feel that a camel 's liver is a good source of food to eat. Suppose someone from Japan and Sudan decide to meet somewhere with each other and they serve them some camel 's live and cod sperm. One meal may not seem appetizing to the other and begin to debate that their meal is the better meal. Each culture has their own diet but there are some similarities as well as …show more content…
The U. S. would not serve a member of China frog legs. They would serve them something they all would eat. This way no one would be offended.
Ethnocentrism and Cultural RelativismEvery culture feels that their diet is better than the other. Each culture judges the other according to their diet. Cultures tend to view their ways higher than the other this is called ethnocentrism. To avoid judging other cultures each culture can try to look at the other culture to learn from them and why their diet seems to better for them. When taken others culture into consideration and not judging them or labeling one better than the other is called cultural relativisms.
ConclusionCultures have their own way of doing things. Every culture has a cultural diet of its own. Viewing these cultures and seeing what each culture eat makes my stomach turn. After reading the story, I realize that I have never eaten any of the foods written in the story. It is good to see that the cultures do have some of their food in common.
ReferencesHenslin, J. M. (2009). Essentials of Sociology A-Down-To-Earth-Approach,Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, pgs. 16, 18, 19, 37, and 39, 5