Thursday, April 26, 2012
"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place."-George Bernard Shaw
Part 1:
Just for fun: I’m pointing at you, then my eyes, then my blog post on your computer screen. Then I point at you, smile, and hold my hands together, flat, like a prayer, and then curl my fingers and wriggle them to imitate typing, then grin, again, sheepishly this time, raising my shoulders as if in question. I hope you understand, and can deduce the results I am looking for.
This experiment was semi-frustrating for me, and very entertaining for my partners in intercourse. (Haha, perked up there a little, didn’t you?) Intercourse simply means “conversation” . Yes, definition #3 has also become a common variation, but the adjective “sexual” usually precedes it, so I’ve written off its standalone value.
in·ter·course [in-ter-kawrs, -kohrs] noun
1. dealings or communication between individuals, groups, countries, etc.
2. interchange of thoughts, feelings, etc.
3. sexual relations or a sexual coupling, especially coitus.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intercourse
I’m off topic, so I’ll move on… (Point at my friend, nod, point at my friend’s brand new car, nod, point at me, smile, make steering wheel imitation with my hands, smile bigger.) My friend is already shaking her head, saying “No, no, NO!” and flailing her arms back and forth across her body to demonstrate the degree and depth of her answer before I can even twist my finger from her shiny new SUV toward myself. That killed all of about 30 seconds. 14 minutes and 30 seconds to go…
Honestly, once we got off of the “staged” conversation idea and the other two participants were carrying on an exciting conversation about their drive home from their camping trip, where they encountered snow, it flowed better. However, I found that by the time wanted to interject something, I had to quickly calculate a method in which to demonstrate my intended contribution, then abruptly signal them to stop talking so that I could provide input consistent with the flow of the discussion (since earlier in our allotted time I missed the topic I was addressing in the conversation, and they had to backtrack just so that I could feel included) and act out my idea, I was frustrated with the inefficiency of the dilemma, and they were laughing at my reaction! Whew! Eventually they just inserted pauses at strategic points in the conversation, to allow me to “catch up”-I was begrudgingly waited for, included simply out of pity! I also noticed that since I was communicating through facial and hand gestures, and body language, that they seemed to mirror this increase when they responded to me, relying more on expression and hand movements than usual.
I imagine that if we were representatives of two different cultures, the culture in possession of the ability to use complex spoken language would perceive my culture, reliant on physical gestures, as a much less intelligent variation. Certainly the advantage is held by the culture that has developed advanced linguistics, since they are able to communicate much more thoroughly, instead of just saying the basics, as I did in the experiment. Trust me, I wasn’t saying any more than I felt I HAD to. This really makes you focus on the important facts or details, and leave out all the adjectives and other extras. This experiment also opened my eyes to the fact that I need to listen better. Effective communication is very reliant on listening, and comprehension of the meaning of the words and gestures being shared. During this time, I was too busy trying to anticipate where the conversation would go so that I could be prepared for the next subject, or thinking about what I was going to say next, to really understand the complete picture of what the others were trying to share with me.
Examples of people unable to use spoken language to communicate include infants or young children, or sufferers of medical problems such as stroke victims. In order to effectively interact with these individuals, we must modify our approach not only while talking to each other. In some cases we must reflect on how our individual (or generalized-either can be detrimental) biases and predispositions alter our perception, in order to increase self-awareness of our own (potentially limited) level of understanding of another's basic needs/functions and apply those to the circumstances surrounding each occasion.
Also, people from different cultures with different complex languages can be difficult to address as well. I ran into a situation last week in which I was trying to sell tires to a consumer who spoke only Farsi. They brought no translator, and didn’t even quickly jot down the size info, and didn’t have the car present they wanted to buy tires for. My tire salesperson ordered him tires that would have suited the original requirements for size and type on that vehicle. The tires arrived, and the man’s wife came in to have them installed 2 days later. She was furious when I told her we could not install the 15 inch tires on her 18 inch aftermarket wheels. It was impossible for us to understand, without comprehending each others’ language, and without the ability to reference the vehicle, what his needs were…they left without re-ordering, very upset with our customer service…what could I have done?
Part II.
I was able to last 15 minutes in verbal-only speech. It was difficult because I kept having to start over, after realizing that I had my hands in the air, or furled my eyebrows, or raised just the left one (as apparently is my trademark, I discovered). My partners in this conversation had to pay very close attention to my words since (as much as I could) I tried to disguise any emotion or inflections in my voice.
I noticed that my son, Zack, closed his eyes as he listened to me, in order to focus on what I was saying, while my mom had to visually focus on my lips as they moved in order to understand.
This form of communication was tedious, since once I had described an event or situation, I also had to explain how I felt about it (without emotion in my voice) instead of my audience already being able to deduce this from the expression in my face and body as usual.
Non-speech language techniques are imperative in effective communication, but can also be detrimental to our desired meaning if others perceive negative body language or facial expression.
Children, I believe, have trouble reading body language, or not as effectively as an educated or experienced adult, anyway. As a result of this lack of "filter" capabilities, it has become a common saying that "Kids say the darndest things" in response to questions or conversations with similar sounding words, or words with multiple definitions.
Sometimes we have to rely on verbal speech only, when reading body language. For example, people with current injuries, or even permanent handicaps (i.e. quadriplegia), are disinclined or even unable to perform the basic functions that would allow them to use this mode of communication.
The benefit of the ability to perceive and translate body language as a form of communication is immeasurable within any relationship. It allows the trained communicator to recognize signals and to be proactive in responding to their respective audience’s reactions, needs, wants, concerns, (mis)perceptions, etc.
Hmmm…environmental conditions in which NOT reading body language would be beneficial? I remember visiting my grandfather in the hospital when I was very young…probably 4 or 5 years old. I knew that my family was sad that he was sick, but I was unable to perceive the depth of emotion in their body language and expression…. Looking back on my memory now, having experienced loss, and developed my ability to perceive the lack of hope and the inability to accept his loss…the search for peace in coping with the resignation that he was not going to be there forever like he said he would…. I think I would like to be unaware of the weight, the gravity of the situation and the static within the dense air of morale, in circumstances such as these. However, this ability evolved with a purpose. It comes in handy often, and as a survival instinct, is obviously more beneficial to own than discard.
In conclusion, if we analyze the level of reliance we place on the human use of symbolic language within cultures and physical communications worldwide, this ability has evolved from a habitual degree of expression to an obligate one. Yes, there are cultural differences and unique circumstances that can make communication difficult, but even Helen Keller, with no sight or sound, was able to learn to effectively communicate. Go Humans!
Part III.
Part one absolutely would have been easier if the use of written language was allowed. Although it is not as quite as instantly gratifying as spoken language, at least it is still possible for someone to communicate even extremely complex ideas in this method, compared to just being able to grunt and point to try to convey the detailed thoughts they are trying to share.
Written language allows individuals within a culture to communicate their needs and desires to others within their society, giving them a better understanding and ability to assist each other. It provides a quick and efficient means to distribute mass information. It allows people to connect in both physical and emotional ways that were impossible before the development of written language.
Written language has paved the way to disperse the ideas and practices previously particular to a certain culture throughout different parts of the world. With the increasing popularity of the Internet and its translation abilities, the globalization of these previously "contained" ideas is imminent. As this process continues, and cultural isolation wanes, the blending and blurring of cultural differences becomes more common, for better or for worse.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Adaptation
Zulu:
1.The environment in which the Zulu people reside in South Africa is a warm, tropical climate with consistently hot and humid temperatures. Summers run at least 80 degree days with the majority of rainfall occurring during this period. “Winter” temperatures run in the mid 70 degree range. Winter sunshine averages almost 7 hours a day, some of the highest in the country.
2. In response to the constant and inescapable levels of sun exposure, natives to this area demonstrate a physical adaptation that indicates that the melanin levels within their body are significantly higher than that of a society with less sun exposure in their cultural background. This prevents bodily harm from solar radiation, and results in the blackening (even darker than some other cultures who consider themselves of "black" skin) and thickening of the skin. These adaptations act as a more defensive barrier against the harmful rays of the sun.
3. A cultural adaptation that has developed as a result of the same environmental stress is the prominence of headwear. Hats and headbands may have been originally worn to protect against the heat and harmful rays of the sun, but the Zulu culture has capitalized on this idea, and the intricacy and patterns/colors within headwear now denotes status as well. Now they can save their heads from sun damage in style!
Andean Indians-
1. The many tribes of Indians now occupying the Andes mountains is widely varied. The climate is extremely tropical, with high humidity and huge variances in temperature on a daily basis. The
seasons are marked more by differences in the amount of rainfall/snow and degree of humidity than temperature.
"On the high, cold plains, known in the Andes as puna, there
are only two seasons: summer every day and winter every night."
2. The Andean Indian tribes live in an extremely high altitude, and have adapted to this environmental stress through the development of a higher concentration of hemoglobin, a long term adaptation that allows more oxygen to be carried through the bloodstream to various parts of the body. This allows the body to function properly even at an altitude that could result in hypoxia for a human who has lived at sea level for all or most of their life.
3. A cultural adaptation to the variance in temperature between daytime and night has resulted in the popularity of layering clothing. Most individuals wear between 3-5 layers of clothing to accommodate the transition in temperature. Ponchos and beanies are regular garb, and everything is in bright colors to aid in searching for someone who may have been hurt or lost during travel.
4. If I were asked to describe each culture by their race, I would find it very inaccurate. In my readings, I discovered that the Zulu are not just one but several African societies combined. Due to this, and the pride associated with the name, it seems that there is no other alternative to name their race, except, in fact, "Zulu". In regard to the Andean Indians, some anthropologists have even noted that they cannot really be classified as tribes because of the large variances in culture and area-how could "Native American" actually be an accurate classification for them, when it is so vague? It gives us an idea of their origin, with no insight into the adaptations they have aquired.
2. The Andean Indian tribes live in an extremely high altitude, and have adapted to this environmental stress through the development of a higher concentration of hemoglobin, a long term adaptation that allows more oxygen to be carried through the bloodstream to various parts of the body. This allows the body to function properly even at an altitude that could result in hypoxia for a human who has lived at sea level for all or most of their life.
4. If I were asked to describe each culture by their race, I would find it very inaccurate. In my readings, I discovered that the Zulu are not just one but several African societies combined. Due to this, and the pride associated with the name, it seems that there is no other alternative to name their race, except, in fact, "Zulu". In regard to the Andean Indians, some anthropologists have even noted that they cannot really be classified as tribes because of the large variances in culture and area-how could "Native American" actually be an accurate classification for them, when it is so vague? It gives us an idea of their origin, with no insight into the adaptations they have aquired.
5. The US census changed their standards for race classification in the year 2000. The only group that the Zulu population would fit into is "Black or African American", which are included together, and the Andean Indians into the "American Indian and Alaska Native" category. Such a vague grouping relates only to skin color, not necessarily national origin or culture. Although such a description may give us clues as anthropologists to physical adaptations that have occurred or not occurred within a society, this is a scientifically incomplete factor for analysis. The analysis of physical and cultural adaptations is much more useful from an anthropology standpoint, since "race" or skin-color is inclusive of, and analyzed within these branches.
http://www.upmc.com/health-library/Pages/ADAM.aspx?GenContentId=19510&ProductId=109&ProjectId=2&ReturnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.upmc.com%2Fhealth-library%2FPages%2FADAM.aspx%3FGenContentId%3D000560%26ProjectId%3D1%26ProductId%3D109
http://www.prb.org/pdf/census2000_usingnewracialprofiles.pdfhttp://www.upmc.com/health-library/Pages/ADAM.aspx?GenContentId=19510&ProductId=109&ProjectId=2&ReturnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.upmc.com%2Fhealth-library%2FPages%2FADAM.aspx%3FGenContentId%3D000560%26ProjectId%3D1%26ProductId%3D109
http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/aflang/zulu/home.html
http://www.adventurechronicles.net/AdventureChronicles/Home/Entries/2010/3/26_Immersing_in_Culture.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=4w2hiuK1sOsC&pg=PA293&lpg=PA293&dq=zulu+physical+adaptation&source=bl&ots=wlRQfO0BPq&sig=_XR7pdE8e5LEay4o4YzZukoxCLI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MrOPT9CKBciQiQKo5_C-Aw&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Reflections from a descendant
My five words:
Ritualistic Charm box
Part B:
1. As an American, how do you feel about your choice of descriptive words in Part A? (If you are from another country, you can still comment on your choices based upon your first hand experience with American culture but include the fact that you are from another culture.)
As an American, I think that the words that I chose-Ignorant, Materialistic, Inadequate, and Superstitious-and American!!-are accurate, except that "superstitious" may be a little skewed. Although the article portrays our culture as such, I think that a lot of the fears that the author labels as "superstitions" are actual physical attributes that we do consider ugly, and will inhibit us from (not necessarily keeping friends) attracting a spouse, or landing a job, etc. Because of the importance we place on appearances, a mouth full of decay can be a detriment not only to health but also to social progress.
2. Do any of your choices exhibit ethnocentrism on your part? In other words, do any of your descriptive words reveal a judgment of the Nacerima rooted in your own cultural bias? Are any of your words free of bias? Identify the words you feel are biased and unbiased and explain your reasoning.
I think that my choice of the word "Ignorant" demonstrates my ethnocentrism. My first line to justify this word is, "Although these practices seem like their mere enactment should raise a red flag on multiple levels..." This shows my bias since, although it turned out to be pointed toward my own culture, it is improper of me to assume that just because certain actions would raise a red flag for me, there may be no perceived warnings within the culture being analyzed.
Obviously "American" is biased, because at this point I realized that I was shooting down my own culture the entire time. However, I didn't describe this word completely as an adjective-it's meaning is far too vast and relative to try to define it.
I feel that "Materialistic", "Inadequate", and "Superstitious" are all pretty unbiased, from an objective point of view, and that they are well-founded within the text. While "materialistic" and "superstitious" are 3rd party observations, "Inadequate" is, I think, a cultural self-identity that a native "Nacerima"n would agree with.
3. For any of the words that are biased, can you provide alternate words that are free of bias but communicate the same explanatory information and intent of your original word?
Instead of "ignorant", I might say "creedbound", because it seems that although certain actions lack the foundation for continuance, and should be re-evaluated, it seems that this population is wearing blinders in favor of upholding their traditions.
Instead of "American"...? What other word is vague enough to describe such a culture? Let's go with "motley"
4. From this experience, reflect on the importance of avoiding ethnocentric judgments when describing other cultures. Why is it important to describe another culture in a manner as free from personal cultural bias as possible? Do you think it is possible to completely avoid personal cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist?
It is extremely important to avoid ethnocentric judgements when describing another culture. I am curious to know the cerebral difference between the likelihood of bias of someone who has spent time already within several different cultures for extended periods of time, and someone who just has one cultural background. Does the anthropologist with experience in a larger variety of cultures pick up more biases, several from each culture, that they have to work to shed? Or does it become easier to detangle themselves from these skewed perspectives? Is ethnocentrism more difficult to deal with the first time a new anthropologist visits another population? Or less trouble, since they only have the perspective from one culture?
In order to give an accurate and objective description of another culture, it is important to use objective thought and language as much as possible, or misrepresentation may, and probably will, occur-this is not conducive to the goal of anthropology.
Unless you lived under a rock with no cultural influences for your entire life, it is almost impossible to completely avoid cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist. The successful anthropologist will analyze and re-analyze and re-re-analyze themselves to learn and maintain an awareness of their own cultural biases, and use this objective self-study in conjunction with their gathered data in order to accurately represent the culture they are studying.
Ignorant-
Although these practices seem like their mere enactment should raise a red flag on multiple levels, the Nacerima people are so loyal in following these traditions that my first word is "ignorant". However, if they are considered a "highly developed market economy", who are they trading with that wouldn't question and try to help them get out of the more destructive of their behaviors? There can't be a successful market economy without demand, so they can't be selling only within their own culture... They also seem to trust in these medicine men and "Holy-mouth men" although their health doesn't necessarily stabilize and their teeth continue to decay, still religiously visiting them even when the remedies fail to work.
Materialistic-
"...the opulence of a house is often referred to in terms of the number of such ritual centers it possesses.... Poorer families imitate the rich by applying pottery plaques to their shrine walls" Obviously a status symbol, a home that contains multiple shrines denotes wealth and power. The dramatic and materialistic emphasis on the ownership of the "many charms and magical potions without which no native believes he could live" is only surpassed by the requirement that the medicine men and other service people must be rewarded with substantial gifts in order to provide their remedies.
"...the opulence of a house is often referred to in terms of the number of such ritual centers it possesses.... Poorer families imitate the rich by applying pottery plaques to their shrine walls" Obviously a status symbol, a home that contains multiple shrines denotes wealth and power. The dramatic and materialistic emphasis on the ownership of the "many charms and magical potions without which no native believes he could live" is only surpassed by the requirement that the medicine men and other service people must be rewarded with substantial gifts in order to provide their remedies.
Inadequate-
"The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease." Feeling "incarcerated" in these ugly human bodies makes them constantly masochistic in pursuit of the divine or alien form they strive for. Punishing themselves by "baking their heads in small ovens" or "scraping and lacerating the surface of the face", they can never atone for the inadequacy they struggle to cope with from birth. Their dissatisfaction with breast shape seems unreal!
"The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease." Feeling "incarcerated" in these ugly human bodies makes them constantly masochistic in pursuit of the divine or alien form they strive for. Punishing themselves by "baking their heads in small ovens" or "scraping and lacerating the surface of the face", they can never atone for the inadequacy they struggle to cope with from birth. Their dissatisfaction with breast shape seems unreal!
Superstitious
Referred to as a "magic-ridden people", it all seems to be in a negative connotation. It is hard to be objective about many of the traditions they uphold and the beliefs that support them. The degree of faith they place in their magic potions and holy men is unimaginable. However, their "pathological horror of and fascination with the mouth" is the most interesting and extreme. They believe that it has a "supernatural influence on all social relationships. Were it not for the rituals of the mouth, they believe that their teeth would fall out, their gums bleed, their jaws shring, their friends desert them, and their lovers reject them. They also believe that a strong relationship exists between oral and moral characteristics." I'm curious as to the origin of this oral fixation, and of the superstition surrounding it. Perhaps the cold sore epidemic (Herpes simplex) hit them roughly at some point, but I can only speculate.
American-
The terrible part is that I chose all my words, and then
when re-reading was thrown off with the geography Miner includes: “They are a North American group living in
the territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico,
and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles. Little is known of their origin,
although tradition states that they came from the east....” Okay, so geography
isn’t my strength, but I do know enough to raise an eyebrow at such a
range-certainly a culture such as this couldn’t warrant such a large span of
land, and besides, the US is between Canada and Mexico…this refers to a study
performed in the 1930s…is this a trick? Ohhhh!!!
Read it backwards, guys...although the vowels are swapped (Stoked that I figured it out before Thursday!!!-secretly
relieved at the embarrassment I saved myself, and excited that this course is
going to be just as, if not more challenging and tricky than Anthro 101.) You almost got me, Professor Rodriguez!
"Latipso"
Non-human-looking breasts-these are the idolized women that provide staring priviledges, for a fee...they also serve really good chicken wings as they display their alien forms.
Ritualistic Charm box
"Moral Fiber" -improving mouth ablution for children
Part B:
1. As an American, how do you feel about your choice of descriptive words in Part A? (If you are from another country, you can still comment on your choices based upon your first hand experience with American culture but include the fact that you are from another culture.)
As an American, I think that the words that I chose-Ignorant, Materialistic, Inadequate, and Superstitious-and American!!-are accurate, except that "superstitious" may be a little skewed. Although the article portrays our culture as such, I think that a lot of the fears that the author labels as "superstitions" are actual physical attributes that we do consider ugly, and will inhibit us from (not necessarily keeping friends) attracting a spouse, or landing a job, etc. Because of the importance we place on appearances, a mouth full of decay can be a detriment not only to health but also to social progress.
2. Do any of your choices exhibit ethnocentrism on your part? In other words, do any of your descriptive words reveal a judgment of the Nacerima rooted in your own cultural bias? Are any of your words free of bias? Identify the words you feel are biased and unbiased and explain your reasoning.
I think that my choice of the word "Ignorant" demonstrates my ethnocentrism. My first line to justify this word is, "Although these practices seem like their mere enactment should raise a red flag on multiple levels..." This shows my bias since, although it turned out to be pointed toward my own culture, it is improper of me to assume that just because certain actions would raise a red flag for me, there may be no perceived warnings within the culture being analyzed.
Obviously "American" is biased, because at this point I realized that I was shooting down my own culture the entire time. However, I didn't describe this word completely as an adjective-it's meaning is far too vast and relative to try to define it.
I feel that "Materialistic", "Inadequate", and "Superstitious" are all pretty unbiased, from an objective point of view, and that they are well-founded within the text. While "materialistic" and "superstitious" are 3rd party observations, "Inadequate" is, I think, a cultural self-identity that a native "Nacerima"n would agree with.
3. For any of the words that are biased, can you provide alternate words that are free of bias but communicate the same explanatory information and intent of your original word?
Instead of "ignorant", I might say "creedbound", because it seems that although certain actions lack the foundation for continuance, and should be re-evaluated, it seems that this population is wearing blinders in favor of upholding their traditions.
Instead of "American"...? What other word is vague enough to describe such a culture? Let's go with "motley"
4. From this experience, reflect on the importance of avoiding ethnocentric judgments when describing other cultures. Why is it important to describe another culture in a manner as free from personal cultural bias as possible? Do you think it is possible to completely avoid personal cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist?
It is extremely important to avoid ethnocentric judgements when describing another culture. I am curious to know the cerebral difference between the likelihood of bias of someone who has spent time already within several different cultures for extended periods of time, and someone who just has one cultural background. Does the anthropologist with experience in a larger variety of cultures pick up more biases, several from each culture, that they have to work to shed? Or does it become easier to detangle themselves from these skewed perspectives? Is ethnocentrism more difficult to deal with the first time a new anthropologist visits another population? Or less trouble, since they only have the perspective from one culture?
In order to give an accurate and objective description of another culture, it is important to use objective thought and language as much as possible, or misrepresentation may, and probably will, occur-this is not conducive to the goal of anthropology.
Unless you lived under a rock with no cultural influences for your entire life, it is almost impossible to completely avoid cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist. The successful anthropologist will analyze and re-analyze and re-re-analyze themselves to learn and maintain an awareness of their own cultural biases, and use this objective self-study in conjunction with their gathered data in order to accurately represent the culture they are studying.
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