BODY RITUAL AMONG THE NACIREMA

 The events that take place in our everyday lives are described as “rituals”.   These rituals that are talked about are made to sound like the culture that partakes in such things is crazy.

It starts with the ritual of getting ready in the morning, as a long drawn out process.   The story then moves to talk about how American people have cabinets full of medications that supposedly make us better.   However, most the medications are used once or twice, but then left in the cabinet.  

Along with the amount of medications, there are the trips to the hospital that most people find necessary.   Most adults are not afraid to go to the doctor for an illness, which only leads to more medications, but children have a fear of the people in white coats. 

Miner is illustrating an OBSESSION It is true that American lives revolve around self-image.   That is why people spend so much time getting ready in the morning, buy so many medications for every illness, and run to the doctor for stronger medications.

Genre Satirical – to point out the flaws of our culture - makes fun of people’s weaknesses, mistakes, foolishness, and wrong behavior

Author’s Purpose Miner’s overall purpose is to make common American behaviors and beliefs seem magical and silly by describing them as if they were tribal behaviors. He used new vocabulary to confuse you so you wouldn’t guess who the Nacirema really are. Make common American behaviors and beliefs seems magical and silly by describing them as if they were tribal behaviors To teach Americans to not look at other cultures as if they were strange and exotic because people can look at our culture [like he did] and think we’re weird

Elements of the Piece Belief in ugliness of human body (Truth: we spend much time and money on our appearance) Shrine devoted to body ritual (Truth: our medicine cabinets are often filled with too much “stuff”—especially old medicines that should be thrown out

Practitioners who require gifts (Truth: the health industry makes quite a bit of money, and medicine is also expensive) Listener who deals with bewitched people (Truth: Many psychologists believe that personal problems are caused by early experiences in life, especially in the ways parents treat us and teach us about taking care of ourselves)

Shrine: bathroom wealthier families have more than one Rituals that happen there are private and secret “Charm box” (medicine cabinet)

Font: sink (holy water) “A ritual ablution of the mouth for children which is supposed to improve their moral fiber” --washing mouth out with soap—really doesn’t happen any more Mouth rite: brushing one’s teeth Seek out a “holy mouth-man”—visiting the dentist

Imposing temple, latipso: hospital Vestal maidens: nurses (no longer have “distinctive costume and headdress”) “Rich gift”: payment for services Listener: psychologist Ritual fasts: diets “Rites” (paragraph 18):Plastic surgery Magical materials: birth control

Pregnant women “dress….to hide their condition” (Not any longer) Birth takes place in secret—not any longer Majority of women do not nurse—not any longer

Anthropology Look From this perspective, Miner was trying to show how as an outsider’s perspective, we judge others’ cultural practices as bizarre, when we are really no different in our “magical” ways