ü What Ethnocentrism Means
Ethnocentrism is the appraisal of other civilizations using one's own culture as a standard. Because of this, cultural characteristics that resemble those of the observers are deemed to be superior to those that are very distinct. A lack of impartiality can be seen in the idea that one's own culture is superior to another. Such a mindset makes it difficult for us to comprehend that what is right to us may actually be quite wrong to others. It is an unspoken dispute between one person or group and another person or group.
A belief that one's own culture or group is fundamentally superior to others is known as this attitude. Foreign cultures are viewed as inferior because they are evaluated according to
Ø Ethnocentrism Definition
There is a tendency to judge other cultures, societies, groups, and races by one's own standards. Ethnocentrism is defined as "a belief that one's own group, race, society, and culture is good, normal, right, and superior to other groups, culture, society, and races that are inferior, wrong, abnormal, and bad."
Ethnocentrism Meaning, Definition and examples
Ø Ethnocentrism's impact on both society and individuals:
Ethnocentrism can have both beneficial and harmful effects on people and societies. If we view ethnocentrism positively, someone may have unwavering faith in any certain person, group, culture, nation, or ethnicity. On the other hand, a person may believe that they, their culture, and other aspects of themselves are superior to other people, other cultures, and other societies.
Examples
• Evaluating the cuisine and specialties of various cultures.
• Evaluating people's traditional attire.
• Demanding that people speak your language and belittling them when they can't.
• Previous colonialism.
• Making assumptions about someone who chooses to live alone while it is customary in your society to always live with family.
Another example you may think about is the fact that when we make judgments about Hindu or Western culture in Pakistan, we do so with our own cultural and societal standards in mind. The fact that man has historically portrayed his own interests, value system, cultural norms, and normative order as being proper, normal, and superior to others is a historical reality. Such ideas and value systems divided the population into numerous groups, making it harder for people to assimilate into other cultures. As a result, different groups of the population were treated differently.
A further example of ethnocentrism is the fact that women in Pakistan typically observe the veil "pardah." As a result, we have been socialized to view free women in Western society as less than good and modest women. As a result, we despise Western culture because it has become the finest available culture to us as a result of our conditioning in Pakistani society. People also evaluate other religions from the standpoint of their own religious principles. Ethnocentrism is a term used to describe this mindset.
Ethnocentrism Meaning, Definition and examples
