Ethnocentrism: we are the best Society is based on everyone's belief that their points of view, their culture, their ideas and their values are better than those of anyone else in the world. Regardless of where he comes from, a person is somehow ethnocentric. People may even be ethnocentric because they believe the country is better than any other country in the world. Some people think they can't connect to ethnocentrism, but the truth is, they can. If a person feels that their religion is the only absolute path to truth and eternal happiness, then they are ethnocentric. Understanding what ethnocentrism is and how it affects the world around us can explain the positive and negative aspects that ethnocentrism creates. By definition, ethnocentrism is “the tendency to look at other cultures through the eyes of one's own culture, and therefore to misrepresent them” (Giddens 72). Looking at another culture through your eyes means you are not recognizing the culture as a whole, but how it compares to your own. When comparing cultures, everyone in a specific culture will think that their culture is superior to any other culture. Even if one culture is actually better than another culture, people in the lower culture will still think they have the better culture than the rest of the world. Being ethnocentric allows people to take pride in their culture, but it also causes people to become closed-minded. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Being ethnocentric affects how people see the world around them. Every culture in the world can learn something from a different culture. There are always better and more efficient ways to do something. However, if people are ethnocentric, they cannot accept the idea that a different culture can improve their way of life. If one country constantly offends another country because its people are extremely ethnocentric, the other country will become more resistant to wanting to do business or trade with that country. Ethnocentrisms can influence growth within different societies and cultures, but people fail to recognize it. Just because a culture doesn't work for a certain group of people, doesn't mean it doesn't work for another group of people. Having a closed mind prevents people from recognizing the different diversity that each society has. Ethnocentrism also influences how people think other cultures can live in the same community. Every culture has something to offer to society and people need to start opening their eyes and accepting it. Although the idea of ethnocentrism is often viewed negatively, it has some positive effects on society. One thing that ethnocentrism encourages is patriotism. People will unite and unite simply because they love the nation. The more people who buy into this idea will allow more things to be done with the intention of what is best for the nation as a whole. “It provides protection to group members, creating a sense of belonging among them. Those members who are weak, poor, hopeless and helpless are encouraged by joining them. It means that it provides compensation to people of low status” (Fooraq). Having a sense of ethnocentrism allows people who don't normally interact to bond. Bonding with other people within a community allows a person to feel like they belong and have a sense of security. Another positive effect that comes from ethnocentrism is that no internal conflicts should arise. Everyone is on the same page about how things should be done, so don't, 15(3), 67-84.
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