Nacirema culture’s devotion to the holy-mouth men is among the strange parts of this essay. The Nacirema think that if they do not visit the holy-mouth men, their mouths will bleed, and their teeth will deteriorate, making them social outcasts in their communities (Miner, 1956). Their beauty standards are so high that the health of their gums determines their attractiveness. The Nacirema maintain their mouths by sweeping them with hog hairs daily, as directed by the holy mouth men. This practice is weird because it is hard to understand why they could possess such beliefs, whereas highly skilled dentists are available.
Another strange part is the lati pso, a mystical shrine where ‘one goes to die’ is a fascinating component of Miner’s story. The sick are taken to the lati pso, where they are disemboweled and aided by vestal maidens. Their excrement is collected in containers and then used to diagnose the illness. The rites conducted there may not treat patients and might kill them. However, the lati pso medicine men continue to be trusted by the Nacirema people. It is weird how the inhabitants of Nacirema could trust people who perform rites that might kill them.
People’s cultural worldview indeed influences their perception of other cultures. People are deeply engrossed in culture, which is understandable in some circumstances. Individuals are so accustomed to the concept that they never have the slightest inclination to question its reality. People are skewed and believe that their culture is unquestionably the best. They become so enamored with their culture that they think their way of doing things should be the same for all cultures. People believe that everything in their culture is generally correct and that if another culture accomplishes the same thing in reverse, it is unusual and strange.
Reading the Nacirema essay encourages students to understand the strong links between language and culture and how much of their culture is ingrained in the terms they use every day. It encourages students to think about how they may learn a new culture from the outside while comprehending their own culture. According to the article, there is no single objective standpoint from which to assess cultures, and each culture should be examined and examined from the stance of the natives (Miner, 1956). This article is essential to its readers because it illustrates the challenge of ethnographic representation.
The idea of being part of the Nacirema community is horrifying. I would not want to be a member of the Nacirema tribe after reading Miner’s Body Ritual among the Nacirema (Miner, 1956). One major reason is that I can never wish for a transition from my Christian religion to the Nacirema’s religious rituals. I could not want to be a part of the community because I would never be exposed to the heinous healthcare practices and mystic potions that every tribe member undergoes.
My conception of the sociological imagination entails detaching oneself from one’s problems and looking at them in the context of a larger society dealing with similar problems. It takes a step back from a familiar situation and sees it from a different perspective while keeping an open mind. Since I occasionally feel trapped in my own life, I agree with Mills’ viewpoint on personal problems and general issues. Mill demonstrates the relevance of unique values in society and how they must be defined by how they make someone feel. When one studies their history, it is easy to understand how the sociological imagination has been employed, as prior events have mostly followed the same pattern.
These historical facts shaped society as a whole and each person inside it. History, according to Mills, is an essential component of social imagination (Mills, 2019). It allows a person to evaluate their current circumstance to that of others based on their prior experiences. Mills contends that someone can genuinely comprehend themselves if they understand their surroundings. The condition of an individual’s values is inextricably linked to their current situation. When people’s ideas are not endangered, they feel at ease. This condition is attributable to the reality that they may have nothing to be concerned about and may go about their business as usual. When the contrary occurs and the individual’s values are threatened, the individual goes through a crisis.
Even though it may appear contradictory, Mills managed to wholly and thoroughly explain the concept. Understanding social position, values, problems, and difficulties, allows one to comprehend the sociological imagination completely. Knowing where an individual sits in their community, or, in a broader sense, in history, is known as social position. Individuals’ societal norms are the ideals that they treasure, and when they are threatened, they have distinct experiences within themselves. Overall, I suppose Mill’s Sociological Imagination is a fascinating concept that learners may investigate to spark new ideas.
Eating disorders are personal problems that might result from loss of control, reduced self-confidence, or other issues. The female beauty standard stresses a slim figure. If this societal standard did not exist, there would be fewer eating disorders among American women. Because this norm exists, others will take their place while each girl or woman with an eating disorder is healed unless we can change it. When seen from this perspective, eating disorders are better defined as a public concern. The massive surge of diet plans, weight reduction books, weight loss fitness equipment, weight loss medicines, and weight reduction program centers promoted by the media leads to a rise in eating disorders. As a result, even those women who do not have to reduce weight are pressured to do so.
The sociological imagination links personal struggles and more severe social problems. In other terms, this mindset allows people to identify the link between their individual opinions and the bigger context in which it occurs. Many individuals assume they perceive the universe and the occasions that transpire within it, although they have not tried to comprehend the social world as sociologists do. This issue makes it very difficult to escape personal trouble that is a public issue. This difficulty is because whenever one wants to run, they will face esteem issues due to how the public will view them.
References
Mills, K. (2019). C. Wright Mills through his letters – His time in Innsbruck and the making of the sociological imagination. Österreichische Zeitschrift Für Politikwissenschaft, 47(4), 61. Web.
Miner, H. (1956). Body ritual among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, 58(3), 503-507. Web.