Cultural Perceptions and Reality

Cultural Perceptions and Reality

(Cultural Perceptions and Reality)

Anthropology essay.

Here is our first discussion question. Choose ONE of the options below to respond to and please indicate which option you have chosen in your response.

1. Using the story Rosaldo tells about how the Ilongots reacted to his Vietnam War draft notice, discuss how the concept of “mental maps of reality” in Guest p. 38-40 relates to ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.

OR

2. Interpret the following quotation from the Rosaldo article: “In Java, Geertz tells us, they have a saying: ‘The person is not yet human.’ But the way they say it is: ‘The person is not yet Javanese.'” How does this quotation relate to the concept of culture employed by anthropologists? Hint: Look up the concept of culture in Guest before answering this question, particularly the role anthropologists believe culture plays in shaping us as individuals and as a species.

The Rosaldo’s readings is link:https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethica…

I don’t have the Guest book yet, Guest’s Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age so far, sorry about that and please make some search.so for the Guest part, please make some google research, so sorry about that, need a clear citation also at the end of the essay.

 

Option 1: Analyzing Rosaldo’s Vietnam War Draft Notice through “Mental Maps of Reality,” Ethnocentrism, and Cultural Relativism

In his narrative “Of Headhunters and Soldiers,” anthropologist Renato Rosaldo recounts an incident where he received a draft notice during the Vietnam War while living among the Ilongot people in the Philippines. Sharing this distressing news with his Ilongot hosts, Rosaldo observed their reactions, which were shaped by their own cultural frameworks and understandings of conflict and duty.

This scenario provides a lens to examine the concept of “mental maps of reality,” as discussed in Kenneth J. Guest’s Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age. Mental maps of reality refer to the cognitive frameworks that individuals use to interpret and navigate the world around them. These maps are deeply influenced by one’s culture, encompassing beliefs, values, and experiences that shape perceptions of reality.

The Ilongot’s reaction to Rosaldo’s draft notice can be understood through their unique mental map of reality. Their cultural context, which includes distinct beliefs about warfare, honor, and societal roles, informed their interpretation of Rosaldo’s situation. This contrasts with Rosaldo’s own mental map, shaped by Western perspectives on conscription, war, and individual agency.

Ethnocentrism, the tendency to view one’s own culture as superior and to judge other cultures by one’s own standards, can hinder understanding in such cross-cultural interactions. If Rosaldo had interpreted the Ilongot’s reactions solely through his own cultural lens, he might have misjudged or misunderstood their perspectives. Conversely, the Ilongot might have found Rosaldo’s concerns puzzling if assessed solely through their cultural norms.

Cultural relativism offers a counterbalance to ethnocentrism. It is the principle of understanding another culture based on its own standards and values, without imposing one’s own cultural biases. By adopting a culturally relativistic approach, Rosaldo could appreciate the Ilongot’s reactions within the context of their own mental maps of reality, leading to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of their worldview.

In summary, Rosaldo’s experience with the Ilongot during the Vietnam War draft highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting differing mental maps of reality. It underscores the need to move beyond ethnocentric judgments and embrace cultural relativism to truly understand and appreciate the diverse ways in which cultures interpret and engage with the world.

References:

Guest, Kenneth J. Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age. W.W. Norton & Company.

Rosaldo, Renato. “Of Headhunters and Soldiers.” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

 

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