Nacirema
The Nacirema see this room in the house as sacred and use it daily for ritual cleansing.
What is the bathroom?
In America, this daily ritual involves using hog hairs and magical powders to cleanse the mouth.
What is brushing your teeth?
It's the B-word for prejudice!
What is Bias?
This technique uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize people or society
What is satire?
True or False: Everyone sees the world in exactly the same way.
What is False?
This is the real country where the Nacirema live.
What is the United States of America?
In American culture they're known as dentists, but in Nacirema culture they're known as these?
Who are holy-mouth-men?
Boy, Horace Miner got the Nacirema all wrong! Or did he? Anyway, he's supposed to be this... someone who studies human societies and culture!
What is an anthropologist?
This type of satire is light-hearted, witty, and meant to gently poke fun at human flaws.
What is Horatian satire?
This type of statement is based on facts and can be proven true or false, without personal opinions or emotions.
What is objective?
The term "holy-mouth-men" refers to these real-life professionals who pull teeth too.
Who are dentists?
The Nacirema keep a special box in their shrine room filled with magical potions prescribed by medicine men.
What is a medicine cabinet?
This term refers to the emotional or cultural meaning attached to a word, beyond its dictionary definition.
What is connotation?
This darker type of satire uses sarcasm and moral outrage to criticize corruption and societal evils.
What is Juvenalian satire?
S.S.S.T.T. helps us with our perception as we experience the world.
What is sight, sound, smell, taste and touch?
One of the main purposes of Miner's article is to highlight this aspect of how we view other cultures. Hey! There's a term for that!
What is ethnocentrism?
The “latipso” is the Nacirema’s term for this type of modern institution.
What is a hospital? (Latipso = "hospital" spelled backward.)
This principle holds that one culture should not be judged by the standards of another.
What is cultural relativism?
You should have sufficient information before casting judgment, opinions, or ideas about anything... if you don't have sufficient information, then you have this...
What is preconceived notion?
They say it's your point-of-view, or a particular attitude you have toward something...
What is perspective?
The Nacirema see themselves as this... I guess if we can't be beautiful then...
What is ugly?
In Nacirema culture, women bake their heads in small ovens as part of this beauty-related practice.
What is using a hairdryer at a salon?
They say, "He's a curious boy."
But then they say, "She's nosy."
Which is positive or negative?
Positive: What is he's a curious boy?
Negative: What is she's nosy?
This complex form of satire often blends humor, parody, and philosophy to critique mental attitudes or ideas, rather than individuals or institutions.
What is Menippean satire?
It's simple: the primary focus of the Nacirema culture, according to the article is what!? You should probably consider the title...
What is the human body and its health?