Ethnocentrism is the conviction that certain things are true, that one’s culture is superior to others, that one’s culture is more deserving of respect, or that one’s culture is at the heart of everything. It evaluates one’s culture in the light of the others’ own culture. Ethnocentrism is a natural protective response, but it has the potential to cause great harm (Keith 2019). Because it is a sort of bias rather than a set of beliefs, it calls into question long-held beliefs about the scope, danger, and avoidance of ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism covers different aspects such as food preferences, education systems, dress code, colors and language, segregation of blacks and whites. It arises due to growing up in different environments, which results in different lifestyles.
I interviewed people from different cultures and noted considerable differences in their cultural beliefs and how each thinks theirs is correct and superior. We spoke about eating utensils, for instance. Chopsticks are used for eating in many Asian countries. In the west, meals are mostly eaten with knives, spoons, and forks. Both methods are effective since they accomplish the intended mission; hence, neither is superior to the other. Many Asians are suspicious of individuals who eat with miniature pitchforks, while many Westerners regard chopsticks as a relic of the past. In Zambia, Africa, red is a typical funeral color, while it is a wedding color in traditional China. Some African communities feel that female circumcision is right. Some cultures have no issue with a woman exposing her breasts in public, while for others, it is unacceptable.
In my culture, homosexuality is not acceptable. We discourage same-sex relationships because it is believed to be evil. After marriage, in my culture, the woman is expected to go and reside with the man’s family and not the other way round. In terms of religion, we worship God, unlike other communities who believe in honoring animals. In addition, we strongly believe in gender equality, and both men and women are considered to be breadwinners. Foods to be eaten should be organic, for instance, vegetables and herbs. We also take meat from domesticated animals and fish. Snails, crabs, rats are delicacies unacceptable in my community.
It is unfair to judge others by what I have been taught as correct in mine. We should avoid upsetting people from other cultures since they, like their friends and family, believe in a set of values and principles. It is unkind to tell them they are wrong, and it undermines their entire community. It’s exciting and fun to learn about diverse cultures. It’s fascinating to learn what another person thinks about something you believe. You may also learn new and valuable ideas, new languages or new ways to cook food or make clothes.
Diversity is necessary for a thriving society and country. When making decisions, I will always consider the different cultural beliefs to avoid being ethnocentric. My cultural views should not dominate the opinions of others. I will always seek to understand what others feel about a given issue thus incorporate it in decision making. I will be sensitive to the cultural tendencies of others while remaining true to my own cultural identity.
In conclusion, varied perspectives of life can spark debate and result in a wide range of art, beliefs, and people. Disregarding other people’s views and regarding your ideas as what stands is very selfish and disrespectful. We ought to consider other people’s feelings and stop thinking that our culture is the superior one. Cultural misinterpretations and generalizations are destructive to human relationships. We ought to embrace different environments and lifestyles because everything is relative.
References
Keith, K. D. (2019). Ethnocentrism: Seeing the world from where we stand. Cross‐Cultural Psychology: Contemporary Themes and Perspectives, 23-38.
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