Ethnocentrism

     Why must cultures think that their people are better than the people in other cultures? From centuries ago, many people (and cultures) around the globe have had ethnocentric tendencies. Ethnocentrism is, as stated in the Webster Dictionary, “Characterized by or based on the attitude that one's own group is superior”. In this theory, things quickly turn into “us” and “them” situations. Groups and societies are compared to each other in unjust ways; this places groups of people with titles such as savage, barbaric, uncivilized on the lower end of the spectrum and civilized, and proper.

     While many anthropologists in the past have studied aspects of ethnocentrism, it can be found in many cases in history books. With colonization, countries like Britain, and France had control over lands far away from the base country. With this control, politics, medical, social, and economic factors were forced upon the territories that were being colonized. The territories that were being inhabited were viewed as having less culture (which is a matter of opinion).

     A modern approach to this theory can be found in the way that more “powerful” nations and countries are going to what is viewed as “third world” countries. Anthropologists might ask, Why does this society keep these old traditions?, and What is it that allows this society to remain orderly and harmonious to their standards?. One example is moving companies overseas, this is an economically smart move for the company; at the same time it makes the native people of that land look like they are lesser civilized (it provides jobs for people of that area, but these jobs aren't the natural and traditional jobs of the people that have been there over time). A political aspect on modern ethnocentrism could be found over in the Middle East. While the people that live there have their own systems of how things work, democratic views are still being pushed there to try to make life easier and more modern. While the culture in this region was not harmonious in recent years, trying to push a different or “better” view/system makes this an ethnocentric example.

     Different nations have alternate views on what works as orderly, and harmonious in their environment. Change is not always the answer, even when one person might be thinking they are helping the nation out by influencing their views onto the more “primitive” nation. Only the people that have grown up in that society can fully understand the workings, and what make it tick. Anthropologists emerge themselves in these societies to try to understand more about the people, while economists and political figures do not always (and thus can not always make the right choices). By understanding what ethnocentrism is, it is easier to know that it is better to not be judgmental, and allow each society to thrive on the traditions that it has kept, and allow the society to advance in its own ways. This does not mean that anthropologists should not continue to ask questions though!