Nacirema Culture and Modern Society

Feb 01 2008

Posted by: 阿偉 in Culture

Fifty-two years ago, the anthropologist Horace Miner gave us some insight into the nature of the Nacirema in a ground-breaking article Body Ritual Among the Nacirema. This was the first extant observation of the culture from an anthropological perspective. Then, about thirty years ago, Neil B. Thompson continued that work by writing on the Elibomotua cult and environmental modification in the magazine Natural History. In describing the fall of this mysterious culture, the latter also described the ‘ritual’ architecture of these people in the following passage:

“Trees, if in large enough numbers and size to influence the appearance of the landscape, were removed. In treeless regions, hills were leveled and large holes were dug and partially filled with water. In a few areas the Nacirema imported structural steel with which they erected tall, sculpturesque towers. Some of these towers were arranged in series, making long lines that extended beyond the horizon, and were linked by several cables running through the air. Others, particularly in the northern fringe area, were erected in no discernible geometric pattern and were connected by hollow pipes laid on the surface of the earth.”

Today, many students of anthropology are familiar with the Nacirema through such work. For those who are unfamiliar with Nacirema culture, I strongly encourage them to peruse the links provided above.

After reading, it is obvious that the “Nacirema” articles satirize American culture. In any case, satire or not, the “Nacirema” articles can be considered a window into the status of modern culture in the West. While, in technlogical terms, the West is no longer primitive, we can use the insight of Miner and Thompson as a valuable critique of modernity. Overall, one can extend the framework already in existance to explaining the cult symbols of “democracy” and “liberalism”, as well as other social phenomena of popular culture. By doing this, we obtain a valuable ideological yardstick for generating an accurate picture of modern America.

Thompson’s work on enviornmental modification is also interesting given the nature of post-modern industrial society. While industrialized nations allow people to live in relative comfort, those nations are also suffering from true environmental problems. Solutions to such problems have been discussed by such theorists as Pentti Linkola.

While one should always frown upon certain relativisms in cultural and racial anthropology, such satire also begs the question of what far more advanced civilizations, or perhaps even Ancient civilizations might view the American culture as. Certainly, the ancients, who valued spiritual virility, superior moral order, and ritual propriety could regard today’s society as obstinate and barely civilized by such standards.

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One Response to “Nacirema Culture and Modern Society”

1
Andrew Y Says:
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Advances in culture or society in whole doesn’t necessarily mean an advancement of the moral code. Moral codes are built in, but rarely do they change because of the development of infrastructure, or technology.

The America today has no cause but to fight terrorism without understanding the social mishaps that has plagued the country for years now. Hopefully, people will start to address the issues of American virtues and moralistic understandings.
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