Reducing Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the tendency to see others and their beh

Question

Reducing Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to see others and their behaviors through our own cultural filters. In most cases, the resulting attitude is "our way is good; your way is ignorant or bad." Tell about a time when you yourself or someone you witnessed expressed an attitude of ethnocentrism. How would you handle such expressions differently after your study here? Please interact with the experiences and thoughts of at least one other student. Have the courage to admit ways the other student might have influenced your own thinking.

Explanation / Answer

Ethnocentrism is a main culprit for divisions amongst members of different ethnicities, races, and religious groups in society. Ethnocentrism is the belief of superiority is one's personal ethnic group, but it can also develop from racial or religious differences.

Ethnocentric people believe that they are better than other individuals for reasons based solely on their heritage.

Whereas several individuals may recognize the problems, they may not realize that ethnocentrism takes place everywhere and everyday at both the local and political levels

Example in literature-

The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare portrays an intense disagreement between the Jew, Shylock, and the Christian, Antonio. Antonio always scorns Shylock for being a Jew,

which leads to one of the most popular speeches of all time where Shylock asks:

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? ---------------"

Ethnocentrism is a powerful force that weakens human relations. Shylock's point is that inspite of cultural differences, we are all human. There is no intrinsic difference between a Jew and a Christian, a black and a white, a Chinese citizen and a German citizen, and so on.

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