Week 5: Power and discourse; otherization, cultural assimilation, cultural stereotyping

When I began reading section A2.1 I found my viewpoints and explanations to be very similar to those of John’s.  If I had seen Mr. Smith listening to the radio in the car, or even having a car for that matter, I would automatically presume that he was not 100% dedicated or that he only behaved that way because he was alone and none of his family could see his actions.  I even noticed that I myself had a predetermined stereotype about a girl in one of my classes who regularly wears floor length skirts, covers her hair with a cloth and wears no makeup; whenever my teacher would ask a religion related question to the class I automatically looked to her to give a response.  Although I have never asked this fellow student’s background, I am embarrassed to have these ideas implanted in my head from the beginning because of the examples I have seen in movies and television.

Continuing with my reading of the Smith family, I did not understand how Mr. Smith could consider himself fully Amish if he indulged in some of the luxuries the outside world has until the book compared Mrs. Smith’s culture to being a woman and if she were to behave outside of this parameter that she would lose her femininity. Being only human, of course I occasionally burp out loud or spit on the sidewalk, both being unlady-like characteristics but that does not mean I must leave my subculture of being a woman.  That section slapped me right across the face and finally gave me the understanding that I needed to relate this to my own life and that although people may claim to be a part of one or numerous cultures, when behaving in some manners that don’t necessarily match the standard does not mean you must leave the group.

I think the idea of Othering is an extremely harmful behavior that most see as harmless or don’t even realize when they are doing it.  Although every person is capable of being categorized or categorizing others as well, it is an act we should all make a conscious effort to avoid in order for others to catch on and avoid it as well.