So for an assignment, I had to compare and contrast two elements of two different cultures. It was suggested I use this website, EveryCulture. Basically you can browse through listings of countries, or search for one in the upper right, to be taken to an encyclopedia-like page about that country. But instead of going into all sorts of details you don't really care much about, the pages talk exclusively about elements of that country's culture!
You can learn all sorts of neat things from just a brief skimming, like the way people eat food in X, gender roles in Y, and the economy of Z.
So get to reading, and share some of the neat little tidbits you've learned! Or, if you hail from a country that you don't think is well understood on Mene (e.g. non-Western), share some stuff off the top of your head!
One thing I learned is that banana ketchup is popular in the Philippines. My allergy aside, I just cannot imagine that being good. yanyan13: care to explain the appeal?
I think banana ketchup is popular here because its much moar sweet compared tomato ketchup. MUCH more, lol. I guess we like stuffing our fases with sweet stuff, ie. we got millians of diff kinds of rice cake here. (I prefer tomato ketchup though)
*lip points at jellysundae:* lip pointing is also a Filipino thing
Weirdo xD I didn't know banana ketchup was a thing, that sounds very perculiar I think mainly because of the use of the word "ketchup". If they used any other name than that we'd be less likely to make an immediate EW face xD
Ew that stuff sounds awful! DO you guys remember when they make ketchup green for a while? It tasted the same they just coloured it to make your food look gross hahah xD
I'm British myself but i'm not really picky with food (unless it's banana ketchup) so i like trying loads of different stuff!
*runs off to read some*
---------- Post added 12-10-2014 at 03:13 PM ----------
Italy has a lot of information, and there are of course similarities to England and US, especially where religious is concerned and living style, i think they'd be a good comparison to do, finding the little differences to a similar nation. And of course, they are Italian, and they do AWESOME FOOD!
I had the best lasagne ever in Italy. It honestly seemed like it was about a foot deep, but I was 10 at the time so I suspect that isn't an accurate memory. ><
I'm a cultural anthropologist, so I am constantly comparing/contrasting and critiquing other cultures, especially the American culture.
We tend to be, on the whole, a truly awful society :x
Hmm idk if this is what you want to hear about, if you're into more about the food and clothing side of culture, but Indian culture is kind of interesting when it comes to romantic love and sex. Love is a supposedly a sin, arranged marriage rules the day, there's moral policing (where couples are kidnapped and forced to marry because premarital anything is a big no), demonstrations to ban Valentine's Day, honour killings (parents killing their children when they fall in love, to preserve the family honour xD.)
I actually hate how sex is such a taboo here. It made me very confused. I had to learn about sex through whispered conversations with friends and ended up learning about oral sex, not intercourse. And I thought oral sex was the way to get kids. And then I learnt from others that you don't have to have sex to get pregnant because the sperm floats through the air and goes through the pores in cloth
And to top it my mom sat me down and told me sexual desire isn't natural. Thanks for making me feel like a pervert, mom. (But then my mom heard about one of our relatives who told her daughters that she'd suicide if they ever fell in love and said that was a very good way to ensure one's children didn't go 'wayward' )
Everyone says love isn't a part of our culture, it's a Western thing. Arranged marriages are right and love marriages are sin. Well that's because there was child marriage in the past, children were married off before their hormones could kick in and they had a chance to fall in love, before they could even understand what was happening to them and take a decision. That's why the question of love didn't arise.
Now child marriage is out of the picture, people are adults when they marry and there are like 70% more chances of them falling for someone. You can't do away with child marriage but still keep love at bay, according to me.
Also I don't believe that love isn't in our culture. All our ancient stories are chock full of romance. (Look at Krishna. And Shiva and Parvati. Heck they're Gods. If they're falling in love that must be the right thing to do ). Stuff got twisted up along the way. Even our traditions, many of them had a wealth of science behind them but because they were transmitted without giving the reasons people could interpret, twist and transmit them however they liked.
One more thing. We are the land where the Kamasutra, the ancient manuscript on 'The Art of Sex' giving 600 different positions for doing it was written by Aryabhata (known mostly for being a mathematician.) I just don't think this stuff should be taboo, people should be rational about it.
Stuff got twisted up! And I'm trapped because of it!
Ok sorry for ranting I wasn't exactly irrelevant though right?
Yan, you're going to need to explain lip pointing to me! Or rather, what sort of context it is used in since the name is pretty self explanatory.
I'm not entirely sure, but I had a coworker who did it in a way that reminded me of poking your tongue out at someone. It's like a directed/teasing pout.
Correct me if I'm wrong, yanyan13:
India's actually got an abundance of culture. If you wrote a project on it, it would probably take a hundred pages to properly explain it, at least.
Dandy, you have no idea what my mom had to say about this. One fine day, she sits my bro and me down for a "talk."
She says that we can fall in love if we want to. Then she says that she'll be very happy to get me married if the guy is from our subcaste. Then she says that she'll be happy to get me married if the guy's from our caste. Then she says that she'll be okay to get me married if the guy's from our religion. Then she says that she'll be sad, but still get me married if the guy's not from our religion.
HOW ON EARTH WAS I SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO THAT????
Last edited by CycloneKira; 12-12-2014 at 01:21 PM..
Parents >< Country/ethnicity/religion etc. matters not, they all want their kids to live their lives in a way that pleases them, the parents
Lip pointing is...pointing, with the lips. It's what Pinoys do rather than pointing with their hand. See here< Mikey gets to lip pointing quickly in this tutorial :)
I am seeing a guy from India.
His parents have arranged a marriage for him though...
He will be marrying her in Jan/Feb.
But he told me right off it was going to happen, so it wasn't unexpected.
We were very casual and not in love, but... I'll miss him :/
So is it considered rude to point with your fingers? Or is finger pointing just not a thing, rude or otherwise?
RE: India conversation - I don't want to impose my Western ideals on a culture I don't understand, but it does sound like the arranged marriage traditions are making people unhappy. That's unfortunate... Dandelioness, I hope you're able to get into a situation you can be happy within! I'm glad you've at least come to know that sexual desire is natural and okay. I'd say "screw your parents and do what you want!" but there's me inputting my Western ideals again - I understand that's not really as much of an option for you. But remember that you're the one who has to live your life, not anyone else. Thus it should be a life that makes you happy, not what pleases someone else. I hope you're able to get that.
I am curious, does this trend of loveless arranged marriages lead to much infidelity and extramarital affairs? I know I've read about some cultures in which arranged marriages were more like "business," as it was put, and that love was so far from part of the equation that not only were extramarital affairs common, they were expected. Like marriage was so removed from love that it was perfectly fine to still be dating someone you loved while married. Of course, you've said that love isn't really considered "real" and that sexual urges are seen as unnatural, so maybe this isn't something that happens in India. But I am curious - are affairs "a thing" there?
Cyclone Kira, it's great to hear you have such a supportive mother! Really the best thing a parent can do is offer unconditional love and support for their child in pursuing whatever it is makes them happy.
I've only ever really grown up around other Americans, and maybe some French. I know that the East coast is very family oriented--at least from what I've experienced--and everyone seems to know everyone else. On the West, you're kind of estranged from everyone, and everything is so...so casual.
So is it considered rude to point with your fingers? Or is finger pointing just not a thing, rude or otherwise?
RE: India conversation - I don't want to impose my Western ideals on a culture I don't understand, but it does sound like the arranged marriage traditions are making people unhappy. That's unfortunate... Dandelioness, I hope you're able to get into a situation you can be happy within! I'm glad you've at least come to know that sexual desire is natural and okay. I'd say "screw your parents and do what you want!" but there's me inputting my Western ideals again - I understand that's not really as much of an option for you. But remember that you're the one who has to live your life, not anyone else. Thus it should be a life that makes you happy, not what pleases someone else. I hope you're able to get that.
I am curious, does this trend of loveless arranged marriages lead to much infidelity and extramarital affairs? I know I've read about some cultures in which arranged marriages were more like "business," as it was put, and that love was so far from part of the equation that not only were extramarital affairs common, they were expected. Like marriage was so removed from love that it was perfectly fine to still be dating someone you loved while married. Of course, you've said that love isn't really considered "real" and that sexual urges are seen as unnatural, so maybe this isn't something that happens in India. But I am curious - are affairs "a thing" there?
Cyclone Kira, it's great to hear you have such a supportive mother! Really the best thing a parent can do is offer unconditional love and support for their child in pursuing whatever it is makes them happy.
Yeah she is supportive
And extramarital affairs are treated differently depending on the person. Some people deal with it like the rest of the world does: the cheated spouse gets mad and leaves or sues or whatever. Some people treat the cheater like an outcast or a criminal. Some people blame the person who's been cheated on and that person - especially if it's a woman - has to go through some ritual to "purify" herself.They're crazy really, some Indian customs.
---------- Post added 12-20-2014 at 09:06 PM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by jupiter
I've only ever really grown up around other Americans, and maybe some French. I know that the East coast is very family oriented--at least from what I've experienced--and everyone seems to know everyone else. On the West, you're kind of estranged from everyone, and everything is so...so casual.
Being family oriented had some advantages. If you've kept good relations with them, they can turn out to be a very strong support system
I think mainly because of the use of the word "ketchup". If they used any other name than that we'd be less likely to make an immediate EW face xD
I wasn't exactly irrelevant though right?
That's unfortunate... Dandelioness, I hope you're able to get into a situation you can be happy within! I'm glad you've at least come to know that sexual desire is natural and okay. I'd say "screw your parents and do what you want!" but there's me inputting my Western ideals again - I understand that's not really as much of an option for you. But remember that you're the one who has to live your life, not anyone else. Thus it should be a life that makes you happy, not what pleases someone else. I hope you're able to get that.
