Ethnocentrism vs Ethnorelativism
When I start a long trip, facing a very different culture than mine, I am aware I will have to watch out not being ethnocentric.
I have been visiting many other places before, but this time I would still say it is again a new start, so what has changed? My age? My job? My condition? Maybe. And what if the greatest thing that has changed was my perspective?
I know I’m used to travel around never believing where I come from is best, nonetheless I notice I sometimes end up thinking: “why do they drive at this speed?”, “How can I get wi-fi here ?” And, I admit: “Italian cappuccino is really the best!” I know. Didn’t I say I was aware of ethnocentrism?
So, we read, talk, share more than ever before on this topic and awareness surely has risen; still.. habits, behaviours, autopilot thoughts must be/ need to be trained.
Ethnocentrism is defined as a person’s use of a frame of reference that keeps them from accepting the viability of other cultural frames of reference. The acceptance of the viability of other cultural frames of reference is defined as ethnorelativism.
Ethnorelativism is a belief based on deep and heart-felt respect for other cultures that all groups, cultures, or subcultures are inherently equal.
Ethnocentrism compares other cultures by using a group’s specific culture as the basis of that comparison, believing theirs to be superior and the standard (my standard being the Italian cappuccino!) to be used in comparison to other cultures. Cultural relativism, on the other hand, states that a person’s beliefs and practices should be understood based on that person’s own culture.
In other words, cultural relativism is a way of dealing with the variability and multiplicity of customs, cultures, languages, societies.
Back to my current trip, how could I not be ethnocentric as I am about to start this new journey? How can I not compare? Aren’t we all looking through some lenses? Yes, though what I believe I can do is to put this reflection into practice and raise my awareness. How? Start amid the people of this new culture, being with the locals and not because it is convenient -it surely is- but because living every unusual event with open mind and curiosity will bring you to the next step: questioning your assumptions, sharing perspectives and starting to understand and learn from each other.
I mentioned that people practices, behaviours and beliefs are best understood based on their own culture, right? So let’s be open and embrace diversity and change!
