Sociology Week 5

This week in sociology we discussed culture. We talked about ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, how language affects thoughts, and culture shock. Culture shock is when someone is really surprised at how a culture does something differently to theirs, we talked about how toilets are different in many countries. In some, it's simply just a hole in the floor and in order to "go" you have to squat down. It was interesting to me to hear this, because I've been exposed to it. That's how some of the toilets still are in India, where I visit often. However, I definitely experienced culture shock the first time I had encountered one when I was little. I remember how happy we were when my relatives all got Western Style toilets in their homes. It kind of bothers me now to think back on that, because it shows how we thought our way was superior to theirs (ethnocentrism).

The biggest culture shock I've experienced through my travels to India was last year, when we went to my relatives' house for dinner. Over there it's not uncommon at all to have maids coming to clean everything (mopping, dusting, etc.), do laundry, cook, and whatever else the family needs everyday. It's not really a luxury like it is here, it's seen as more of a necessity. So I was already used to that, but when I went to this relative's house, their "servant" (I don't like using that word, but that's what they use) was only 14 years old. I was 16. It was the weirdest feeling to have someone younger than me serving me my dinner. She went to school, then came to clean and serve at my relatives' house, then went home to her hut and studied and slept. This was major culture shock because over here in America someone that young would never be someone's maid/servant. Child labor like that is not okay here, and I definitely felt extremely uncomfortable and couldn't help but question the morals of my relatives- even though it isn't really a reflection on them at all because that's completely normal there. It reminded me of the article we read in class about that woman leaving her baby outside a restaurant in NYC while she ate. Over here we assume she has very bad morals, but it's okay to do that in her country.