In an
essay published in 1937, anthropologist Ralph Linton called attention to the interconnectedness
of the material resources and intellectual concepts on which people in the United States depend
in their ordinary daily lives. All these things and ideas "hold the unfortunate man in
thrall." To challenge the bases of fervent nationalism that Americans such as this
hypothetical average man espouse, Linton shows that he could not get through even one day
without foreign-made and foreign-derived items. That dependency includes the night as well, as
"pajamas" originated in India. Using a humorous tone, Linton acknowledges that most
Americans do not know, or at least pay little attention, to these multinational and
multicultural influences. He refers to the people who embrace these "un-American practices
. . . without realizing what is going on" as "unsuspecting patriots."
While Linton's essay focuses primarily on the material aspects of American life, it
also includes a number of important...
No comments:
Post a Comment