"Americans, What’s Something The Rest Of The World Does That You Find Absurd?" (28 Answers)

An American thinking that paying for water in a restaurant is weird or putting potatoes on pizza is gross is a perfect example of ethnocentrism. This means they’re evaluating other countries from their culture’s point of view. They’re judging or making assumptions about the food of other countries based on their own norms, values, or beliefs. 

However, this can lead to negative judgments and discrimination against different cultures and people. To avoid this, cultural relativism suggests approaching unfamiliar ways of life without imposing their own bias on what is wrong, right, or normal. Instead, we should try to understand cultural practices in their own cultural context. 

As an alternative, one should ask, “Why do some cultures eat fried insects?” They might learn that they are full of protein in Mexico, are a famous part of the cuisine, and have been eaten for thousands of years as a healthy food source.

Appreciating one’s culture can be healthy, as it can result in a shared sense of community and connect people in a society. However, all cultures are beautiful in their own ways and shouldn’t be blindly criticized because of that.