As perspective moves from emic to etic descriptions, these human universals inevitably change. When an emic description of a ritual is presented, our perspective is accepting and understanding. They are easier to connect with, being that they’re from the same culture. But, with an etic description, one of another culture may view the ritual as “primitive” because of the superiority some groups believe they hold. Our long-held customs are challenged as we listen to someone from a different culture trying to explain our customs using their own language and concepts. It can sometimes distort the views of out customs and what we’ve believed in for so long and repeated day after day.
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