Observations of a nacirema

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Observations of A Nacirema

Thoughts on American Culture, History, Society and Faith.

What is a Nacirema???

In 1956, a University of Michigan Anthropologist named Horace Miner wrote an essay about a mysterious tribe known as the ‘Nacirema’, a group that partook in strange cleansing and sleeping rituals. The catch was that ‘Nacirema’ is American spelled backwards and the article was a bit of a satire on American life back in the 1950’s. Not much has changed in the almost 70 years since Miner wrote that piece: we are a ridiculous people that behave in ways that are both great and grotesque each and every day. This is my perhaps futile attempt at offering some thoughts about our amazingly complicated nation and hopefully some encouragement as well because if there’s one thing that’s true about society, it’s always been messy.

Photos ‘Nacireman’ Places:

“The best friend of a nation is he who most faithfully rebukes her for her sins—and he her worst enemy who, under the specious . . . garb of patriotism seeks to excuse, palliate or defend them.” – Frederick Douglass