When you encounter something new, you naturally start asking: What does this do? You might even lean toward how you already do things because it’s familiar even if the new way could turn out to be better.

My goal as an anthropological thinker is to learn how to observe unfamiliar cultures and situations without assuming my own perspective is the “correct” one. I want to understand people more respectfully and accurately by stepping back from my biases and pausing before judging.

we stated this unit with a in class activity for this week we’re given a phto of an object and had to figure out what it did without assuming.       our image⬇️

This exercise really showed me how quickly a single object can spark assumptions and how those assumptions can lead to misunderstanding. If one object can cause confusion, then studying an entire culture requires patience, open-mindedness, and careful observation.

 

we assumed  that this was some sort of fidget toy used to comfort because of its smooth shape. its used for cleaning your hands of garlic

My story so far:

In my previous project on Indigenous history and reconciliation, I reflected on how I’d been viewing history mostly through a European or government lens. I learned that the real story and the deeper meaning often lies in the voices we haven’t heard.

“The hardest part of this project was how unfamiliar it all felt at first, at times it was hard to keep going because every story revealed more pain.”

That experience taught me to listen first and learn from others, rather than assume I already know.

Going forward, I want to:

• Slow down and challenge my first impressions,
• Use observing, listening, interpreting as my first steps, and
• Build the habit of doing so not just in anthropology, but in everyday life.

By doing this, I hope to think more fairly and engage more deeply with the world around me.