OBJECTIVES:

In this module, you should read through my prezi on Ethnocentrism by clicking this hyperlink, watch an episode of An Idiot Abroad, and then submit a 1-page reflection on where you can find Karl being Ethnocentric into the Where is Karl Being Ethnocentric Paper dropbox.

ABOUT THE PREZI:

You should be able to simply read through the prezi without any problems. If for some reason your computer is not allowing you to view the prezi, remember at the bottom of the page you can click the blue hyperlink that says, “See full transcript” and you can read through the entire presentation without having to click through the prezi.

LECTURE NOTES:

When you read through the prezi, you shouldn’t simply assume “Ethnocentric people are not me…” because like the presentation states, everyone to some extend is ethnocentric (this exists on some type of scale or spectrum, of course). So the real question is, where and how do you put people into narrow categories and presuppositions, and how can you allow yourself to grow more emotionally and intellectually mature by challenging those narrow ideas within yourself?

While not required, if you want to watch extra material by a famous American scholar that has been at the forefront of race-relations for decades named Cornel West, you can click this hyperlink here to watch a speech he gave in 2004. But again this is not required.

AN IDIOT ABROAD:

“An Idiot Abroad is a British travel documentary comedy television series… created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and starring Karl Pilkington. The ongoing theme… is that Pilkington has no interest in global travel, so Merchant and Gervais make him travel while they stay in the United Kingdom and monitor his progress” (Wikipedia). An Idiot Abroad is a worldwide acclaimed series which is a hilarious example of someone with a small-minded and usually ethnocentric attitude who doesn’t like or even want to travel but is forced to travel the world. Comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant find Karl hilarious and hope that Karl will eventually learn something from the world and change his mindset.

The point of the show is that Karl IS ethnocentric, and as a viewer we can laugh at his perspectives. As an American the humor is something that some people have to take a few minutes adjusting to. Karl has the great luxury of seeing the wonders of the world — The Great Wall, the pyramids of Egypt, Mt. Fuji, EVERYTHING most of us would pay to go see, and yet Karl complains about almost everything! Once you get the hang of the face that Karl is going to complain about mostly everything, it becomes funnier and funnier.

AN IDIOT ABROAD ASSIGNMENT:

Watch an episode of An Idiot Abroad and write a 1-page reflection over all the ways you find Karl being ethnocentric. Also, include points where you find Karl’s insights culturally interesting. Often times, though he’s considered the “idiot” and he’s ethnocentric, he’ll say make some interesting points and ask some interesting questions. You can simply click on the hyperlink of An Idiot Abroad to watch an episode on YouTube. If you are already a fan of the show and/or want to watch a separate episode (because he travels all over the world), you are welcome to do so if you can find the episode to watch. But you must watch a full 45 minute episode, and watching clips is not allowed. This episode of An Idiot Abroad in the first episode and he travels to China and visits the Great Wall.

Submit your response into the Where is Karl Being Ethnocentric Paper dropbox.