America as an Outlier

In America, we are used to being able to go to the supermarket whenever we want, even at two in the morning. Now we can even go to the gym and workout at any time of the day. These common practicalities are in stark contrast to the cuture in Europe, specifically Germany. In Germany, as of a few years ago it was illegal to open a store on Sunday, after four on Saturday, or after eight on and week day. These laws would have Americans mind boggles while in Germany it is the norm. Every culture has its norms, and as a result of these norms we often times feel ethnocentric. Ethnocentrism is the feeling of something being odd or abnormal. For example, when I see what some Southeastern European people buy at my work, it seems very odd to me. They will buy five bushels of tomatoes, or large quantities of other kinds of produce, and in my head I say, what could they possibly be doing with so many tomatoes, I could never use that many, but that is becasue I am ethnocentric and I dont undersant that culture very well. Other examples would be the way people dress or the language that they use. Cultural norms are very influential in our lives and influence many of the decisions that we make.