United States International University

COM1500 section I
Prof. Jefwa Mweri

Fall Semester 2008

Individual Assignment 2

Rubino de Rinck, Miriam ID 625746

Analysis of Surface behaviors and their deep surface values and
assumptions

1. Body Image in Western Cultures:

Surface behavior: Increasing interest in and practice of exercising activities and dieting to
promote a thin body figure. This follows fashion trends that promote unrealistically thin bodies
as models of beauty, not only of the physical body, but also of character traits. Men, women and
even children worry about their body sizes and engage in diverse programs to attempt to attain
these goals.
Beneath the surface value and assumptions: This phenomenon is not particular only of
American or European cultures, but has been seen in other cultures where capitalism is
entrenched as a value. Argentina, for example, has three times more cases of eating disorders -
caused by this belief- than the United States. (Nasser, M., Katzman, N., Gordon, R., 2001).
In a study for the newspaper “La Nacion” in 1996 (Nasser, M., Katzman, N., Gordon, R.) 45%
of Argentine women and 37% of men agreed to the statement: “You don’t exist if you can’t get
people’s attention by having a nice, perfect figure.”
Extreme dependence in physical attractiveness ideals as a reflection of one’s own personality
are the consequence of materialistic values that accompany the logics of capitalism and
consumerism, where the body, acting as merchandise, is regarded as infinitely malleable- by
exercising, the practice of bingeing and vomiting, by the use of cosmetic surgery, and the
consumption of slimming drugs -, and where an imperfect body reflects an imperfect self-
surveys conducted in some western cultures found that obesity or larger size figures were
associated with defects in character, such as laziness, being distrustful, lacking intelligence or
being ill. (Thompson, J., Heinberg, L., Altabe, M., Tantlef-Dunn, S., 1999 and Nasser et al.,
2001). Children and adults manifested feeling uncomfortable around and avoiding dealing with
people of large dimensions.

2. Surface Behavior: an apparent brush off the church in Argentinean society. Very few
Argentines do actually go to church (8% attend church more than once a week, and 20% only
once a month), most do not know what are the prescribed religious rituals to follow, or
disregard mandates such as those on contraception and premarital sex. People resent the Church
intervention in other aspects of social life. Regardless of this, Argentineans follow most other
religious commandments. This can be seen in the way people socially condemn adultery,
thieving and other acts seen as immoral as per the Catholic faith. These values had been
demonstrated through the expression of proverbs and songs in the local folklore.1

1
A more detailed discussion on this subject is found in Rubino de Rinck, M., Life Goes On, but Culture Remains
Here: Formation of values through Popular Culture in Argentina (2008)
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Discussion on deep values and assumptions: The Catholic Church institution presence and
importance is engrained in Argentinean society. A decrease in the perceived authority of the
Church has not produced a decrease in secularization. In a study by Gallup International in
2005, Argentines still proclaim themselves as Catholic in their majority (approximately 78 % of
population). The Church has pervaded in all areas of culture, to the extent that the State
provides the Roman Catholic Church with special privileges (as exemplified in the second
article of the constitution that reads “the Federal Government support the Apostolic Roman
Catholic Religion”), the payment of salaries to bishops and cardinals by the government, the
subsidizing of private schools affiliated with the Catholic Church (like the one the author of this
paper had attended to), and the statement in the constitution that proclaims that the president
must be Roman Catholic –this requirement was actually removed during constitutional reforms
in 1994-.
Regular attendance to church has been tied to ideological considerations: lower classes, the old
and uneducated attend more. In addition, the Church is associated with authoritarian
governments, by its implication with the military regime that committed so many atrocities
during the ‘Dirty War’ (not only the Armed forces have a special posts of Catholic chaplains,
that were used to help extract confessions during illegal detentions, but also had remained silent
about the abuses). So those that received higher education, enjoy a higher socio-economical
position or have a left-wing political view may distance themselves from the religious
institutions. But this does not imply that one distance oneself from the morals and beliefs
learned during enculturation. Churches ‘re-emerged’ as central social structures during
economic hard times and environmental disasters, and are still important during rites of passage
such as birth and marriage or the death of a family member; showing that during moments of
most cherished celebrations people turn to God, and during those of deep emotional anxiety
and stress, look for solace in the place they always know they can find it.

3. Surface Behavior: Self-reliance and independent behavior, and entrepreneurial spirit in

Argentina is seen through a free-market oriented economy, where government is democratic,
non-intrusive, and one finds deregulation of enterprises to promote fair competition. Most
Argentines dislike bureaucracies and regard them as inefficient mechanisms. Majority of
Argentines belong to a middle class that contribute to the economy through a variety of small-
to-medium scale enterprises.
Deep values and assumptions: Individualism. In the Argentinean case, this comes from
historical developments where, on one hand, you find the native gaucho culture, that was a
culture of doers, conquering the landscape, roaming free in the extensive Pampas, trying to
survive in the wilderness. On the other, the immigrants that arrived escaping from Spanish Civil
War and later as refugees from Second World War, that came with nothing, and found a land of
opportunities where all success depended on their hard work. Historically, Argentines had
rebelled against authoritarian governments and when socialist-oriented governments tried to
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intervene to regulate the market (as best seen during recent protests against the imposition of
export quotas in the agricultural sector under the government of Cristina Kirchner).

4. Surface behavior: avoid eating of foods that are not considered part of one’s own culture.
For example, in certain food insecurity situations, such as famines in Ethiopia, people had
refused to eat foods that were donated by international agencies -and could have saved their
lives- under the rationale that these were not of their taste, and sometimes on suspicion that the
foreigners may be trying to damage them by donating spoiled foods (conspiracy theories).
Deeper values and assumptions: some cultures operate under high uncertainty avoidance value
dimensions (as described by Hofstede). They resist change and see surface level expressions of
culture, such as a change in food habits, as a menace against their cultural identity. Normally
this type of cultures present xenophobic tendencies, and regard anything foreign with suspicion.
The values are stressed in achieving stability and permanence, and maintaining the status quo.

5. Surface Behavior: a government system of democracy (and strong opposition and resistance
to authoritarian rule), welfare programs for the unemployed, the use of uniforms in schools to
diminish differences, and low power distance in all aspects of social and economic life, as seen
from organizations –where employees have decision making powers, and bosses consult with
staff- to the domestic life -where the maid, who works in plain clothes similar to her boss, seats
to have lunch at the same table with the family that hired her and engage in friendly
conversation-
Deep values and assumptions: Values of Equality. Similarly to the United States, the
foundation of Argentina was modeled on the principles of the French Revolution, and principles
of equality and liberty are regarded as a primordial source of a person’s dignity.

6. Surface Behaviors: big budgets for education and research in Argentina that translates into
free education at all levels (primary, secondary and tertiary education), with the outcome of
several Nobel Prize laureates (including those in the areas of Physiology or Medicine in 1947
and 1984, and Chemistry in 1970). In addition, Argentines have an unmatched faith in the
science of Psychology as a way to improve oneself and one’s personal relationships. 2
Deep values and assumptions: Western Scientific and Technological Thought orientation that is
based on the dualism of mind and body. The application of Rational logic -that follows the
Greek philosophical thought- to everyday life is regarded as the proper way of behavior.
Seemingly irrational behavior or ideas are scorned and despised. Objectivity and facts are
valued. Science is viewed as a means to dominate and control nature, through its study and

2
It is famously noted with pride that Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires, boasts more per capita psychologists
than the city of New York.

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modification. In a same manner, the medical science can help control human behavior, in order
to improve ourselves.

7. Surface Behavior: large number of corruption cases in Kenya, that goes from the scandals
of government sales of property, to the non-inforcement of rules and regulations and the
favoritisms in educational settings, to the jumping of queues in offices and supermarkets, to the
recklessness of drivers on the roads, to the custom of asking for ‘kitu kidogo’ in order to
perform one’s duties, that permeates almost any transaction in this country.
Deep values and assumptions: When values are translated into attitudes and behaviors, they
form the personality of an individual, group or nation. (Rubino de Rinck, 2008). Following this
rationale, we can conclude that the deeper values of Kenyan culture are a total disregard of the
rules of law, and to a certain point to the individual’s life; apathy to values of fair play and
rebellion against injustice, that are the consequence of High Uncertainty Avoidance and High
Power distance systems, where the obstructionist mechanisms of the laws, the centralization of
power, the huge inequalities in power status and opportunities, and impunity that some
members of the society enjoy, act as propeller for people to try to advance themselves following
those same corruptive rules.

8. Surface Behavior: proliferation of cosmetic surgery, for non-reparative purposes in

Argentina. People also spend a good portion of their incomes in anti-ageing creams and
treatments.
Deep values and assumptions: a materialistic and consumer-oriented view where even our
bodies become a material possession in display. This belief stress the value of youthfulness and
fear of old age, because it associates signs of ageing with the end/ decline of social, romantic,
and economic life. As with our consumer goods, bodies are valued and appreciated when they
are new, but discarded for a new model after they show some signs of decay. There is more
concern with material possessions than with intellectual goals, and people judge themselves and
others on what they have. And status, youth or success can be bought with a simple trip to the
doctor’s operation room.

9. Surface Behavior: Some co-cultures in United States had cultivated a ‘loser’ culture. They
try to live a ‘carefree’ lifestyle in occupations that don’t have high status but afford leisure time.
The loser is the slacker, anti-establishment guy epitomized in the song ‘Loser’ by Beck (1994),
the one who ‘could not make it’, the one who does not care about brand names, the one who
‘hangs out’.
Deep values and assumptions: There is a rejection of the highly competitive, materialistic
values of the mainstream American society. The ‘loser’ system of beliefs stresses fair play,
solidarity, forgoing the luxuries afforded in more lucrative careers -and the status associated
with them- in order to point the detrimental consequences of the capitalistic consumer society.
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 This subculture gives representation to a large portion of the society that does not fit into or
cannot attain the ideals of the contemporary materialistic world– the nerds, the punks, the non-
white, the foreign, the unsophisticated, the obese- by glamorizing their status as rejects of
society.

10. Surface Behavior: in Argentina people like to talk and philosophize. Sitting in a coffee shop
for hours to try to analyze (and solve) the problems of humanity and the world is of Argentine’s
favorite pastimes. There is also the custom of doing ‘sobremesa’ (after-dinner talk) and
spending large amounts of time with family and friends discussing intimate issues concerning
all. During these occasions, children are encouraged to participate and express themselves.
Deep values and assumptions: deeper values of strong family ties and interpersonal
relationships are acted on these occasions. Quality of life, and intimate contact and exchange
are regarded as valuable expression of affection and unity within the family and the close
community.
Argentines also express low power distance, where everyone can express their opinions and be
taken into account.

Conclusions

Surface level culture, also called ‘artifacts’ of culture change over the time with passing trends
and outside influences, while more deeper aspects of cultures resist change as they are viewed
as constituting much of our identity.
As we could see in the case of Argentinean culture, deep cultural values such as the faith in
scientific thought, individualism and materialism have their roots in historical events, and
intermingle with seemingly opposing values such as religious beliefs and the prevalence of
strong family and relationship ties.
Finally, ideals of beauty could be normally located within the surface level of culture, not being
a fundamental part of our value systems, but currently, the Argentinean society is shifting to
include (constantly changing) ideals of beauty as part of deeper level/structure of culture,
beauty being paired to ‘perfection’, ‘success’, and a scale to measure personality traits.

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References

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Myers, L., The Deep Structure of Culture: Relevance of Traditional African Culture in Contemporary Life. Journal of
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Retrieved on: 20/10/2008.

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Rubino de Rinck, M., Class Notes from COM1500 lectures, Fall semester 2008, United States International University.
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th
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