Personal Ethnography Analysis

When looking at the definition of folkway - a mode of thinking, feeling, or acting common to a given group of people or unspoken rules of society that guide our behavior every day – I immediately began to think about the many differences of the variation of people with which I work. I work in a medical office with 10 other females and 3 males. We have varying ages, religions, races, and vary in personalities drastically. For the most part, we are very close and all get along very well considering these vast differences. I consider myself an open book and I am very strong-willed and vocal. I am not easily offended by “lapses” in social graces. This is not the case for several of my co-workers. The one whom I sit directly next too and am probably the closest too is very easily offended by the use of swear words and devoutly religious. …show more content…
I know that this is unacceptable to her. We do not make a habit of using swear words at work. There is no written rule that this is unacceptable within the confines of our personal desk; however, it is unspoken between our staff. I waited for the premier time to utilize this **** word. During a time she has flustered already and with aggravation, I let the word slip within a normal conversation. Her reaction was exactly as I expected. She stopped, looked cross-eyed at me – in a look of shock and disgust, and immediately walked away, even to the pace of a stomp, into the bathroom. I waited for her to come out of the bathroom and she did not for several