He means ethnography, not anthropology. To notice that a bunch of backpackers sit on the steps is ethnography. To study an entire culture's way of life is anthropology.
Moreover, the argument is crap. It's a true statement at face value, but what he says is not really what he means, and his supporting observations don't actually support the statement.
This is the same guy who wrote about how design is just decoration, and drew a comparison to the flowery bits on NYC brownstones to prove it -- the architect wouldn't bother with the flowery bits, he'd pay some menial laborer to just stick shit on there. (I don't even believe that assertion, but it's a very poor supportive argument.)
Moreover, the argument is crap. It's a true statement at face value, but what he says is not really what he means, and his supporting observations don't actually support the statement.
This is the same guy who wrote about how design is just decoration, and drew a comparison to the flowery bits on NYC brownstones to prove it -- the architect wouldn't bother with the flowery bits, he'd pay some menial laborer to just stick shit on there. (I don't even believe that assertion, but it's a very poor supportive argument.)
Sigh.