LESSON 4 – The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts
CONCEPT OF SELF
In this lesson, we will look at religious beliefs
and political philosophies that greatly
influenced the mindset of each nation or
culture.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE SELF
Confucianism
Taoism
Buddhism
CONFUCIANISM – Confucianism can be seen as a CODE
OF ETHICAL CONDUCT of how one should
properly act according to their relationship with
other people.
It also focused on having a harmonious social
life. Therefore, the identity and self-concept of
the individual are interwoven with identity and
status of his/her community or culture, sharing
as well as its failures (Ho 1995).
SELF CULTIVATION – is seen as the ULTIMATE PURPOSE
OF LIFE but the characteristics of a CHUN-TZU –
a man of virtue or noble character, is still
embedded in his social relationships (Ho 1995).
THE CULTIVATION SELF OF CONFUCIANISM – is what
some scholars call a “subdued self” wherein
personal needs are repressed (subdued) for the
good of many, making Confucian society also
hierarchical for the purpose of maintaining
order and balance (Ho 1995).
TAOISM – the second Philosophy. It is the living in the
way of the Tao or the Universe. However,
Taoism rejects having one definition of what the
Tao is and one can only state clues of what it is
as they adopt a free-flowing, relative, unitary,
as well as paradoxical view of almost
everything.
Taoism rejects the hierarchy and strictness
brought by Confucianism and would prefer a
simple lifestyle and its teachings thus aim to
describe how to attain that life (Ho 1995).
SELF – is not just an extension of the family or the
community, it is part of the universe, one of the
forms and manifestations of the Tao (Ho 1995).
THE IDEAL SELF IS SELFLESSNESS but this is not
forgetting about the self, it is living a balanced
life with society and nature being open and
accepting to change, forgetting about
prejudices and egocentric ideas and thinking
about equality as well as complementary
among human beings (Ho 1995).
BUDDHISM – it explains the Self is seen as an illusion
born out of ignorance, of trying to hold and
control things, or human-centered needs, thus,
the self is also the source of all these sufferings
(Ho 1995). It is therefore the quest to forget
about the self, forget the cravings of the self,
break the attachments you have with the world.
Thus self or the individual is not focus of the
aforementioned Asian or Eastern Philosophies
or beliefs.
Confucianism and Taoism will situate the self within a
bigger context. In striving a better person, one
does not create a self above other people or
nature but a self that is beneficial to his
community as well as in harmony with
everything else.
WESTERN BELIEFS
The Western thoughts looks at the world in dualities
wherein you are distinct from the other person,
the creator is separate from the object he
created, in which the self is distinguished and
acknowledged (Wolter 2012). On the other
hand, the Eastern perspective sees the other
person as part of yourself as well as the things
you may create, a drama in which everyone is
interconnected with their specific roles (Wolter
2012).
Gleithman, Gross and Reisberg - Evaluation of
the self also differs as Americans would
highlight their personal achievements while
Asians would rather keep a low profile as
promoting the self can be seen as boastfulness
that disrupts social relationships.
The Western Culture is what we would call an
individual culture since their focus on the
person. Asian Culture, on the other hand, is
called a collectivistic culture as the group and
social relations that is given more importance
than individual needs and wants.
Eastern or oriental person look after the
welfare of their groups and values cooperation.
The would also be more compromising and they
tend to go around the bush in explaining,
hoping that the other person would “feel what
they really want to say (Qingxue 2003).
Westerners also emphasizes more on the value
of equality even if they see that the individual
can rise above anything else.
In case of the Philippines, we can also consider
the colonization experience for difference and
similarities with our Asian Neighbors.