MODULE 1 LESSON 4:

The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts

o The Flow of Conciousness
INDIVIDUALISM VS COLLECTIVISM ➢ Anatta (no-self) – a conviction that no
words can define the essence of this
WESTERN CONCEPTION = INDIVIDUALISTIC present moment of existence
➢ Individualism
- independence and self-reliance of CONFUCIANISM
an individual ➢ Confucius
- has self, is an individual, is a person ➢ individual as member of a larger whole
- personality traits and ➢ Five Cardinal Relationships or Five
characteristics Bonds:
➢ Individualistic cultures – promoting the o The King and His Subject
individual and the immediate family’s o Father and Son
welfare o Husband and Wife
o Between Brothers
➢ free from the influence of culture and o Between Sisters
environment and from expectations ❖ Relational Self - defined by
and welfare of society membership in the reference
➢ uniqueness of every individual group to which one belongs
➢ egoism or self-orientedness ❖ Subdued Self – condition to
respond to perceptions out of
EASTERN CONCEPTION = COLLECTIVISTIC social requirements and
➢ Collectivism obligations
- belongingness to larger groups or ➢ To subdue oneself means to practice
collectives Ren – human-heartedness, hallmark of
- “many selves” Confucian ethics
- Social relationships and roles
➢ Collectivistic cultures – loyalty to the in- TAOISM
group, takes care of the individual ➢ living with harmony with tao (way or
welfare path – core concept of Taoist beliefs)
➢ religion and philosophy
➢ prioritizes the needs and goals of ➢ expression of the unity of the universe
society and of the path
➢ others-oriented ➢ life force that surrounds and flows all
living and non-living things, and that
balances, orders, unifies, and connects
THE SELF IN FOUR GREAT SYSTEMS OF
them
EASTERN THOUGHT ➢ human body = miniature of the
BUDDHISM universe, extension of the cosmos
➢ there is no such thing as the Atman
(self) HINDUISM
➢ everything is just an illusion; what is ➢ written in the Upanishads (Story of
perceived by one’s sense becomes Creation)
one’s reality o Purusha – a person in the
➢ refutes the idea of an enduring self beginning of creation
➢ human being is a product of 5 ➢ Atman is one with Brahman (absolute,
changing processes: transcendental power)
o Physical Body - indicates a true self which underlies
o Feelings one’s existence
o Perceptions
o Responses