THE SELF IN WESTERN AND

EASTERN THOUGHTS
 Objectives

At the end of this discussion, we are expected to:

• differentiate the concept of individualist and
collectivist cultures;
• distinguish the attitude towards life of two
differing cultures; and
• understand the concept of “Me” in Western and
Eastern perspectives.
 The Eastern world refers to the
nations in Asia and Middle East whereas
western world refers to Europe, Canada,
Australia, and America.
 WESTERN-INDIVIDUALIST

Western culture’s
perspective of self is
dominated by individualism
and self-reliance ( Dobrin,
2013: Jin)
 WESTERN-INDIVIDUALIST

• Show initiative or work well independently

• Individual uniqueness and self-determination is
valued
• Individuals are only responsible of themselves
• Does not seek to make everyone responsible for one
another
• Languages in which the word “I” is indispensable
 Individualist culture in relation to self:

Westerners construe self as

independent and separate from
other individuals, which is referred
to as independent self-construal.
Those who have independent self-
construal believe that the
cornerstone of society is the
individual, and the groups exist to
promote the individual’s well being
(Oysetman and Lee 2008).
 Western culture is
identified as an individualist
culture where the individual’s
uniqueness is important.
People are encouraged to
express their inner states, or
feelings, and to influence
other people.
 DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS
Western people live in space and they
tend to be individualist. They want to do
their task alone and prefer to be in fewer
companies. They train their children to be
independent, and as they age, they tend to
be seen walking with their pets in the park.
The West stands for materialism for they
are worldly-minded. They do not care for
any future life for they want to enjoy their
present life. The west is the home of
modern science and technology where
wonderful inventions had been made.
 CONCEPT OF “ME”
Western culture’s concept of
“ME” is in the here and now. They
speak straight forwardly and show
their point of view directly.
• I am special
• I am unique
• I am me
• I am an individual
• I am who I am
• I am a rational agent
• I am responsible for my own actions.
 EASTERN-COLLECTIVIST
The Eastern
culture’s
perspective is
collectivistic and
interdependent for
it emphasizes the
group as primary.
 EASTERN-COLLECTIVIST
• Motivated by the good of the group
• Relying on others
• Placing priority on the group rather than the
self
• Pay attention to the importance of family
• Languages in which the word “I” is avoided
• “We” consciousness
 Collectivist cultures in relation to self:
Easterners construe self as
fundamentally associated with a sense of
duty towards a group and interdependence
with others. This is called interdependent
self-construal. (S.E. Cross, et al 2011). In a
collectivist cultural atmosphere, the
individual has a desire for social harmony
and is determined by the norms or the
demands of the in-group, such as family or
close-knit community (Green; et al, 2005).
 Different Characteristics
Eastern cultures
value relationships
especially that of the
family, they remain
close to each other
through close family
ties.
 The east stands for
spiritualism; they care more
about the development of the
soul and the life after death
more than life in this world
and its physical comforts. The
east is the birthplace of some
religious teachers: Christ,
Buddha, and Gandhi.
 Concept of Me
The East concept of “ME” is
anchored on the reality of self-
liberation through discovering
the true “ME” rather than the
false “ME”. They tend to be
more submissive than
aggressive. They are
contemplative for they think
• I am part of my family.
• I am part of my community.
• I am part of my country.
• The goodness of the whole is more important
than the individual.
• My actions directly impact my family and my
community.
 SUMMARY
EASTERN WESTERN
• Asia and Middle East • Europe, Canada,
Australia, America
• Interdependent
• Self-dominated
• Collectivist
• Independent
• Individualist