UTS MODULE 1 - EASTERN VS WESTERN: COLLECTIVISM VS INDIVIDUALISM

Edward T. Hall

The one who said “One of the most effective ways to learn about oneself is by taking seriously the cultures of others. It forces you to pay attention to those details of life to which differentiate them for you”

Confucianism

can be seen as a code of ethical conduct of how one should properly act according to their relationship with other people. it is focused on having a harmonious social life. Therefore, the identity and self-concept of the individual are interwoven with the identity and status of his or her community and culture, sharing its pride as well as its failures.

Self-cultivation

the ultimate purpose of life but the characteristic of a chun-tzu is still embedded in his social relationships

a man of virtue or noble character

What does chun-tzu mean?

Subdued self

The cultivated self in Confucianism is what some scholars call a ______ wherein personal needs are repressed (subdued) for the good of many, making Confucian society also hierarchical for the purpose of maintaining order and balance in society

hierarchical

What kind of Society is the Confucian Society for the purpose of maintaining order and balance in society?

551 BC

The year Confucius was born

Minister of Crime

The role that Confucius served as during his government service

Duke Ding

Who is the ruler who Confucius served?

Analects or Lunyu

A collection of sayings of Confucius written down by his followers

Taoism

This is living in the way of the Tao or the universe

TRUE

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

TRUE

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

The Self

This 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

Selflessness

the ideal self is ______ 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 complementarity among humans and other beings

Record Keeper

The role of Lao Tzu in the court during the central Chinese Zhou Dynasty

TRUE

Lao Tzu may not exist and may even be merely mythical

Water Bufallo

What did Lao Tzu ride to the western border of the Chinese Empire

Tao Te Ching

Sacred Text of Taoism which is the wisdom of Lao Tzu

Daoism

Lao Tzu was the leading figure in the spiritual practice known as ______

Dao

The “way” of the world which is also the path to virtue, happiness, and harmony

Wu Wei

Flowing or Effortless Action

Buddhism

The self is seen as an illusion, born out of ignorance, of trying to hold and control things, or human-centered needs

TRUE

the self is also the source of all these sufferings in Buddhism

Nirvana or perfect happiness

In Buddhism, our quest to forget about the self, forget the cravings of the self, break the attachments you have with the world, and to renounce the self which is the cause of all suffering and in doing so, attain the state of ______________

Siddhartha Gautama

The Buddha

Vedanta

The Hindu concept of the self is expanded in _________, a major school of Indian thought based on Upanishads, the classical Indian philosophical treatises

Brahman

absolute reality and Atman (soul or spirit)

TRUE

the true knowledge of self, is identical to Brahman

True self and non-true self

Vedanta characterizes human suffering as the result of failure to realize the distinction between _______ (permanent and unchanging) and the _______ (impermanent and changes continually).

Know the true reality (Brahman)

what is the goal of a person in Hinduism

Self-realization

being united to all-embracing Bahman

law of karma

most important doctrine of Hinduism

Collectivism

The self or the individual is not the focus of the abovementioned Eastern philosophies or beliefs

Analytic 

Western perspective does not discount the role of the environment and society in the formation of the self but the focus is always looking toward the self. You compare yourself in order to be better; you create associations and bask in the glory of the group for your self-esteem; you put primacy in developing yourself.

Monotheism

One can also describe that the Western thought looks at the world in dualities wherein you are distinct from the other person, the creator is separate from the object created, in which the self is distinguished and acknowledged

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.

Individualism

By valuing the individual, Westerners may seem to have loose associations or even loyalty to their groups. Competition is the name of the game and they are more likely straightforward and forceful in their communication as well as decision-making.

Westerners also emphasize more on the value of equality even if they see that the individual can rise above everything else