to western thought against Eastern/Oriental perspectives; 2. Explain the concept of self as found is Asian thoughts; and 3. Create a representation of the Filipino self. Introduction
Different cultures and varying
environment tend to create different perceptions of the “self” and one of the most common distinctions between cultures and people is the Eastern- vs-Western dichotomy. • Eastern represents Asia
• Western represents Europe and
America Further, more it must be reiterated (repeated) that while countries who are geographically closer to each other may share commonalities, there are also lot of factors that create differences. In the Philippines alone, each region may have a similar or varying perception regarding the “self” Activity: Two Sides of the Same Planet
Write top Five differences between
Western and Eastern society, culture, and individuals. Eastern Perspective: Confucianism Can be seen as a code of ethical conduct, of how one should properly act according to their relationship with other people; thus it is also focused on harmonious social life (Ho 1995). Therefore, the identity and self-concept of the individual are interwoven (linked) with the identity and status of his/her community or culture, sharing its pride 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 cultivated self in Confucianism is what some scholars call a “subdued self” wherein personal needs are repressed (subdued or inhibited) for the good of many, making Confucian society also hierarchal for the purpose of maintaining order and balance in society (Ho 1995). Taoism Taoism is living in the way of the Tao or the universe. However, Taoism rejects having of 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 (impossible) view of almost everything. Taoist 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). The self is not just an extension of the family or the community; it is part of the universe, one of the forms and manifestation of the Tao. The ideal self is selflessness but this is not forgetting about the self, it is living a balanced- life with the society and nature. -being open and accepting to change -forgetting about prejudices and egocentric ideas -thinking about equality • Harmony with everything Buddhism Adopted by various teachings caused to variation of teachings, but the core concept remains the same. 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. It is, therefore, 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 sufferings and in doing so, attain the state of Nirvana. The self is not the focus of the above-mentioned Eastern philosophies or beliefs. Confucianism and Taoism situate the self within a bigger context. To become a better person one creates self that is beneficial to his community as well as in order and harmony with everything else. As for Buddhism, the self, with all its connections and selfish ideas, is taken not just out of the center of the picture, from the whole picture entirely. Western’s Perspective
Does not discount the role of environment and
society in the formation of the self but the focus is always looking toward the self. You compare yourself to become better; you create associations and bask (stretch out) in the glory of that group for your self-esteem; you put primacy in developing yourself. • Americans (for example in the West)-talk more about their personal attributes when describing themselves, their personal achievements while; • Asians(in general in the East)- talk about their social roles or the social situations that invoked certain traits that they deem positive for their selves, keeping a low profile as promoting the self can be seen as boastfulness that disrupts social relationship. (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011). • Western Culture is called an individualistic culture since the focus is on the person, while;
• Asian Culture is called a collectivistic
culture as the group and social relations that is given more importance than individual needs and wants. • By valuing the individual, Westerners may seem to loose association of even loyalty to their groups. • C O M P E T I T I O N is the name of the game.
• Eastern person look after the welfare of their groups and
value C O O P E R A T I O N. • Westerners emphasize more on the value of equality even if they see that the individual can rise above everything else.
• Eastern emphasis on hierarchy as the culture wants
to keep things in harmony and order. It must be emphasized, however, that these are general commonalities among Western culture as compared to Eastern cultures. In the case of the Philippines, we can also consider the colonization experience for the differences and similarities with our Asian neighbors. We might also find variation among provinces and regions due to geographical conditions. With the social media, migration and intermarriages, variety between the Western and Eastern Perceptions may either be blurred or highlighted. Whereas conflict is inevitable in diversity, peace is also possible through the understanding of where each of us is coming from. T H A N K Y O U ! The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts UNDERSTANDING THE SELF