EASTERN AND WESTERN PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF

Summary

The video discusses the concept of the self from Eastern and Western perspectives, focusing on how these cultural differences shape self-perception. It explains how Eastern views, such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, emphasize interconnectedness, social roles, and harmony with society, while Western thought centers on individualism, self-improvement, and independence. The video highlights the contrast between collectivism in the East and individualism in the West, illustrating the impact of culture on how people define themselves. The lesson concludes by encouraging reflection on these differences and their influence on identity.

Takeaways

• 📚 The lesson explores the concept of the self from both Eastern and Western perspectives.
• 🌏 Eastern thought emphasizes self-cultivation and the importance of harmonious relationships within society.
• 🤝 Confucianism highlights that the self is connected to others, focusing on social roles and obligations over individual needs.
• 🌀 Taoism teaches that the self is part of the universe, promoting balance and selflessness without forgetting one's own identity.
• 🧘 Buddhism views the self as an illusion and a source of suffering, encouraging detachment and the attainment of Nirvana.
• 🌍 Western thought emphasizes individualism, self-improvement, and self-esteem, with the self viewed as distinct from society and the creator.
• 🏅 Western perspectives encourage comparing oneself to others as a way to achieve personal growth and success.
• 🤗 Asian cultures, especially the Filipino self, value collectivism, humility, and harmonious social relationships, avoiding boastfulness.
• 💼 Western cultures tend to promote independence, competition, and straightforward communication, while Asian cultures focus on implicit, polite communication.
• 🎓 The discussion highlights the importance of understanding cultural perspectives to avoid culture shock and foster better social integration.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Lesson 5 in 'Understanding the Self'?

The main focus of Lesson 5 is understanding the self from Eastern and Western perspectives, highlighting how cultural perceptions shape the concept of self in these two different regions.

How does Confucianism view the self?

In Confucianism, the self is understood through harmonious relationships with others. The self is not about individual needs but fulfilling societal roles and obligations, focusing on self-cultivation within a social context.

What is self-cultivation according to Confucianism?

Self-cultivation in Confucianism is the process of becoming a virtuous person by fostering harmonious relationships with others and contributing positively to society. The cultivated self prioritizes societal needs over personal desires.

How is the self defined in Taoism?

In Taoism, the self is seen as a part of the universe, emphasizing balance and selflessness. The self is not just a social extension but a manifestation of the Tao, focusing on living harmoniously with society and nature while embracing change.

What is the key distinction between Taoism and Confucianism in understanding the self?

The key distinction is that Taoism focuses on selflessness and balance with the universe, while Confucianism emphasizes societal roles and relationships. Taoism considers the self as part of a larger, universal context, whereas Confucianism sees the self as central to maintaining social harmony.

How does Buddhism view the self?

Buddhism sees the self as an illusion and the root cause of suffering. It teaches that attachment to the self leads to suffering and that to achieve enlightenment (Nirvana), one must detach from worldly desires and renounce the self.

What is the Western perspective on the self?

The Western perspective emphasizes individualism, self-development, and personal achievement. The self is viewed as independent from others, focusing on personal growth, success, and self-esteem.

How do Eastern and Western perspectives differ in terms of personal achievements?

Eastern perspectives tend to downplay personal achievements, seeing self-promotion as boastful and disruptive to social harmony. In contrast, Western perspectives highlight individual achievements and encourage self-promotion as a sign of success and independence.

What is the difference between collectivism and individualism as discussed in the lesson?

Collectivism, common in Eastern cultures, prioritizes group harmony, social roles, and interconnectedness. Individualism, seen in Western cultures, focuses on personal independence, self-improvement, and individual success.

How do communication styles differ between Westerners and Asians?

Westerners tend to be direct and explicit in their communication, whereas Asians often use implicit messages to avoid being too straightforward, reflecting their focus on maintaining social harmony and politeness.

Outlines

00:00

🧑‍🏫 Introduction to Lesson 5: Self in Eastern and Western Perspectives

The lesson begins by introducing the topic of understanding the self from Eastern and Western perspectives. The objectives are to differentiate between Western and Eastern views of the self, explore Asian thought on the self, and create a representation of the Filipino self. The cultural perception of self will be discussed through the lens of Eastern (Asia) and Western (Europe and Northern America) frameworks.

05:03

🌏 Eastern Thought: Confucianism and Self-Cultivation

This section explains Confucianism's focus on self-cultivation and harmonious social relationships. Understanding oneself involves understanding one’s role and contributions to society. The self is shaped by social interactions, and Confucianism emphasizes cultivating virtues through relationships. The cultivated self is conditioned to respond to societal needs rather than personal aspirations, promoting societal harmony and order.

10:05

🌿 Eastern Thought: Taoism and Selflessness

Taoism is discussed as a philosophy that promotes living in balance with the universe (Tao). Unlike Confucianism, Taoism sees the self not only as part of society but as part of the universe. The concept of selflessness in Taoism focuses on living harmoniously with nature and accepting change, emphasizing that self-improvement is achieved by understanding oneself in relation to society and nature.

15:07

🧘‍♂️ Eastern Thought: Buddhism and the Illusion of Self

Buddhism views the self as an illusion that arises from ignorance and attachment, which leads to suffering. To attain Nirvana, one must detach from worldly attachments and desires. The section explores the Buddhist belief that craving and attachment are the root causes of suffering, and renouncing the self leads to a state of enlightenment.

20:09

🧠 Western Thought: Focus on Individualism and Self-Improvement

Western thought, unlike Eastern views, focuses on individualism and self-improvement. The self is seen as separate from society, with an emphasis on achieving personal success and self-esteem. This perspective encourages competition, comparison, and the development of personal attributes, focusing on self-distinction and separation from both society and the Creator.

🎭 Differences Between Eastern and Western Views of the Self

The key difference between Eastern and Western views is highlighted: Eastern thought emphasizes interconnectedness and social roles, while Western thought focuses on individual development and achievement. Easterners value submission to authority and societal harmony, while Westerners prioritize personal success and self-promotion.

👥 Eastern vs Western Perspectives: Social Roles vs Personal Achievements

This section contrasts how Americans often highlight personal achievements while Asians focus on their social roles and contributions. Asians may downplay their accomplishments to avoid appearing boastful, while Westerners are more open about promoting their achievements. This reflects the collectivistic nature of Eastern culture versus the individualistic focus of Western culture.

🏠 Family and Independence in Eastern and Western Cultures

In Western cultures, independence is encouraged from a young age, while in Eastern cultures, family ties remain strong even into adulthood. Filipinos, for example, may stay under the care of their parents even after marriage, showing a strong emotional attachment. Westerners emphasize individualism, whereas Easterners value close-knit family structures and social harmony.

💬 Communication Styles: Directness vs Politeness

Westerners are more direct and explicit in their communication, while Easterners, particularly Filipinos, tend to communicate more implicitly. This section explains cultural differences in how messages are delivered, with Asians using indirect approaches to avoid confrontation or impoliteness, contrasting with Westerners' straightforward communication style.

⚖️ Values of Equality and Hierarchy in Eastern and Western Cultures

Western cultures emphasize equality and fair competition, while Eastern cultures place importance on hierarchy and maintaining harmony. Westerners may address authority figures casually, while Easterners, particularly Filipinos, show respect through formal titles and honorifics, reflecting a cultural emphasis on respect for elders and superiors.

🇵🇭 The Filipino Self: A Blend of Eastern and Western Influences

The Filipino self is shaped by both Eastern and Western influences, reflecting the country's colonial past and strong family values. This section highlights how Filipinos retain collectivistic values while also adopting certain Western individualistic traits. Social media and globalization have blurred the lines between these perspectives, leading to cultural diversity and conflict.

📚 Conclusion and Reflection: Understanding the Self in Different Cultures

The conclusion emphasizes that understanding the self is shaped by cultural perceptions, and highlights the importance of studying both Eastern and Western views. For Filipinos, understanding these perspectives helps prevent culture shock when encountering Western societies. The lesson wraps up with a call for reflection on how different cultures view the self, asking students to compare these perspectives.

Keywords

💡Self in Eastern and Western perspectives

This is the main theme of the video, comparing how the self is understood in both Eastern (Asian) and Western (European and North American) cultures. Eastern perspectives see the self as interconnected with society and relationships, while Western perspectives emphasize individuality and personal development. The script explores how each viewpoint impacts behavior, social norms, and self-perception.

💡Confucianism

A key Eastern philosophy discussed in the video, Confucianism views the self in relation to social order and relationships. It emphasizes self-cultivation and harmonious living within society. The self is understood through social obligations and contributions to the community, rather than focusing on individual needs or desires.

💡Taoism

Taoism presents a view of the self as part of the larger universe (the Tao), encouraging balance and selflessness. Unlike Confucianism, Taoism focuses less on social roles and more on living in harmony with nature and accepting change. The self is not defined solely by social relationships but by a universal connection.

💡Buddhism

In Buddhism, the self is seen as an illusion, and attachment to personal desires leads to suffering. The goal is to transcend the self by renouncing attachment and achieving Nirvana, a state of liberation from suffering. The video explains how Buddhism encourages detachment from the material world to attain inner peace.

💡Self-cultivation

A concept from Confucianism, self-cultivation is the process of improving oneself morally and ethically, with a focus on social relationships. The self is cultivated by fulfilling societal roles and contributing to communal harmony. In the video, this is presented as a central goal in Eastern philosophies.

💡Nirvana

A Buddhist concept, Nirvana represents the ultimate state of enlightenment and freedom from suffering. The video describes how the pursuit of Nirvana involves letting go of personal attachments and desires, breaking the cycle of suffering caused by worldly cravings.

💡Individualism

This is the key feature of Western perspectives on the self. Individualism emphasizes personal achievements, self-reliance, and independence. In contrast to Eastern collectivism, the Western view focuses on the development of the individual’s self-esteem and success, as discussed in the video.

💡Collectivism

In opposition to individualism, collectivism (common in Eastern cultures) prioritizes the group, family, or community over the individual. The video explains that Eastern thought values social harmony and sees the self as part of a larger societal structure, where individual desires are secondary to the well-being of the group.

💡Hierarchy

Hierarchy is an important concept in Eastern perspectives, especially in Confucianism, where social order and roles are highly valued. The video contrasts this with the Western emphasis on equality and personal freedom, explaining how hierarchy helps maintain societal harmony in Eastern cultures.

💡Duality

Duality refers to the Western tendency to view the world in opposites—self and others, individual and society, creator and creation. The video explains that in Western thought, this duality emphasizes the separation of the self from the environment, contrasting with the Eastern idea of interconnectedness.

Highlights

Differentiating the concept of self between Western and Eastern perspectives.

In Eastern perspectives, Confucianism emphasizes harmonious social relationships and understanding one's contributions to society.

Confucianism promotes self-cultivation as the ultimate purpose of life, where social obligations are prioritized over individual aspirations.

In Taoism, the self is seen as part of the universe and encourages balance with society and nature.

Taoism emphasizes selflessness, living in harmony with change, and finding balance without neglecting oneself.

Buddhism views the self as an illusion and the source of suffering, advocating detachment from the world to reach Nirvana.

The Western perspective focuses on individual self-development, success, and self-esteem.

Western thought emphasizes personal achievement, independence, and competition, often valuing the self over the community.

Western culture is described as individualistic, while Eastern culture is considered collectivistic.

In Eastern culture, there is a focus on social roles, group harmony, and minimizing boastfulness in order to maintain relationships.

Westerners tend to be more explicit and direct in communication, while Asians often use more implicit and polite messages.

Filipino culture blends Eastern collectivism with some Western individualistic influences due to colonization and globalization.

Westerners often emphasize equality and fair competition, while Easterners value hierarchy and order.

The self in Eastern and Western thoughts varies significantly, highlighting the importance of cultural context in understanding the self.

Filipinos experience both Eastern and Western cultural influences, which can create challenges but also opportunities for cross-cultural understanding.

Transcripts

so good day everyone no today we will be

um talking about uh our lesson five of

understanding the self

now we'll be talking about the self in

eastern and western perspectives

so

um you will differentiate now for your

lesson on objectives you will

differentiate the concept of self

according to Western thoughts or Eastern

or Oriental perspectives

second explain the concept of self as

found in Asian thoughts and create a

representation of the Filipino self

so here we'll be looking at the cultural

perceptions of Self in two different

ways

number one is the Western and number two

is the Eastern

so the Eastern as called as orientals

represents Asia

and uh Western represent represents

Europe and Northern America

so let's begin with the Eastern thoughts

now of the self based on Confucianism

so here it is more on the code of

conduct no of how one should probably

properly act according to the

relationship with other people new

harmonious social life

so here now we can say that in order to

understand yourself is to understand

what contributions or what effect that

you will have in the society to other

people

no so how you establish a good

relationship or harmonious relationship

with one another

so second no it is what they call the

self-cultivation it is seen as the

ultimate purpose of life but the

characteristics of achunsu a man of

virtue or noble character is still

embedded in his or or her social

relationship

so know how you connect with other

people

how you establish harmonious

relationship with other people so this

is not just based on your own self but

for the benefit of other people

the cultivated self is a subdued self

what so what does it mean so it is

conditioned to respond to perceptions

not of its own needs and aspirations but

of social requirements and obligations

no so to meet the demands of the society

is to let yourself be connected to the

norms

to the rules to the cultural perceptions

of the society in order to be part of

yourself

so yourself is actually part of the

society

your contributions to the society

nowhere in your personal needs are not

um repressed no not totally given more

importance but here you know the

confusion Society no also the

hierarchical for the purpose of

maintaining order

so next is what they call the taoism so

it is uh living in the way of the Tau or

the universe

however the taoism rejects having one

definition of what the tau is

the self is not just an extension of the

family or the community you know it is

part of the universe one of the forms

and manifestations of the Tau

the idea of 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 the

change

so no what does it uh what makes it

distinct from Confucianism

no what does taoism makes it distinct

from Confucianism

believes that you are not just an

extension of your family

or your contribution to the society no

but you are actually part of the

universe now that you have this

contribution that is being selfless to

thinking less about yourself and

thinking more of others

so here no it doesn't mean that you have

to forget about yourself

but to maintain balance understand

yourself and how you understand others

know so that it will actually give you

the openness in understanding more about

yourself and to accept certain changes

next is what we call Buddhism so the

self is seen as an illusion born out of

ignorance of trying to hold and control

things or human-centeredness

thus the self is also the source of all

things and sufferings

above and beyond the things now that we

understand about how we hold and control

things around no but this

um have consequences no or part of the

choices that we have and there's no what

they call corresponding sufferings

and in this suffering snow with tend uh

to have our Quest not to forget about

the self now forget about

um the claimings of the self now break

uh the attachments you have with the

world and to renounce the self no which

is the cause of all suffering

so in doing so not to attain the state

of Nirvana

so Buddhism here no it talks about the

sufferings it talks about the challenges

the trials that you are facing in uh

life

so the more that you crave you know the

more that you feed not the more um it

grows

the more you experience suffering and

you need to detach yourself now from the

world to renounce yourself now because

this will actually lead you to embrace

sufferings

okay

so in other words no in order to attain

certain decisions in our life is to

embrace certain changes certain

sufferings no certain challenges and

that uh that would lead you know in

having this what we call Ideal perfect

State or the Nirvana or what they call

the paradise

so Confucianism and taoism so the person

in striving to a better person does not

create a self no above the others so uh

this is not about not the more you

strive to become better no and it does

not have an impact with other person but

this is totally not the self itself no

but the self no is to have

um beneficial to your community no as

well as in order and Harmony no with

everything else

so there must be certain

thing no a person must do

like

um you need a person must have

contributions or

um I'm back to the community so if you

don't have uh contributions to the

community no that will impact the way

how you will understand yourself so

there must be contributions or

um there that would benefit no uh one

another not to achieve this kind of

Harmony

so as for Buddhism not the self no with

all connectedness

um with all with it all its connections

and selfish ideas is totally taken not

just out of center of the picture but

out of the picture as a whole

so it means that by looking at the

entire connectedness that you have with

one another

so on the other hand now we have the

Western thoughts of the self

so Western perspective no does not

discount the role of the environment and

Society in the formation of the self but

the focus is always looking towards the

self

so you compare yourself no in order to

be better

you create associations no and pass in

the glory of the group for your

self-esteem

you will put Primacy in developing

yourself

so this is now the opposite of the

Eastern perspective so if the Eastern

thoughts now would give us ways on how

we understand ourselves Now by being

with one another no with other people

here in Western thoughts this will give

us the idea that in order to understand

yourself not is to make yourself improve

to improve yourself not to make yourself

better to achieve to achieve certain

success now that will actually develop

self-esteem

so this is more on the focus of the self

so Western thought looks at the world in

dualities where you are distinct from

one another and you are separate from

the Creator

so the Western thoughts now basically

tells us about Duality know that each

one of us is unique

so you need to compare yourself to other

people in order

for you to become better

but sometimes no it's not the case no

and there are times that you have to

remember that you're actually separated

no from the community that you are

independent

so you are

okay

so let's look at now now the differences

of Western and Eastern thoughts so the

Eastern perspective

sees the other person as part of

yourself no as well as things you may

create

so there's a drama in which everyone is

interconnected with their specific roles

no so there is more on submission to

Authority

this is actually obeying to the rules of

the community now it's not just because

Eastern perspectives do not

um anymore follow certain rules no but

their focus is more on um yes

Independence but you have to look at

that know that this is just more about

themselves but this is before others so

they cannot understand other people

without even understanding themselves

first okay so

um but for the Eastern perspective you

have to understand other people in order

for you to understand yourself

no so Americans now for example they

talk more about their person okay so

Americans now for example

they talk more about your personal

attributes now when described describing

themselves no

while Asians no in general now we'll

talk about their social roles or their

social situations you know what uh

example what your job is how much money

you get how much money you earn now what

achievements that your family have you

know in general so what contributions or

impact that you have for other people

so this is more on Eastern perspectives

but for Western perspective it's more on

how you develop yourselves how you

attain a lot of possessions or even

success that you have in college or your

career jobs

so the evaluation or the assessment 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

okay that's why I know most Asians would

keep a low profile

don't humble themselves no they will not

highlight on their achievements because

notice they think that this may appear

boastful to other people

but we cannot also blame how westerners

get used to personal attributes of

themselves

you know so these are opposite poles

the Western culture then is what we

would call as individualistic culture

since their focus is on the person now

Asian culture on the other hand is

called collectivistic culture so as the

group and social relations is given more

importance than individual needs and

wants so it is true note that in America

in Western cultures that the movement

know that a child or apple a person

reached 18 years of age now the parents

would actually let go of their kids to

learn independence of themselves not to

identify the meaning and purpose of

their lives so that will actually give

them the Liberty to go on their own

but here now in Asia specifically in

Philippines no it's the opposite so even

if you're already married or even you're

not yet married no at the age of 30

you're still under the custody of your

parents

though

you can actually have your own life but

there is more of an emotional attachment

with your parents now with your

grandparents

some of us will still live no in the

same roof of our family together with

our own established family

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

so the westerners tend to be explicit no

in their communication

in other words no they tend to be

straightforward straightforward

and they do not hide ex implicit

messages

they would say the message in a specific

way as clear as possible to deliver the

um communication

or the message that they want uh they

would like to imply

on the other hand no Asians would

actually say a lot of things

but actually mean the same thing

so there are two flags the one is for

the U.S flag and one is for the

Philippines

Americans would say take care

but if

no they would say huh

they buy

another example

you know when you uh your seat mate no

have bad breath no then Americans now

would frankly tell that person that oh

you have a bad breath no but Filipinos

or Asians no they uh tend to make the

statement a polite manner

they will tell you or they will tell the

person that no no

um maybe I have a gift for you no but

the gift contains a mouthwash and a

toothbrush so we still have a creative

minor in generating you know

um a statement no not for him no not to

be uh

uh like delicious

so in uh the point is we tend to say

many things no but actually we just want

to mean the same thing and hoping that

the person will feel or think what we

want to say

so we tend to have an implicit message

of communication we don't directly tell

that person because that is impolite or

being straightforward because we we

would like to be as polite as possible

and

um that is you know what we are

accustomed not to do

so the westerners also emphasize more on

the value of equality

even if they see that individual can

rise above everything else they also

promote ideas Fair competition and

protect the individuals

so as Asians know whether Collective

regard puts more emphasis on the

hierarchy

as the culture wants to keep things in

Harmony and in order so westerners would

most likely call their boss their

parents or their seniors by their first

name

they won't call them a sir or Mom no

they will they will call them hi sir I

hi Joe

hi Anna no they won't call them by their

first name

but for us no Filipinos now we would say

Sir or Mom good morning sir good morning

parents so we we would call them as mama

and papa so when I on a reflex

because though that is the way how we

respect Elders now that is our culture

now here in the Philippines no how we

create a representation of the Filipino

self no by considering that we are

actually once colonized by Americans and

we somehow adopted that kind of Western

thought not of the self and we still

retain the majority how we take much of

other people rather than for our selves

so with social media migrations

intermarriages variety between the

easterners westerners and Asians

perception May either be blurred or

highlighted

whereas conflict is inevitable in

diversity

so in order to achieve this is to

understand the commonality that we have

regardless of our differences

so the reason why we study this

understanding oneself now in eastern and

western perspective is for us to know

how they view or how they Define

or how they give importance of

themselves like being more on their

personal attributes

okay so in conclusion no the self in

Western and Eastern thoughts varies from

one place to another

so also one of the reasons now

especially for Filipinos you know if

they go abroad is to have an idea of the

culture of the West now the Western

culture and

this so so that they will not experience

culture shock

so for your activity for uh this lesson

so kindly comment down below the

difference

or the perspective of the Eastern

perspective and the Western perspective

so comment down below and

um take a screenshot of your answer and

um upload it in the G form that I will

be providing later on

okay so I hope that this lesson will

give us the idea that we have different

ways on how we understand ourselves

depending on the cultural perceptions no

either

in Western thought or Eastern part