East or West, What's Best?

Introductory Geographic Lesson
I was tidying up some photographic files from a couple of years back, when I came across these two landscape pics.
I took them from two lookout spots, both on the flat plateau which is Mt Tamborine, just south of Brisbane in South-East Queensland. The locations are within a couple of kilometres of each other and the shots were taken within an hour or so of each other. The first one (Photo 1) looks directly east, following a late afternoon storm, which passed quickly overhead, down across the coastal plain on which the famous Gold Coast strip is located, then out to sea. The second (Photo 2) looks west towards the setting sun, across the Gold Coast Hinterland and the remnants of a huge 40km wide caldera or collapsed volcano.
During post processing I was prompted to think about the similarities and extremes of East and West; not just literally, as depicted by the points of the compass and the contents within each frame, but in the more general context of society, culture and their foundation philosophies.
Looking in Both Directions
Both shots have similarities at a brief overview. They both show dramatic skies above a varied and interesting landscape, with extremes of bright light and dark shade. But the details revealed in each frame are quite different and varied. How so then the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western philosophies and cultures?
Over my career of too many decades, I have been fortunate enough to both travel to and work in a variety of lands which I have sorted into three groups as follows:
- countries which are located within the birthplace or neighbouring influence of Eastern philosophy (eg China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka);
- countries where Western philosophy developed and spread (eg Greece, Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavia); and
- countries where there has been a historic clash and/or merging of Eastern and Western cultures, either in past or recent times, or both (eg Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the Arabian Gulf States, North Africa, Turkey, Singapore and Hong Kong).
A Dose of Idealism
Many idealists have suggested that perhaps the human race is tending towards a uniformity of cultures and thinking, and that we are losing our individuality of self and heritage, in a huge melting pot of common tastes and convergence.
Perhaps, given enough time, hard work and inspiration, the melting pot may become reality. But not before we have learned to look after each other (by merging the 'haves' and 'have nots'); to look after our planet, to enable it to continue to sustain us; so that we can eventually learn how to provide ample food and clean drinking water for our surviving generations.
But, until we have progressed towards thinking macroscopically in terms of the human race, rather than limiting our needs and wants as relatively microscopic entities, then perhaps we should think about the well documented origins and workings of the main philosophies, East and West, which have formed what is more often a clash than a merging of cultures.
What are our Differences?
Here is a fool's guide to some of the origins, components and constituents of Eastern and Western Philosophies, which can be verified by a myriad of 'Googled' papers, each presenting remarkably similar results.
Firstly, let's summarise Western Philosophy:
- Developed by the ancient Greeks and then spread to other Europeans, and eventually to their colonies.
- Has its roots in science and rationale, with heavy use of logic, reasoning and categorisation, focusing on parts rather than the whole.
- Individually oriented, with self at the centre, being your 'own person', independent from the universe and society.
- Materialistic goals.
- Strives to find and prove the truth by analysis. If it can't be explained and proven it doesn't exist.
- Individual rights.
Compare then Eastern Philosophy:
- Developed in ancient China and India, spreading throughout Asia.
- Has its roots in religion (e.g. Confucianism, Zen Buddhism, Taoism, Yoga) and does not distinguish between philosophy and religion, unifying ideas into a greater whole.
- Group and society oriented, looking at the bigger picture, with the individual a small part of a greater ideal.
- Spiritual goals.
- Strives for harmony (yin and yang) with an inherent acceptance and without a need to prove.
- Social responsibility.
So What Can We Learn from Each Other?
With such radically different cultural bases, and following the flimsy argument that "opposites attract" rather than "let's knock the stuffing out of each other", wouldn't we expect that there may be lessons to be learned on both sides of the geographical divide? Having been brought up under the individualistic and materialistic influences of Western Society, I can see interesting and attractive benefits associated with eastern attitudes of harmony rather than conflict, society rather than self, and the setting of spiritual rather than materialistic goals. But what about the benefits of Western Society from an Eastern perspective? Are there any, or has the West merely corrupted Eastern minds into seeking an individual materialist middle class existence, with all its throw-away toys, pollutants and self indulgence?
What Do You Think?
Am I and my future generations heading towards a melting pot, or am I and mine heading off in different directions?
Do I live in a fortress or a commune?
Do I shoulder social responsibility or walk the path of self advancement?
Do I have the choice of tap, still or sparkling?
Do I have to carry water on my head for four kilometres from the nearest well?
Am I bored of home cooked meals and eat out to break the boredom?
Am I happy to eat the same meagre staple diet, day in, day out?
Are my biceps toned?
Are my children dying of curable diseases?
Do I .....?
Do You .....?
or Should We .....?
...................<<..................>>...................
This post was originally published on the beBee.com platform in 2016 and featured 39 comments from many (then active) readers, writers and participants who have since moved onto other pastures (greener or otherwise). The original post was somewhat corrupted, however, during a platform upgrade, and hence I am re-posting it now. I was inspired to repair and republish this oldie when reading this recent post by my friend @Greg Rolfe ,
https://us.bebee.com/producer/fact-fiction-and-the-supernatural-8Vwv98Fp4gxn
I still miss the days when there were so many of us writing and commenting on multiple posts here on beBee, and the platform was abuzz with feverish activity.
...................<<..................>>...................

When not researching the weird or the wonderful, the comical or the cultured, the sinful or the serious, I chase my creative side, the results of which can be seen as selected photographs of my travels on my website at:
https://ken-boddie.squarespace.com
The author of the above, Ken Boddie, besides being a sometime poet and occasional writer, is an enthusiastic photographer, rarely leisure-travelling without his Canon, and loves to interact with other like-minded people with diverse interests.
Ken's three day work week (part time commitment) as a consulting engineer allows him to follow his photography interests, and to plan trips to an ever increasing list of countries and places of scenic beauty and cultural diversity.
#easternphilosophy #westernphilosophy #meltingpot #mounttamborine
Life Lessonsin Café beBee
Articles from Ken Boddie
View blog
In the context of teaching English, either as a foreign language (TEFL) or a second language (TESOL) ...

It was just after 5am on an April morning (2019), it was cold, and the sun was struggling to penetra ...

Perhaps Scotty, the 7m high equine wonder, at this year's Boonah ‘Clydesdale Spectacular’ June show, ...
Related professionals
You may be interested in these jobs
-
Senior Medical Practitioner
1 day ago
VenuesWest Margaret RiverSenior Medical Practitioner – Emergency Medicine · We are seeking experienced Senior Medical Practitioners to join our team across South West – Coastal (Busselton and Margaret River). · Position Overview · Attend patients in our Emergency Departments and assist our inpatient team ...
-
Construction Rigger
3 days ago
Acciona S.A TamworthAbout Us · ACCIONA is a global company leading in the development of regenerative infrastructure that creates a positive impact on society. · We have over 65,000 professionals present in more than 40 countries across five continents, all contributing to our mission to design a be ...
-
Operational Excellence Manager
3 days ago
beBee Careers MelbourneAbout the Role · This is a highly exciting opportunity to oversee our stores in Victoria West, driving sales potential through operational excellence and customer-centric culture. · As an Area Manager, you will ensure your stores' portfolio meets their performance objectives by i ...
Comments
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#30
#33 Looks like you got the picture, @Javier 🐝 CR Interesting goal to get everyone to embrace our differences and stop bombing each other.
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
2 years ago#29
Let's see if I understood anything:
The world we live in is a fascinating place, with diverse cultures, beliefs, and philosophies that have developed over centuries. As we stand on a mountaintop and look out at the East and West, we can see both similarities and differences. In terms of philosophy and culture, there are significant differences between the East and West, but perhaps there are also lessons to be learned on both sides of the divide.
Western philosophy is rooted in science and rationale, with heavy use of logic, reasoning, and categorization, focusing on parts rather than the whole. It is individually oriented, with the self at the center, and has materialistic goals. Western philosophy strives to find and prove the truth by analysis and emphasizes individual rights.
Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, has its roots in religion and does not distinguish between philosophy and religion, unifying ideas into a greater whole. It is group and society-oriented, looking at the bigger picture, with the individual as a small part of a greater ideal. Eastern philosophy strives for harmony with an inherent acceptance and without a need to prove. It emphasizes social responsibility and has spiritual goals.
Given these differences, there are interesting and attractive benefits associated with Eastern attitudes of harmony rather than conflict, society rather than self, and the setting of spiritual rather than materialistic goals. However, it is also essential to acknowledge the benefits of Western society from an Eastern perspective. Perhaps the West has merely corrupted Eastern minds into seeking an individual materialist middle-class existence, with all its throw-away toys, pollutants, and self-indulgence.
As we ponder these differences, we must ask ourselves where we are heading as individuals and as a society. Are we heading towards a melting pot or off in different directions? Are we living in fortresses or communes? Do we shoulder social responsibility or walk the path of self-advancement? Do we have the luxury of choice, or are we forced to carry water on our heads for kilometers from the nearest well? Are we bored of home-cooked meals and eat out to break the monotony, or are we happy to eat the same meager staple diet day in and day out?
It is essential to acknowledge that there are stark differences between the East and West, and there are valuable lessons to be learned on both sides of the divide. As we move forward as a global society, we must strive to find a balance between individualism and collectivism, materialism and spirituality, and self-advancement and social responsibility. Only by acknowledging and embracing our differences can we learn from one another and work towards a brighter future for all.
🐝 Fatima G. Williams
2 years ago#28
Thanks @Ken Boddie perhaps we meet on another holly jolly day 😃🎄
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#27
In reply to your request, @🐝 Fatima G. Williams , you may find my remodelling of my old high dunes country post of interest here: https://au.bebee.com/producer/sands-through-the-hourglass-gone-zi7Tr1lvsIVU
As you can see from my posts, Fatima, I reside in Brisbane, on the other coast to Perth, and a whole country away, but will be visiting New Zealand over the festive period.
🐝 Fatima G. Williams
2 years ago#26
#29 Oh wow. I did not know this. It would be amazing you went down memory lane and wrote about those days. I'm sure I would love to read it. You should come to Dubai now, and visit the Museum of the FUTUE. What lofty plans the rulers have and they are transforming the country. The place has its pros and cons but it is by far the best country in terms of value for the services provided if you know how to market yourself well and the place where you get the value for the money you spend. Rich get richer and poor remain poorer. But it's only the ones that know how to provide valuable services and has talent can rise very quickly to the top. And @Ken Boddie where in Australia are you ( please DM the answer for privacy concerns) , I'm visiting Perth for Christmas : 🤶 🎅 🎄 😃
Post Note - Sorry for the late reply I have been busy competing to become the next India's Leading Super Speaker currently in the top 250 from 2,11,520 registrations
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#25
@🐝 Fatima G. Williams I remember Dubai in the 1970s while visiting from my base in Abu Dhabi. I was travelling there out of London and wirking on oil and infrastructure projects in the southern interior of the Emirates, in high dune country. It would’ve been impossible to get around without driving back then, as everything in ‘town’ was low rise and spread out. I can’t remember any traffic lights, never mind one way streets. Happy days. I guess I wouldn’t recognise Dubai these days. The one other thing I remember is the number of dead camels on the road between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Camels were a traffic hazard at night, as the road, although sealed, was narrow and unfenced, and the camels didn't wear reflectors or lights. ☠️🐪
🐝 Fatima G. Williams
2 years ago#24
#7 I hear you @Javier 🐝 CR and have always, will always support you since our beBee days. I just missed some of the most valuable comments on the comments box - because that's where the real conversation happens. I sometimes go back to posts 5 years old to remininse. I guess it would have been nice to email the users before the terminate account decision was taken but then again it's in the past - done and dusted. No problemo I will try too drag Savvy back here sometime soon.
PS @Ken Boddie I just spurted out my coffee 🤣 Because the minute I think about driving the wrong way up a busy one-way street Dubai will fine me or probably throw me in jail - Fine is upto 3000 dirhams or more like 500 to 800 dollars - Thankfully I don't drive in Dubai YET.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#23
#26 @Lisa Vanderburg
I don’t know about “taming” my cousins ‘up over’, your Grace, but I wouldn’t be a leader in Londinium, the noo, for quids. Seems to me you’ve caught that Aussie poli syndrome … the prime ministerial revolving door. BTW here’s a tip from one ‘ashes‘ nation to another. If you want old Rishi to last more than a few weeks, make sure he wears a pair of big gloves. That way you know you’ve got a ‘keeper’. 😂🤣😂
Lisa Vanderburg
2 years ago#22
Damn…I've forgotten how to work this. @Ken Boddie …(that was an accident)!
But, when I read those: 'Are my biceps toned?
Are my children dying of curable diseases?'
I knew where I was! Great to see you, King of Kaleidoscopes! So wonderful to see you're still taming us palid northerners!
Pascal Derrien
2 years ago#21
All quiet on the western front that's it I fully concur with your comment
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#20
Perhaps, @Pascal Derrien , you are referring to the ultimate false call to arms, the abuse of the young with the horrific stealing of their life aspirations, the shear horror of man's inhumanity to man in the trenches of World War 1, and the ultimate revelation that the wrong men fight wars … “All Quiet on the Western Front”? The weapons and the theatres of war may be different now, but how quick are we to still follow leaders who, when opinions clash, are all too ready to escalate to conflict, and ultimately to destruction, at the expense of the innocent?
Pascal Derrien
2 years ago#19
nothing new on the western front springs to mind for some reason
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#18
I hear you, @Franci 🐝Eugenia Hoffman . A good politician these days is rarer than hen's teeth, but there are a few around. We seem to be doing not badly at the moment here in Oz with our new Labor Government. We threw the last one out essentially on the grounds of their ignoring climate change and the obvious demands from our citizens for action. As you may have heard before, politicians and nappies (diapers to you) should be changed regularly … and for the same reason. 🤣
As for standing back and looking at the world overall, I came across an interesting list of best performing countries, based on “broad access to food, housing, quality education, health care and employment … quality of life … such as job security, political stability, individual freedom and environmental quality”. The top ten countries for quality of life, which is obviously based on the long term performance of politicians and leaders, is reported to be as follows, with best first:
Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand.
The US came in at number 21.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#17
I believe you are correct, @Lada 🏡 Prkic , in that Australia has had some successes in the ‘melting pot’.
Your comments have prompted me to look at some of the figures produced from our most recent (2021) census. These indicate the following:
• Out of an Australian population of just over 26 million, some 30% were born overseas and most of these are ‘skilled’, although the immigration quota includes family members and refugees.
• 57% of the population identified as being of European ancestry (primarily UK, then Italy, then Germany), 24% of Oceanian ancestry (mostly Pacific Islanders), 17% of Asian ancestry (includes Indians, then Chinese, Philippinos, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Sri Lankans, South Koreans, then Hong Kongers).
Some of these groups are not uniformly distributed across the land; with, for example, higher concentrations of ethnic Italians in Melbourne and higher Asian numbers in Brisbane. This is my observation/estimate only, and was not measured to my knowledge in the census figures. I also remember noting local concentrations of ethnic Chinese Asians and South Africans when I lived in Perth a few years back. Another obvious grouping I've observed is that many Australian cities appear to have more than a statistically anticipated distribution of Indians/Pakistanis across their taxi and Uber industries.
As for religion, here is an extract from the census figures:
• 39% of no religion
• 44% Christian
• 3.2% Islam.
As you would expect to deduct, Lada, Islam is not perceived to be a threat here in Oz, despite the Bali bombing incidents many years back. I would also suggest that this is also due to a predominance of Muslims here being from the more moderately practising Islamic countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, rather than the more traditionally, hard line, areas such as the Middle East and North Africa.
We have our trials and tribulations when it comes to racial integration, but, all in all, I believe we are more fortunate than Europe and the USA, based on what I see portrayed by the unreliable news media.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
2 years ago#16
Ken, I'm glad my comment brought the discussion back to the topic.
I also miss those days of participating in great discussions on multiple posts. :)
From what I read and hear from my friends who live abroad, the real ‘melting pot’ is Australia (not America), despite the challenges brought by multiculturalism.
I can only hope that Europe (EU) will promote true multiculturalism in which distinct cultures, western and non-western, can coexist. It is a very complex issue in countries with colonial pasts, especially with regard to Muslim communities. The fear of the spread of Islam in Europe is widely present. Muslims comprise the majority of all immigrants in Western Europe. Once a homogenous society, the EU is faced with a sharp rise in the number of immigrants, and their proportion of the population continues to grow.
There is a lack of intercultural dialogue that addresses the problems that arise from significant cultural differences. The lack of knowledge about different cultures allows prejudices to run rampant. The identification of Islam with terrorism doesn't encourage multiculturalism.
Multiculturism is one of the most significant issues Europe is facing today.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#15
Thanks, @Lada 🏡 Prkic , @Franci 🐝Eugenia Hoffman and @Javier 🐝 CR for contributing your observations and interpretation to the East vs West conundrum, and to Franci for providing a succinct summary in #17. Javier’s comment in #16, on the success of some Asian countries in controlling the epidemic, got me thinking about Australia. Here, our strict border controls, enforced home and other quarantines, high levels of vaccination and mask wearing, were successfully adopted by the majority, despite our natural kick-back, as an individualistic nation, against what could be perceived by some as enforced indoctrination. What undoubtedly assisted in getting most of the people of Oz to eventually accept the need to act for the greater good, was the increased level of communication to manage the essential changes. We had regular (at least twice a day) advice and explanation from our various state and federal medical officers and selected specialist epidemiologists on our TVs and radios. Perhaps this planned communication, before, during and after, is a takeaway lesson for our business communities and enterprises, worldwide, to better manage change?
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
2 years ago#14
The fact that the East, in general, tends to favor the community over the individual and to value the collective over the particular may have helped countries such as China, South Korea and Japan to respond more effectively to the pandemic than Western countries, where the triumph of individual freedoms and individual liberties may be overrated.
Distancing as a restriction of rights
As part of this individualism-collectivism dichotomy, social distancing and prosocial attitudes have been perceived differently in the East and the West. In the West, strict measures of social distancing have sometimes been perceived as a restriction of people's rights and freedoms.
In Asian culture, people tend to see themselves as part of a group. They are willing to sacrifice their individual and personal benefits for the welfare of the group. There, group collaboration is of utmost importance to achieve certain goals and objectives. In contrast, in a country that values individualism, people tend to worry more about how the crisis will affect their professional and personal development, for example.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#13
Nothing is more certain, @Franci 🐝Eugenia Hoffman and @Javier 🐝 CR , than change itself. However, the important point to be made here, I believe, is how we manage change and how we communicate it, at all levels, before, during and after transformation. The ideal situation (rarely achieved) is to be able to bring people along with our amendments to systems, whether it be within companies, or within society more generally, and not to have them be dragged along kicking and screaming. Herein lies the challenge, as change sometimes requires tough decisions to be made and, as has been stated many times before, we can only make some of the people happy some of the time, and there's little likelihood of keeping all of the people happy all of the time. 🤔
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#12
Thanks, @Lada 🏡 Prkic , for addressing the subject matter of my post, and for not being drawn in by my throw-away final ‘beyond the post’ line, “I still miss the days …” 🤗
I believe that the West has much more to gain by adopting some of the traditional attitudes and philosophies of the East, and fear that many Eastern countries have been, and will inevitably further be, corrupted by Western individualistic and materialistic viral spread. Perhaps a melting pot ‘per se’ will serve to further the greed which is an endemic part of the advancement of many of our large multinational companies, to the detriment of a host of traditional cultures (both East and West)? The sooner we can embrace and recognise multiculturalism, rather than fear it, and also embrace diversity and sustainability, then the better the chance of us surviving as homo sapiens, rather than going the way of the other hominins (eg homo habilis, homo erectus, homo neanderthalensis, homo floriensis). I believe that diversity and sustainability are no longer mere benefits of successful species growth, but requirements for our survival.
Lada 🏡 Prkic
2 years ago#11
I believe we are heading towards a melting pot. But the question is how we understand it. Is a melting pot understood as merging but not losing identity and cultural tradition, or is it, in fact, assimilation?
For me, the melting pot should be about embracing multiculturalism. But many in the west fear that the Western way may disappear by embracing different cultural values, traditions, and lifestyles.
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
2 years ago#10
@Ken Boddie , it probably wasn't the best decision in the world, but it was the most practical one we could make at the time. We deleted non-active users and therefore their comments or cascading activity. The truth is that I'm still sure that, despite the problems we generated, it was the only possible way to be able to give continuity to the new bebee, which is growing in a healthy and organic way. Soon it will also be available in more than 10 other languages, so that people like Croatians, Serbs, etc., who speak other languages, will feel more comfortable and we will be able to attract many more people. We are always thinking about how to improve. It is the only possible attitude, to try to improve. Thank you Ken for your opinions and comments.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#9
Hi, @🐝 Fatima G. Williams , as @Javier 🐝 CR started to explain to you in #7, when the reworked beBee was presented in early 2021, all accounts, which had had no activity for a long time, were ‘terminated’ (perhaps management got old mate Arny Schwarzenegger in? 🤣). One side effect of this ‘excommunication’, probably well justified in many cases, was that the comments strings in the old reworked posts became curtailed and discontinuous, as comments disappeared from those whose accounts had been closed.
BTW, Fatima, there’s nothing wrong with conformity, particularly when you’re driving the wrong way up a busy one-way street. ⛔️🤗
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#8
This is a well known saying, @Javier 🐝 CR , obviously not used or known in Spain. 😪
It means wherever you travel, whether east or west, there’s no place like home.
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
2 years ago#7
What is East or West home is the best? => Home is the best or most ideal place to be, regardless of its physical location
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
2 years ago#6
@🐝 Fatima G. Williams , we only migrated active accounts. Sometimes it's reinvent yourself or die. The reality, whether we want to see it or not, is that young people do not write and read little, or as we say in Spanish "lee en la diagonal" = “read on the diagonal” .
What I can tell you, is that beBee is now very focused on practicality for any professional offering services to generate leads, and for job seekers and networkers.
At beBee we are growing in a healthy, organic way, and we are excited about the evolution of the platform. In any case we are thinking of introducing incentives for bloggers (income), which can facilitate the entry into beBee, and also the necessary motivation to be on beBee generating content. I admire all of you who continue to believe, like me, in beBee, hugs to all of you.
🐝 Fatima G. Williams
2 years ago#5
I hear you @Ken Boddie those were golden days of pure conversations.I think many amazing people left for many of the known reasons. I myself could not log onto the platform for a very long-time and have lost many of the valuable comments on some of blog posts and if you remember @savvy raj her account does not even exist now. We had met in Dubai this year and were reminiscing about the good old days. I now only visit once in a blue moon to read whenever I can and catch up with some of my favourites writers such as like yourself. As for East vs West, I agree that some of us are now capable of learning and thinking lol. 😆 It all boils down to the choices we make and to ensure we don't fall into the trap of conformity.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#4
#3 #1
@Jerry Fletcher and @Renée 🐝 Cormier I see that you both also lament the old days when this platform was new and when intensive interaction clearly separated us from the other SM platforms. I wonder why so many former active participants disappeared? Was it frustration with requested changes either not being addressed or taking too long, was it the rise of alternative platforms, or was it the increased distractions of changing times, whereby our attention spans have been diminished and information overload has decreased our capability, or even willingness, to read and then comment? As for East vs West, I like to think we are capable of absorbing the best of both philosophies without coming to blows.
Ken Boddie
2 years ago#3
Thanks, Greg, for the positive comment, and also for your post that inspired me to dig up this oldy, fix up the omissions and repost it. 🤗
Greg Rolfe
2 years ago#2
Thank you for reposting this! I appreciate your perspective and considered thoughts.
Jerry Fletcher
2 years ago#1
Ken, I, too miss the days when this site was rife with convivial commentary.