The Influence Of American Individualism In China Sociology Essay Example

values in individuality prompt an effort at transmutation in a more communitarian way alternatively of sweeping renunciation.

The political orientation or myth of individuality is important for spiritual research for several grounds. For many Americans, individuality is a sort of secular faith act uponing the manner they live more than the spiritual traditions some of them espouse. Besides, American spiritual traditions have both influenced and been influenced by individuality: the cultural myth has penetrated the churches and religious orders, and the assorted individualities of such spiritual orientations as Puritanism, sectarian Pietism, frontier revivalism, or `` the unseeable faith '' of the independent person in our society whose pursuit for self-expression takes him progressively into the private domain have had significant impact on the larger society. Individuality is of import to spiritual groups ' attempts to consequence societal alteration. The dominant spiritual traditions in this state, Judaism and Christianity, are committed to a position of the ego that is as basically societal as it is repetitive on the self-respect of the person and to a authorization for societal justness that is incompatible with some looks of American individuality. Those traditions hence have a interest both in the saving of individuality 's assets and in the unfavorable judgment of some of its liabilities.

Political ground

Individuality is an across-the-board term. Stephen Lukes delineates six assortments, but our focal point here is chiefly on what Americans have made of classical liberalism in political relations, market capitalist economy in economic sciences, and sectarian Protestantism in faith. Suspicious of the province, protective of personal autonomy, and wedded to voluntary associations, Americans have developed an individuality that has been questioned by both conservativists and

socialists in Europe.

Nothing is more American than individuality. Clinton Rossiter even charges that we have made a fetish of it. Yehoshua Arieli, in postulating that the construct is `` virtually of purely American beginning '' is non disregarding the fact that the term was brought here from Europe ; he means that, more than anyplace else, individuality took on typical significance and cardinal importance in America. As Robert Bellah has observed, the term had negative intensions when it was coined in Europe In the 19th century, and socialism had the positive associations. In this state, though, individuality `` resonated to so much that was latent in American political orientation that it quickly became the positive term '' .

Many Europeans emigrated to this land because they believed that one could do a fresh start here and stand or fall on one 's ain virtues. The American Pevolution itself was made possible by a refusal to accept authorization unquestioningly, and, harmonizing to Alfred Kazin, its `` greatest historic consequence '' has been `` to make and perpetuate our secular faith, the free person. '' He concludes that `` individuality '' shortly came to intend something other than `` our British autonomies '' and `` the rights of adult male, '' viz. what Emerson called the `` infinitude of the private head. '' In Kazin 's words,

The American Revolution raised the person and above all the theory of individuality to new highs. There was a political revolution, even a spiritual revolution, above all an rational and literary revolution. There was finally a revolution of the common manaˆ¦

Every adult male more or less, and some work forces surely more

than others, become in theory, in some theoretical account carried around in American caputs, his ain revolution.

Economic ground

The mythology of the Revolution is merely one of the myths that has evolved to give look and strength to individuality. Like the immigrants ' hopes, the frontier myth carries with it obvious individualistic cargo. Davey Crockett, `` King of the Wild Frontier '' and Daniel Boone seeking `` elbow room '' are archetypal frontier work forces, rugged persons who could digest and predominate in the wilderness. John Kennedy could still win in 1960 with a call to `` the Frontier, '' and even when spacemans with extended life-support systems are virtually the lone staying expanders of spacial frontiers in America, the desire to do it on one 's ain in the wilderness still beckons many.

Cultural ground

`` Americans realize that self-subjectivity, it gives single apprehension of the alone capableness, so personal gustatory sensations, sentiments, choice and creativeness was put to a preferable location. `` The United States are a matter-of-fact people, Commager said Americans '' for many of the jobs is about existent, although non to all of the issues. Americans on concern frequently with love affair, but political, spiritual, cultural and scientific and practical. `` American independent ego consciousness is built on the footing of solid work, their self-fulfillment is non achieved through as a member of the community, but accomplishments, accomplishments reflect the person 's abilities, so Americans less group construct. For illustration, in the United States, parents and kids live together there is a clip scope. In General, they for the behavior of the parents and kids do non hold with. Americans really stressed individualism,

power to handle anything with independent and self-choice. Americans from an early age kids 's individualism, encourage and motivate kids autonomy. For illustration `` , forenoon, female parent girl under the age of discontent in babe high chair legs, and to give their kids fix for breakfast. Mother has selected two different types of babe cereal, each cereal box with the colour that has a important difference between female parent custodies took a box of cereal, allow the small girl cereal in forepart of the kids choose her favourite colour. Less than one twelvemonth old kid, at least in footings of nutrient, have begun to larn to show her personal involvements and do their ain picks. `` Encourages the kid head, organizing their ain positions, this is an American kid, alone methods of developing one 's personality. Children grow up to 18 old ages, will go forth his male parent, bargainers launch dress shop.

1.2 Features of USA individuality

Self consciousness is United States civilization an built-in construct. In the United States individual `` , everyone is non merely an independent being, and besides as a alone psychological lives exist and single members of society. American ego occupies a dominant place in the American manner of thought, which individualist signifiers of incursion in the people 's action, and affects every country of activity. `` United States individuality is the chief content of '' ego motive, self-choice, by autonomy to accomplish self-fulfillment. And it most closely is the construct of equality, freedom and competition. Equal chance and single freedom is my basic protection, and competition is a basic manner to recognize the value of the person. `` Americans

' consciousness of ego, there is a scope of ego, self-concept with subjectiveness. Stewart cites an illustration. He says, `` pull a cringle around one, stage separation will self and others, we can hold identified about individuality. Is within the boundaries of the ego is an American, in the consciousness we refer to it as implicit in the analysis of causes, that the people engaged in the activities of the single beginning, is an independent person in the society, is besides a rational individual to take control of their environment. Ego is subjective in nature, it fundamentally non be cognizant of and understand, and it is hard to be understood by foreigners. `` Self-subjectivity of personal cultural distinguishes self and others. `` Self maintained his ain subjectiveness, he acts with their ain subjective properties. ``

Americans in footings of wear, place trappingss, are really peculiar about personality, loath to follow the crowd to reflect the individualism of their cultural values. Their spirit of autonomy in the love on themselves. Exchange under magazine published has a article, said Americans `` from a little of irrelevant of work to a point demand complex engineering of major technology, are willing to ain hands-on: teenage aged of kids like flip has some broken of old auto ; took high wages of Manager forces like hands-on to lodging added with screens stopped up of anteroom ; household homemaker will have fix leaking of taking and unwilling to turned to plumber ; some household will developed program, inch dry border learn, household hands-on built lodging. Americans do non believe that important, whether household or some establishments or traditional, in a Word, they

like the `` ego '' as the Center. For illustration, their attitudes towards art focused embodies the personal naturalism inclination of self-expression. Their aesthetic criterions, do non like being told what they are good at pulling or literature, they are willing to take `` you like is good '' . Derive from grasp of picture or reading merriment, arts characteristic get implemented. Self construct and self driven, direct impact on the American manner of life. In their position, the birth and the household is non of import, self-significance of the chief `` depends on the person 's accomplishment '' . One should hold its ain aims, so most Americans have a strong desire of success. `` To win thrusts the Americans in assorted Fieldss from top to bottom and geographic expeditions, maintain doing advancement. At the same clip, frequent publicity chances and assorted illustrations of success, which in bend stimulate desire greater success, get down another new end chase. This battle -- -- mode rhythm, the United States society is full of energy, full of battle. `` American aversion in keeping power of people '' in the signifier of bid, force or bullying to drive their `` , '' I do n't wish being around other people 's motives. ``

However, they can accept a certain power of bid, such as the national control over natural resources, goods, services and money is considered sensible. In their position, sensible control over things, it is good for people, this despite the contradictions and the value of individuality, but can ease greater success for them. As such, they are for person to non needfully to the full recognizes, on

another individual 's political positions, personal penchants or personal circle of life may non be to the full accepted. But `` Americans treat the human personality as a different disconnected parts of the whole, it is this thought and the desire to win, the Americans the power of cooperation. `` All in all, the Americans to '' self `` and '' personality `` and '' success `` as their codification of behavior, occupies a dominant place in American idea, profoundly rooted.

2. The background information of the Chinese traditional value

2.1 History of Chinese traditional value

Research workers in the survey of Chinese cultural values may happen it astonishing that Chinese values have formed a clear and consistent system for coevalss ( Kindle, 1983 ; Hsu, 1970 ) . Of class, it does non connote that the values and the system have non

been changed. In fact, the Chinese cultural value systems have late undergone

rapid alteration. For illustration, during the Cultural Revolution in the People 's Republic

of China, the Orthodox philosophy of Confucianism, which is the foundation of the

Chinese value system, was badly criticised and workss harmonizing to the philosophy

purely out. Therefore, the classical Chinese value system was disrupted and

attempts are now being made to reconstruct it. Other Chinese-dominated societies, such

as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, have besides shown inevitable alterations in the

value systems during the procedure of rapid societal and economic alteration ( Shively

and Shively, 1972 )

2.1.1 Political ground

The construct of face is in struggle with individuality, which assumes the person 's

wellbeing or involvement. Hofstede ( 1980 ) , a European bookman, used the term

`` corporate '' alternatively of `` group oriented '' . He indicated that the

Chinese, every bit good

as Asians, are collectivized, although his list of values was uncomplete. The

collectivized nature of the Chinese is reflected in the Chinese household and affinity

system ( Hsu, 1968 ) . Hsu argued that `` the primary concern of a bulk of Chinese

was to protect and heighten their private affinity involvements '' . He indicated that the

Chinese see the affinity system as a footing for associating to others. It means

uninterrupted and durable homo ties which do non hold clearly defined

boundaries. For illustration, in many European states, the parent-child relationship

lawfully comes to an terminal when kids reach the age of 18 or 21, after which parents

lose their say over their kids 's matrimonies. The Western hubby and married woman besides

maintain single privateness, which can non be intruded on except by invitation. Attempts

at subject by grandparents and other grownups in the household system are regarded

as intervention. Therefore, there exist in the household system spliting lines which make

the boundaries clearly defined, and human ties supersede each other instead than

being linear ( Hsu, 1968 ) .

2.1.2 Economic ground

The Chinese tend to act in the opposite manner. When acquiring married, kids

still see seeking blessing from parents as mandatary and necessary ( Salaff,

1981 ) . Sometimes, determinations of parents are concluding. Sons and girls after matrimony

are still apt to back up the household ( in footings of their parents or parents-in-law ) ,

even though they may populate apart. Further, they spend their leisure clip continuing

a feasible relationship with parents and parents-in-law by a assortment of activities, such

as holding tea in Chinese eating houses, or banqueting at place on Saturday or Sunday

eventides. Normally, parents live with one of their kids (

normally the eldest boy )

even after his/her matrimony. Therefore, in contrast with Europeans or Americans,

matrimony for a Chinese means an addition of psycho-social engagement with his/her

parents or parents-in-law. Marriage is non merely an matter between the bride and

the bridegroom, but an juncture for the household to reciprocate fondness to friends

and other members in the affinity system ( Salaff, 1981 ) .

2.1.3 Cultural ground

From a different angle, the construct of mutuality is of import for Western

executives working in Chinese society. They should be reminded that off-duty

personal behavior, through which the relationship with the community is built,

is extremely of import to the house 's image and its effectivity.

Several facets of the value of group orientation are notable in selling,

excessively. First, because the Chinese are strongly corporate may connote that informal

channels of communications are of import in Chinese society, compared with those

in the UK. Chinese consumers tend to trust more on viva-voce communicating.

3.The influence of Individualism in China

Because of the high contact rate among group members, communications among

Chinese consumers for a given merchandise thought may be diffused really rapidly.

Furthermore, given that informal channels of communicating carry both facts and

rumor, Chinese consumers are much more likely to trust on, and do usage of,

the rumour moeity of the informal channel, instead than what is really claimed

for the merchandise officially ( Kindle, 1985 ) .

Chinese consumers tend to be more trade name loyal than their opposite numbers

in the West. Chinese consumers frequently endeavour to conform to group norms and

hence tend to buy the same trade name or merchandise other members of the group

recommend. In other words, if a mention group has established a merchandise as

the normative criterion, Chinese consumers are non

likely to divert from the

recognized merchandise on their ain by exchanging to a competitory merchandise.

Since Chinese are merely group oriented towards societal units with which

close interactions have been established, consumers tend to restrict their activities

to a little societal circle. Hence, they are members of a little figure of mention

groups. This may be one of the grounds that mass advertisement through formal

channels ( e.g. telecasting ) is of limited potency for pulling attending when utilizing

mention groups which are frequently little in size. In Hong Kong, Winston, an American

coffin nail trade name, has been enduring from a uninterrupted diminution in gross revenues because

of improper usage of mention groups in its advertizements.

The construct of the drawn-out household is of import to advertizements of

household merchandises. Unlike consumers in Western societies, the Chinese construct of

household is one of the drawn-out household, which includes even distant relations.

Therefore, if an advertizement which attempts to carry consumers to purchase a

household merchandise includes merely hubby, married woman and kids, it does non truly demo

a image of a household at all. Other members of the drawn-out household, such as

gramps and grandma, should be included to do the advertizement more

persuasive.

4. Decision

To sum up, individuality has played a function in history that there is no other alternate, became core cultural value of the United States. It helps the businessperson addition independency, and thrust development of United States capitalist economic. Basically, it is to protect capitalist private ownership, which is the most of import values of capitalist society. At present, it has been in problem, many Americans are looking for an unfastened, collaborative, originative, new individuality. We treat the United States attitude of individuality, should non be merely

unfavorable judgment or negative, or blind superstitious notion and to retrieve from, and should be promoted to abdicate individuality, that is absorbed United States sensible composing of individualistic values.