Comments for Reflective Journal 3

For http://3s108-2012.blogspot.com:

Comment: Hi Ivan,I enjoyed your reflective journal 2 and this reflected journal did not disappoint me as well! I like your approach to the question, as you compared the two factors you were given, before coming to a conclusion of which you prefer, and how they can actually affect your life or the society. You are also proactive in researching for other sources and bringing in other examples like the part where you gave example showing how the Japanese approach the topic you were talking about, to strengthen your argument. Overall, I feel that this is a good piece of work done!

For http://3s109-2012.blogspot.com:

Comment: Hi Jack, I like how you explicitly explained how these beliefs actually impacted your lives, and it may be because you have experienced more than many of us, and have more experiences to share. When I went to visit the other blogs, it is seen that many, including myself, cannot relate to the beliefs as well as you can. However, just a little question, I am puzzled over why you quoted your friend's post that he believes more in the Western perception of self than the Chinese perception of self. Is it a style of writing of yours, or did you feel like adding that in to show the contrast between your friend's point of view and your point of view? Overall, this was an excellent work!

SES Reflective Journal 3

The Chinese perception of self, as discussed in class, is mainly collectivism where there is higher value placed on group cooperation and individual modesty. Also, the Chinese are most comfortable in the presence of a hierarchy where they know their position and the customs or rules for behavior in the situation. The Chinese also puts societal needs above individual needs as they feel that it was important to maintain harmony and emphasizes a lot on “guanxi” or People-Relationship.

On the other hand, the America’s perception of self is individualism where higher value is placed on self-reliance and “freedom” from externally imposed constraints. The Americans are most comfortable working with their social equals and are seen as being more task-orientated as relationships seem to be less important than getting the work done.

The tutorials of Socia-Economic Studies allowed me to understand why the two countries are so different, be it in their way of management or their way of viewing things. For example, I understood that China’s perception of self may be influenced by certain Confucius teachings while the mindset of an individualist may be influenced by the American War of Independence which started mainly because the people were treated with inequality.

Many countries seemed to be influenced by their beliefs, including Singaporeans. Being a Singaporean, these beliefs have affected me in many ways such as the way I do things and the way I behave.

The Chinese perception of self has affected my behavior in a way that, when a teacher or my fellow classmates praise me, there was no way I could turn around and say, “Thank You for Your Compliment”, but instead my first reaction would be I am not good enough to deserve your compliment. This may be due to the fact that our country is influenced by the belief of “modesty” in China. I personally feel that this should not be how we behave, as we should learn to accept the compliments of others, and not constantly feel that we are not good enough, as this would lead to a low self-esteem.

Also, the Chinese perception of self of following the instructions of the people who are of higher rank has influenced the way we Singaporeans do things. For example, in Hwachong, we have a lot of homework, project work and other commitments which makes life very stressful. However, nobody really stands up and say that we do not want to do all these work, or negotiate for lesser work. Instead, we silently get all the work done and this is very similar do China’s way of doing things where one leader speaks, and the subordinates follow with no opinion. I feel that there would be a negative impact on our society if this carries on, as nobody would dare to oppose the current system, thus leading to no new progress in the country as the system is not constantly improved.

However, there is the positive side of the Chinese perception of self. For example, as one of the Chinese teachings is that we should always contribute back to the society which aided us in our success, we can see many successful entrepreneurs contributing to the society by donating to needy funds and non-profit organizations which help the needy. I have been affected by this belief as well as I find joy in doing Service-Learning projects. For example, I used to help teach dyslexic kids at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore last year, going down to Queenstown Primary School once a week.

Similarly, the America’s perception of self has also have a positive impact on the society of Singapore. For example, Singaporeans now know exactly what they want for the country and are more willing to speak up and also show it through their actions. This is evident from the fact that in the recent general elections, Singaporeans show their discontent to PAP’s way of management by voting for the opposing party. Then, Singaporeans voiced out their discontent such as having an influx of foreign talents who compete for jobs and resources with them, traffic congestion and also the high ministerial pays which does not seem to match with the quality of work produced by them. This is a very positive impact on our society as when our citizens are more willing to voice out their discontent, or rather ways of improvement, the country would be able to improve faster.

In conclusion, I feel that both the America and China perception of self has affected me. However, the China’s perception of self seems to suit me better, as being a Chinese, I have been brought up with Chinese beliefs and the Chinese perception of self, which probably explains why many things I do now can be related to the Chinese perception of self.

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