Collectivism: n. the principles or system of ownership and control of the means of production and distribution by the people collectively, usually under the supervision of a government.
Individualism: A doctrine holding that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state or social group
Most Asian countries tend towards collectivist cultures while western countries tend towards individualism. So what about Singapore? Take a look at the descriptions below and try to see which culture Singapore fits into.
A collectivist society is highly interdependent. Whenever there are decisions to be made, there has to be consultations on each other’s idea and opinions. Everyone should be consulted on before arriving at a conclusion. For instance, in a collectivist culture, if a man wants to change his job, he cannot just do so. He has to consult his family and get their approval first. In contrast, parents from an individualist society would probably feel that their child is too dependent on them if he has to get their approval for every single thing he does.
A collectivist society also includes having interpersonal sensitivity. It is important to think about how decisions made by a person can affect others. Collectivism emphasizes consideration to the needs and feelings of others. For instance, a man who wants to tear down his house will not do so immediately. He is likely to consider if it will inconvenience his neighbours. In contrast, in an individualistic society, he will have no second doubts about demolishing his house as it is his property and he has every right to do so.
People in a collectivist society tend to conform to the requirements of the group. If society decreed that certain behaviours are not accepted, people will conform to it. In most Asian countries, ideas of homosexuality are not accepted. Society frowns upon such behavior and it is considered shameful to be in a homosexual relationship. As such, people conform by wither not accepting it or by being very quiet about having it. In most western countries however, which are largely individualistic in nature, people are open to the idea of homosexuality as they feel that it is a freedom of act and that they have no right to infringe on the rights of others.
People with collectivist mindset believe in self-sacrifice. They do not mind taking the rap for others, and do not mind not getting their due social recognition. For instance, if an employee has done something wrong, the blame will be on the supervisor for not doing his job, and his supervisor will take the rap for him. For an individualistic society, however, an individual is responsible for his own work and he will be blamed for any work done wrong. He also prefers to have social recognition – to be given their due credit.
These are the four big differences of a collectivist vs. an individualist culture. Have you figured out which one does Singapore belongs to? =)
[Ans: Collectivist]
Sinagapore's 5 shared values
The main theme underlying the set of Shared Values emphasises communitarian values and reflects Singapore's heritage.
- Nation before community and society above self: Putting the interests of society ahead of the individual.
- Family as the basic unit of society: The family is identified as the most stable fundamental building block of the nation.
- Community support and respect for the individual: Recognises that the individual has rights, which should be respected and not light encroached upon. Encourages the community to support and have compassion for the disadvantaged individual who may have been left behind by the free market system.
- Consensus, not conflict: Resolving issues through consensus and not conflict stresses the importance of compromise and national unity.
- Racial and religious harmony: Recognises the need for different communities to live harmoniously with one another in order for all to prosper
A collectivist system is playing it safe; to avoid conflict within a society.
ReplyDeleteLike you mentioned, it will result in interdependence, for the case of Singaporeans, we have created this culture where we need someone to tell us what to do for fear of doing the "wrong thing", hence killing, in my opinion, the society's ability to move forward.
Actually i'll disagree!!
ReplyDeleteI think Singapore is actually tending towards individualism, especially in the last couple of decades. Admittedly, relative to most of the Western countries, we are still pretty collectivistic, but relative to the rest of SEA, i think we are considered quite individualistic.
Globalization definitely played a huge role in this shift, and i think Singapore had been under huge influence from the West, especially American culture. Hm not sure if i can credit/blame this on our colonial past, but personally i think Singapoare has a slant towards Western cultures, we readily accept Western-influenced products - fast food, media, fashion, etc.
Also, i think increasing educational levels and literacy rates also moved our society towards being more individualistic. With more information readily available (haha link to your previous post on new media) we are more aware of the rest of the world, and if we find that there are better methods of doing thing, we can adopt it into our local context and improve ourselves.
Actually i think Singapore's meritocratic system also contributed to the increasing individualism, (to give it due credit, i think it is a fair and just system haha) because you are rewarded according to how hard you work. Therefore to maximize my gains, i would rather spend more efforts on my own work, and become more selfish.
Personally i find the individualist perspective more appealing than the collectivist, and that is why i will also adopt an individualistic mindset. It is natural to expect due rewards corresponding to the amount of work put in, and this will encourage greater independence and self-responsibility.
And hahaha i totally disagree with the point that Singapore being a collectivist society, believes in SELF-SACRIFICE. HAHAHAHAHAHA LIKE REAL. Zzz.
on the whole, Singapore is still quite a collectivist society with those core values in place to bond it's citizens together. however, a hint of individualistic behavior could be noticed in certain organizations. perhaps this is part of a plan in order to train Singaporeans so that they will be able to adapt to lifestyles overseas?
ReplyDeleteHey Wanling! (:
ReplyDeleteI agree with your friend Wenqi in how Singapore's tending towards an individualist culture. Due to increasing influx of western media, western education curriculums and the competitive nature that our basic schooling systems inculcate in us.
However, I won't want to jump to conclusions on which side we've landed on, as I think the line is really too ambiguous.
1. We could be individualists-in-learning, but actually collectivists at heart.
-Because innate cultural values are hard to erase.
2. Our 5 national shared values encourage collectivism. (: So we're a collectivist nation?
BUT, the very fact that our shared values have to be so strongly pro-collectivist, SEEMS TO SUGGEST A NATION IN NEED OF MORE COLLECTIVIST MINDSETS.
I dont want to look sound like I'm sitting ont he fence, so right now I'll just look at the present and say, yes, we're definitely collectivists largely, though this may change in the near future. (:
I think Singapore is still generally a collectivist. However, an individualistic mindset can still be observed. Singaporeans are generally only concerned about their own matters. Another very common reason is also kiasuism. People only want the best for themselves and they will do whatever it takes to be the best, even at other people's expense.
ReplyDelete