Question

"Do you think that the culture that you live within is more collectivistic or individualistic? What are the advantages and disadvantages of either?"

Can this be answered with three paragraphs?

Answer 1

Culture

Culture is majorly like an idea which is created and shared by a group of people. The innumerable definitions of culture commonly point to some of its essential features. One is that culture includes behavioural products of others who preceded us. It indicates both substantial and abstract particulars that have prior existence in one form or another.. Thus, a culture is already there as we begin life. It majorly contains values and language which regulate and process the entire culture. In some cases thy are dynamic and in some they are rigid. But whatever it is, culture is ultimately a way of life that is being followed by the generations.

Individualistic Culture

There are some cultures that are based on competition and advancement. People living in these cultures are developed in a manner which is more autonomic and independent. This influence a person's personality and thinking patterns. Cultures that we find in the U.S. or European countries like U.K., France etc. are called as individualistic cultures which promotes the same. As the name suggests, individualistic cultures focuses on an individual and not on a group. It promotes well being of an individual first and then others. Thus, the boundaries between the group and the individual is rigid and non-permeable. This individualistic view is sometimes called as the western view of culture as it seems to hold clear dichotomies between self and other, man and nature, subjective and objective. In these societies people are well versed in skills of attention, observation, analysis, performance, speed ad achievement orientation. Because individualistic culture promotes technological intelligence, the qualities that people would be having are regarded as competitive in nature.

Advantages:

1. It is useful for people seeking self growth and success in life.This cultures motivates people to move up the ladder and strive for excellence.

2. In terms of development, many countries follow this pattern of culture as it helps them focus more on advancement model.

3. It makes a person tough, and more open minded. People belonging to this culture can influence others more easily as their main motive to get their work done. Thus, it's more solution focused.

4. The greatest advantage of being in this type of a culture is that one doesn't need to depend on others for everything. There is more freedom and independence. The scope of adjustment and compromises are very less. Thus, self awareness and self expression is the highest.

5. There is respect for privacy for people who do not like to mingle much.

Disadvantages:

1. This culture is more materialistic in nature where success is seen as the number of physical assets. It seems more selfish as the one who follows this culture tends to think about themselves most of the times. Thus, people are self-centered.

2. Somewhere this culture negates the unique human emotions of empathy, altruism and cooperation. It ends up making humans as machines only striving for excellence.

3. Because of focusing on an individual's own freedom and expression, the inter-personal relationships are either full of selfish motives or break due to messed up thinking patterns. Individuals are devoid of adjusting and accepting. It is not new that the divorce rates are very high in these countries.

4. There is no time for fellow human beings. Because people are running after success, they forget their care givers , children, friends etc. They fail to provide them with quality time.

5. The settlements or the living conditions are mostly separate and distinguished from each other mainly to allow privacy but it can pose as a disadvantage when people may yell for help or support.

Collectivistic Culture

Countries like China, Japan, India and African countries follow this culture. Collectivistic culture promotes harmonious relationship between individual and others. The boundaries between the self and others is porous in nature characterised by the shifting nature of the boundaries. This culture stresses more on the group or others and then the individual. It promotes cooperation, harmony, understanding, care, empathy etc. This type of a culture makes sure that the goals of a society are met or not. it seeks to encourage socialisation and the rate of intermingling with others is high. The type of intelligence that develops in this culture is called as integral Intelligence which gives emphasis on connectivity with the social or world environment. Indian thinkers view intelligence from a holistic perspective where equal attention is paid to all aspects of a person's and a group's behavioural dynamics.

Advantages:

1. People are more helping and caring toward one another. Since this culture is all about growing together, each individual seeks the success of other and celebrate each other's joy and mourn at each other's sorrows. It promotes empathy and kindness toward other living beings.

2. The settlements of these cultures are more clingy and together. Thus, in times of crisis and emergency, people are there with each other for help and support.

3. Collectivistic culture provide knowledge of the macro system that focus on oneness with the universe ad cosmos. This is a part of their motivational component.

4. People enjoy more when they are with their family, friends and near and dear ones. There is more scope of positive mental health as people have support.

Disadvantages:

1. There is lack of privacy.

2. There less scope of freedom, autonomy or independence from others.

3. Since, individual participation is less seen or appreciated, it leads to people actually not contributing enough because individual evaluation and reward is missing.

4. Group norms play a vital role where an individual's needs are lost and are not met. Conformity, Compliance and Obedience are seen most in this culture where people can find themselves in a bottleneck situation or suffocating environment. Sometimes people who do not abide by group norms are excluded from the society.

5. People may claim to be helping and cooperating but practically if we see, with the advancement of time, people have turned more into themselves and focus more on their own success.

* NOTE: Since, it is not known to which culture the student is from, it is advisable that they read the answer and decide the same.