Question

Asiacentric Communication Ethics and Competence Asia is diverse and dynamic. It is a region of cultural complexity, continuity, and change, although the term signifies a certain geographical location in the world, designates a common historical and political struggle against Western imperialism and colonialism, and implies shared religious-philosophical foundations and cultural heritage (Miike, 2003a). Asian nations are plural societies. They “have a dominant community and a number of minority communities divided on the basis of language, religion, caste, and ethnicity living together under a single polity” (Goonasekera, 2003, p. 368). Chen and Starosta (2003) vividly depict such a place of remarkable variety and vitality: Indonesia is largely Muslim, yet it contains a large Hindu enclave in Bali. Indians were also imported to parts of Malaysia, and Buddhism, started in India, [but] can hardly be found there now, except [as] a political reaction to casteism. Instead, it has taken root in China, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. Shintoism thrives in Japan, but maybe nowhere else. Asia has some massive cities, but 80% of some Asian countries are rural. India and China have 800 language varieties or dialects. (p. 1) Obviously, therefore, all Asian communicators do not subscribe to the above-discussed five propositions. These propositions do not necessarily reflect the way Asians actually communicate in real-life situations. Nevertheless, they serve as theoretical lenses from which to see an Asian version of humanity and to view Asian thought and action. They are designed to provide much food for thought in rethinking the nature and ideal of human communication in Asia and beyond from an alternative vantage point. For example, the advent of the global village and the crisis of the human condition have made it compelling to ruminate on communication ethics and competence in intercultural contexts (Chen, 2005; Miike, 2009b; Tehranian, 2007). There have been extensive discussions on Eurocentric biases in the definitions and components of these key concepts (e.g., Chen & Starosta, 2008; Ishii, 2009; Shuter, 2003; Xiao & Chen, 2009). We can reexamine current conceptualizations of communication ethics and competence from the five Asiacentric propositions. They suggest that an ethical communicator can (1) remind herself or himself and others of interrelatedness and inter- dependence through communication, (2) discipline and cultivate herself or himself without being overly self-centered through communication, (3) develop her or his altruistic sensitivity to the sufferings of others, (4) feel her or his obligation to remember the debts that she or he has received and to try to return them in one way or another, and (5) speak up for greater harmony and morality. Just like many proponents of Asian values who are often misunderstood by Western conservative intellectuals (Mahbubani, 2002), I am not asserting that these Asiacentric viewpoints on humans communicating are superior to Eurocentric ones, but I am protesting that they are not inferior to them. They are rooted in the Asian worldview and yet may be sharable along with those rooted in, say, the African worldview toward what Tu (2006, 2007) calls “a dialogical civilization” or what Sitaram (1998) calls “a higher humanity.” In Sitaram’s (1998) view, such a truly human civilization “is not an extension of any one culture; rather it would be the essence of all cultures of the entire humanity” (p. 13). Hence, there is room for Asiacentric, as well as Afrocentric and other non-Western, contributions. As Asante (1993) avers, there is also “space for Eurocentricity in a multicultural enterprise so long as it does not parade as universal. No one wants to banish the Eurocentric view. It is a valid view of reality where it does not force its way” (p. 188).

Summarize, with examples, the five Asiacentric communication propositions.

Answer 1

Summarize, with examples, the five Asiacentric communication propositions.

Asia centric worldview:

Worldview is the mental model of reality or culture which provides a context for world and life attitudes and ideas. It is the cognitive fundamental course of the person, group, or society. Asia-centric worldview is the method of placing the social culture and meaning of Asia.

Asia centric communication preposition:

The following are the five Asia centric communication prepositions:

Communication as a reminder of non-separateness:

Asia Centric Communication's first preposition is communication as a reminder of non-separateness which helps to remember our interrelatedness and interdependence with the world. It also helps to personally express ours.

Communication as ego-reduction and self-cultivation:

Asia centric communication's second preposition is communication as ego-reduction and self-cultivation. It helps to reduce human egocentrism and selfishness. It also assists in building self-esteem and maintaining self-interest.

Communication as sensing and feeling:

Asia centric communication's third preposition is contact as feeling sensation. It makes every human being experience love, happiness and misery.

Communication as reciprocal duty and responsibility:

Communication as a shared obligation and liability is the fourth preposition of Asian centric communication. It helps to get all our debts recovered and back to being attentive.

Communication as moralizing and harmonizing:

Asia-centric communication's fifth preposition is communication as harmonizing and moralising. It helps in harmonizing and moralizing the entire world or universe.