He quotes:
The Westerner, driven by Aristotle's thinking, believes the world “is a line”, is unchanging, so is controllable, and hence can be defined by rules and systems.
He believes in absolute truths -- blacks and whites -- in the power of the individual and his capacity to influence the environment. He is typically “object-focused”, thinks sequentially, and believes in the concept of debate because finally logic will prevail. By mindset, he is inclined to scientific theory and investigation. For the Westerner, “life is a problem to be solved”.
By contrast, the Easterner is influenced by Confucian thinking. He believes the world “is a circle”, is constantly changing, so is not controllable and hence the challenge is how to manage life within it. He believes there is no absolute truth and is constantly trying to find a path to the truth.
For him, the collective is more important than the individual and it's important to exercise self-control so as to minimise friction within the group to maintain harmony. He is typically “relationship-focused” rather than object-focused, thinks “circularly” and believes in the concept of discussion, from which emerges a harmonious solution acceptable to all. By mindset, he is more inclined to the arts. For the Easterner, “life is mystery to be unraveled”.
Full article can be found here.
[posted with ecto]
