Asia and the Middle East represent eastern culture, while South and North America, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia represent western culture. Culture has a great impact on the way people behave and think, thus creating many differences between the East and the West.
Western culture and Eastern culture difference in many ways, but one of the most notable ones is that western countries are more liberal than their eastern counterparts. Western cultures promote openness and a more critical outlook. The group discusses topics that in other cultures are considered taboo, and the members can express their emotions and vent their anger as they see fit. In eastern cultures, this type of behavior is not tolerated. It is preferable to use tact and good manners when facing difficult situations, instead of being aggressive.
Another difference between eastern and western cultures is that in the West, people are more likely to make their own decisions on their own, unlike in the East, where families make more decisions together. Thirdly, arranged marriages are not a characteristic of western cultures, in which people marry based on their love.
The cultures of the West and the East may have some similarities, but is this always true?
Western and eastern cultures do not share enough characteristics for them to ever have any common ground. There are some aspects of eastern cultures that are so different, for example, their religions, which include Islam, Hinduism, Shenism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Taoism. Eastern cultures have such different clothing and rituals, like Indians touching the feet of elders and parents to show respect. A bow is a gesture used by East Asians to welcome guests, thank them, and apologize. Despite what eastern cultures may believe, they find it hard to question ideologies and beliefs. The majority of people can, on the other hand, abandon religion without anyone noticing.
In eastern cultures, the elders are the ones who make decisions
We can see the difference between western and eastern cultures by examining elders’ roles. Elders are considered the leaders in eastern cultures, so children follow their instructions without questioning them. Elders are generally responsible for any important decisions relating to a child. Children often take on the task of caring for their aging parents when their parents grow old.
Typically, in western cultures, the state takes responsibility for the welfare of elderly people in collaboration with children or other family members.
Arrangements for marriage are common in eastern cultures. A couple’s parents or another elder usually arrange these marriages. Love is believed to follow marriage rather than the other way around.
East and west have few similarities when it comes to education
Taking a look at the comparison between the eastern and western cultures, it is evident that western education emphasises creativity and allows individuals to develop to their full potential. In Eastern education, success is tied to hard work and a struggle for success. It means that any goal can be achieved through hard work. Since eastern children work harder than western children, they often excel academically in a western education environment.
The western culture encourages students to actively participate in debates and to ask questions. East cultures tend to believe that the teacher is always right, although this is not the case in western cultures. Additionally, western cultures go to great lengths to integrate children who are classified as special needs. Special needs students sit in the same classrooms as other students. Children with special needs are often taught separately in eastern cultures.
Overall, eastern and western cultures do not share much in common at this point in time, but each should be respected for what it stands for and achieves.