Individualistic vs. Collectivitistic?

Was listening to Hannah's "Making the Difference" when I was struck by a little thought.

We're always talking about individualistic and collectivistic cultures, and as Asians (or more precisely, Malaysians) we're proud of the fact that we're from a culture that cares and shares. We perceive problems from the so called Western-aka-individualistic culture as stemming from the fact that they always think of the individual first.

But is it really so bad to be a little individualistic? Not that I'm trying to be negative, but I think any human being would think of their own well-being first. It seems to be a built-in mechanism, but I'm not saying it's a bad thing. If you can't take care of yourself, how can you take care of others? The individualists have an amazing ability to advance themselves, because they're always concerned about how they do, how they can be better, how to improve....and I think that level of assertiveness and self-determination can become very useful.

Being a collectivist means we want to make sure our community gets the best, even if it means sacrificing our own needs. Again, it's not bad at all; in fact, it's a wonderful trait. But being a collectivist also means not standing out...to be another brick in the wall. It also means not being willing to stand up against those whom we call authority, who so-called "guards" our community's needs. However, being a collectivist also means we can accept that there are always extenuating circumstances for other people's intentions...meaning we are far more willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, while an individualist would be quick to say that the entire responsibility rests with the person.

Right now, the world is at a stage where having the assertiveness of an individualist becomes an advantage. It sells, you see, and assertiveness helps someone avoid getting stepped all over. But at the same time, people are recognising the importance of caring for the needs of others. They are acknowledging the value of building close, supportive relationships and deferring to catering to the needs of someone other than themselves.

After all, the human being has some very unique needs. We need to belong to a group, and we are willing to work to care for the needs of our groups. We want to exemplify ourselves as a member of such a group and therefore, conform to the values and beliefs, which essentially means branding a sort of label on ourselves. But at the same time, we want to be recognised as being different. We want to stand out as having a personality of our own, of being uniquely ourselves in such a way there's not another person like our own self in the world. In essence, we are seeking a balance between being similar and being different. And such a cry is rising in many cultures, as people strive to find the right balance.

So be an individualist with a collectivist's heart, or a collectivist with an individualist's spirit!