The West, generally a low context culture has together with Westernisation pushed the rest of the world's (Asia's high context) culture to fit its own through it's Economic and eventual Cultural dominance.
In this environment, our country has evolved to promote low context qualities in individuals. The ability to speak and communicate verbally effectively has pushed public speaking courses into almost every corner of our education system. Class participation (really just the social courage to shout out relevant phrases) is increasingly valued. Culturally we're increasingly open to ideas, sexually we're only becoming more liberal. While talking about sex used to be touchy, these days teens tackle the topic of homosexuality like it's just another summer movie.
(I grossly generalise) In this aspect convent schools, seemingly more Westernised and having a larger stress on the English language and Western values has been churning out Chinese students with little to no aptitude in the Mandarin language and a culturally lower context. While initially frowned upon, the confident, liberal, individualistic qualities and inability with Mandarin has slowly become so common it's fast becoming social norm.
As Asian Culture is slowly (but surely) eroded from of the school system, and more and more emphasis is put on Low context communication, it seems there isn't a place for a High Context Culture to exist.
Will we through the generations eventually lose touch with our ancestral roots, or will the rise of China change the global dynamics push its culture back onto the West? Will we then put the stress back on Chinese like followers behind the Global superpowers, or will we eventually have distinct enough culture to call our own?
I think it depends on the country. The West, such as US, is of a low context culture. However, China, on the other hand, is a high context culture where subtle cues are actually more important than actual words spoken. However, I do agree that in Singapore, the younger generation do not seem to bother much about Mandarin such they think it is less important. However, with China rapidly changing today, I think its time they brush up with their mandarin.
ReplyDeleteit is impossible to stop the western culture from influencing the eastern culture.. Infact if you go way back into the past, the western culture isnt all so low context after all..
ReplyDeleteDuring the mozart era, I believe that it is also a taboo to talk about sex and other unappealing things for it will only be frowned upon..
people are changing with time, and we cannot control the direction of the change.
as long as it is not harmful, then its okay.
in this generation.. alot of people more english compared to Mandarin.. as they are speak more often.. like durin class.. most of the subjects are all in english languages.. like: Maths, Science, Humanities.. and for chinese student they approach Mandarin lesser.. Like a week maybe only 6-8 lessons of Mandarin.. i think that school should make Mandarin more interesting.. so that more student will attend more mandarin lesson.. or can have more advertisment to let students know that how important is Mandarin
ReplyDeleteSingapore seems to me to be a mix of both low and high context cultures. In certain ways, Singaporeans act individualistic yet in others, they act collectivistic. Let me see. Individualistic: Many do things in consideration of themselves instead of the general good of others, such as in office politics.
ReplyDeleteCollectivistic: When many people still show much support to the country and their families.
I agree with you that the asian culture seems to be slowly taken away from the education system here in singapore. See the way education policies have transformed over the years. "Teach less, learn more".
=)Kai Ting
Hi there, having a good balance of high and low context in a nation will be the best possible way out. If Singapore is to insist to remain as a high context nation, do you think we could have move on to a 1st world country? being low context, we allows individuals to stand up and speak their mind out. Allowing new ideas and transformation to take place. On the other hand, having a high context in the nation is also vital as it promotes stability as people will be like a herd of sheep, just following the lead of the sheepherd. However, striking a right balance will be quite difficult. Therefore the leader in a nation need to be capable of doing that.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, money makes the world go round. Whoever has the economic power seems to be able to drive the cultural landscape with it. The Europeans were doing it in the era of colonies, Americans more recently, all because of their economic superiority.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrew. If I'm not wwrong, even greek and roman philosophy which has influenced the western world's way of thinking, in turn influencing us today, was fueled by their technological and military prowess.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not exclusively economic, one must also realise that war was the economics of the past, and economics the war of the present.
i think we have to think not just how Low Affects high but how high affects low?
ReplyDeletewe may all think that americanisation and mcdonaldization is doing its part onto Asia. but as we all know that China is gonna be the new superpower nation (or already is), so due to the change in power, don't we think we should give them due credit on their upcoming (or already is happening) influence on other countries?
isaac
http://pitstophere.wordpress.com