One such tension is that between an individualistic approach versus a collectivistic one, where the decision of the group takes precedence over the individual. Cultures like that of the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom score very high on the individualism scale, as compared to other societies like Singapore and China. The American dream saturates every aspect of life, and this prevailing attitude governs every fabric of society, nudging the individual to a commitment to pursue every conceivable avenue to achieve success, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. Individualistic cultures value privacy, honesty, freedom, loose affiliations with groups. And in family relations, they cherish truth, talking things out, and using personal persuasion to achieve goals and ambitions. Or again, governments encourage initiatives that highlight individual accomplishments such as the power of the vote, freedom of the press, and self-actualization, self-realization, and self-government.
Collectivistic cultures are committed to what is best for the group, family, or community. All decisions are made with consideration of the communal welfare. In China, for example, there is a term known as “Quanxi” which implies that the consensus of the company or group must take primacy over that of the individual. At work, collectivist cultures value training, physical conditions, skills, and the intrinsic rewards of mastery. In family relations, they value harmony more than honesty/truth (and silence more than speech), use shame to achieve behavioral goals, and strive to maintain face. Their societies and governments place collective, social-economic interests over the individual, may invade private life and regulate opinions, favor laws and rights for groups over individuals, dominate the economy, control the press, and profess the ideologies of harmony, consensus, and equality.
