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In China, the concept of shame [in contrast to guilt] is widely accepted due to Confucian teachings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt%E2%80%93shame%E2%80%93f
by krona 6y ago
In China, the concept of shame [in contrast to guilt] is widely accepted due to Confucian teachings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt%E2%80%93shame%E2%80%93fear_spectrum_of_cultures https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt%E2%80%93shame%E2%80%93fe...
Translation: It only really matters if you're caught going something wrong by your peers or society at large. There are recent, but also ancient origins which define this culture. The west (western and especially northern europe, etc.) is broadly a cultural outlier anthropologically, which are guilt societies.
- the_af 6y ago> Translation: It only really matters if you're caught going something wrong by your peers or society at large. Let's not single out China though. I've read pretty much the same happens in Japan. It might be that the source of this ends up being Confucianism and historical influences of China, but it extends to other countries outside it. The whole "saving face" and outward appearances, etc.
- 77pt77 6y agoWhere in the world doesn't this happen?
- yongjik 6y agoThat sounds rather Orientalistic, and at least partially based on mistranslation of what "shame" means in Chinese. Mencius said about what one should desire: > 仰不愧於天, 俯不怍於人 - Looking up, no shame toward the heaven; looking down, no shame facing others. That is, Confucian "shame" is not something you feel when you are found out. It's what you feel when you look inward at yourself, in front of the heaven. It's closer to what Europeans would call "sin".
- indeedmug 6y agoThis is a guess but I am not sure if "Confucian" teachings is the right way to figure out modern Chinese society. Plenty of Western writers point to it to understand China but I can't help but feel like that's like pointing to George Washington to understand modern American society. Yes, history plays a role in modern society but it's not the entire picture.
- onethought 6y agoIt’s more like reading about the Protestant reformation to understand the US - not directly relevant but very visible in the culture everywhere you look.
- chrisjharris 6y agoThe more time I live outside my homeland, the more I agree with the idea of pointing to George Washington to understand modern American society. I don't mean America in particular, but if you want to know why different cultures think differently, the only thing you have is their intellectual history, which changes (I think) surprisingly slowly.
- 77pt77 6y agoI can't agree with this. Everyone I've ever seen doing something wrong in the west only showed "guilt" once caught.
- chrisjharris 6y agoHow would you know? Do you not feel guilt yourself?
- mrkstu 6y agoActually my experience is that while those are many, they are usually considered sociopaths or narcissists.
- 77pt77 6y agoIs sociopathy and narcissism the norm in shame societies but not in guilt societies?