Culture differences are a very hot topic in business as well as at holiday parties. Today we bring a guest writer, Lim Chuwei from Hong Kong, to share about this East/West debate. Let’s dive in! Western culture (as specified in the cultural map above) is defined by the following: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are some common religions practiced in the Western world. The population in Western countries is more liberal than those in the East. The Westerners are more open and blunt. For example, topics like sex or birth of a child are openly discussed in Western culture, whereas in the East, these topics are still taboo. People from the West are more open to expressing their feelings. If they are angry, they vent it out. But, people in the east may hold it in for tact and good manners.
Also, one’s own choice is given preference over the family’s. A person from the West is more flexible and free to make decisions on his own, unlike those in the East.
Arranged marriages are not at all common in the West for they believe in love as the basis for marriage.