Reflective Journal Entry 3

Question: We have discussed and debated on the Chinese and America perceptions of self. Reflect on the impact of these beliefs in your life.

China and America are the two economic superpowers of the world. Interestingly, despite placing similar emphasis on maintaining economic growth, they differ greatly in terms of their perceptions of self. As we all know, Singapore has fostered strong bilateral ties with China and America, hence the Singaporean perception of self is heavily influenced by those of both countries and actually an amalgamation of both entities, and it is of great pertinence to me.

Firstly, it is evident that the Chinese perception of self is adopted in Singapore, most probably due to the Chinese race forming the majority of its population. Confucianism is essentially an ethical system propounded by the Great Sage, Confucius, during the Han dynasty and it encompasses moral values such as respect for one's elders and the upper echelons of institutions, as well as 'da tong', also known as harmony, which seeks to cease social disruptions and enable a country's progress.

Since young, my parents have been imbibing Confucian values in me because they staunchly believe Confucian ideology is of great moral significance and that it plays an integral part in shaping my deportment. Due to the positive influence from my parents, I am often aware of how I carry myself, including the observation of social etiquette, both at home and in the public. For instance, the only occasion when I actually get the chance to interact with my grandparents and relatives is during Reunion dinner, and in betwixt the cacophony of laughter, I often take the initiative to serve them tea as a sign of respect, and they appreciate my gesture with gaiety. School is another example. Besides imparting knowledge to us, teachers are also entrusted with the responsibility to inculcate moral values in us, most of them stemming from Confucianism. We are also given the opportunity to apply the moral values that we now embody in real situations. Whenever we come across school staff, the most fundamental thing to do is to bow and greet them, by virtue of their authority.

However, conformity can be considered a double-edged sword. By this, I am not implying that compliance is unnecessary, because its absence will most likely result in a pandemonium, but rather, too much conformity can be detrimental. Take principal's dialogues and panel discussions in Hwa Chong for example. Most students ensconced in their seats, including myself, barely exude any enthusiasm, for fear that we would be guffawed at by our peers for the unique perspectives we provide. From past experience, it is also evident that the school rarely approves the suggestions made by the students because they consider them very seriously, hence most students would rather conform to whatever policies the school comes up with than proposing feasible alternatives. In this case, conformity restricts 'innovation' to a certain extent.

As for the American perception of self, it revolves around the principle of liberty. Americans believe that they have individual rights including the freedom of speech, hence will not hesitate to expound their opinions. In addition, they perceive individual rights as a prerequisite for America's development because only when the population acquire what they deserve can the society function properly.

In Singapore, social media platforms such as Stomp are created based on the American perception of self so as to enable the younger generation to express their views freely. They can snap photographs of interesting incidents and upload them onto Stomp to share with other netizens. However, this has attracted ire from non-advocates of social media platforms and given rise to some controversies as it encourages gossiping which is not favourable for youths who are very impressionable, hence liberty has proven itself to be a double-edged sword too. Personally, though I do not surf Stomp, I tend to spend some time on Facebook everyday to chat with my friends and discuss homework with my classmates. However, self-discipline is of paramount importance as Facebook can be addictive. Another thing which I always keep in mind is that I should never post statuses that are prejudicial of one's reputation or worse still, stereotypical of a race because not only is it insulting and can land me in hot soup, but the statuses would be visible to everyone and can offend some, resulting in severe consequences.

In conclusion, I live in a cosmopolitan country, hence am often able to draw parallels to the Chinese and American perceptions of self from the things that I encounter in my daily life. However, I think the Chinese perception of self has had a greater impact on my life because of the fact that I am Chinese, am anchored in Chinese culture and am studying in a school whose emphasis on Chinese culture and values differentiates it from the rest. Hence, Confucian values will definitely continue to shape my life. (796 words)