Reality: Cultural Values the Newsweek Essay

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Although both China and America are major superpowers, they are polar opposites in terms of their cultural orientations. In contrast to American bluntness, Chinese speakers tend to communicate indirectly, often using subtle language to convey strong feelings rather than blurting them out. In China, there is a strong value upon tradition, and protocol, and respect for power distance. This contrasts with the value placed upon individualism and creativity in low-context societies. While in the United States, individualism is seen as a positive thing, in China individualism is often seen as a form of selfishness, and deviating from the norm is not embraced as delightfully nonconformist, as it often is in America.

In China, context means everything: an individual communicates differently, based upon his or her hierarchical relationship to the speaker. Meaning is based upon context and nuance, rather than upon literal, surface meanings, as it tends to be in a low-context society such as America. Americans also tend to be very focused on short-term, concrete results, versus a longer time orientation in cultures such as China: in China time is also viewed in a less monochromatic fashion.

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The past as well as the present and the future must be taken into consideration.

This differing time orientation even affects communicating what Americans would see as a literal statement: being told to arrive at a specific time, Americans assume that time is to be observed scrupulously, and it is rude to be late. Other cultures see a specific time designation in a more vague fashion, such as taking place during the evening "around 8pm." To arrive at exactly 8pm, when everyone in the culture knows that one is expected to be late is rude. This reflects a different time orientation, and also the need for 'belongingness' in a high-culture society. To behave correctly, one must know social as well as literal rules, while in a low-context society like America, one only need to follow the literal rules to 'get along' and to be considered polite.

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Latest APA Format (6th edition)

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"Reality Cultural Values The Newsweek" (2009, December 21) Retrieved June 26, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/reality-cultural-values-newsweek-16066

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"Reality Cultural Values The Newsweek" 21 December 2009. Web.26 June. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/reality-cultural-values-newsweek-16066>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

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"Reality Cultural Values The Newsweek", 21 December 2009, Accessed.26 June. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/reality-cultural-values-newsweek-16066
   

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