The other side of the coin [3]: The Asian System Education vs Creativity

I while ago read a couple of articles [1, 2] suggesting that the traditional education systems in Asia, that encourages groupism and collectivism discouraging individualism, inhibit creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Here are some of their lines:

"Intellectual debate is neither necessary nor appreciated among herds of students who are being trained to follow rules and to adhere unquestioningly to authority", when the author refers to the students of a well known university of Singapore. [ref]

"Former Japanese Prime Minister Morhiro Hosokawa suggested that this system would ruin his country's future". [ref]

"Educational systems encourage a submersion of the individual in a collective (such as Confucianist-inspired notions of 'society above self' and unquestioning acceptance of authority) will unavoidably inhibit the emergence of indigenous entrepreneurs". [ref]

“According to Akiko Hashimoto the problem stems partly from the hierarchical system still deeply embedded in Japanese society, which favors older men and stifles criticism and innovation.” [ref]

All this reminds me the education system of my ancestors which was characterized for growing children to be good citizens, the ideal school boy was "teachable, tractable, one who can be directed ... obedient, intelligent, respectful, ..." [ref], as the author of this book pointed out, nowhere in the list of virtues is there any reference to intellectual curiosity, on the contrary "independence and nonconformity were discouraged".

(Phooey!! it seems that been always TOO nice is not always TOO good)

This is not the first time I read or I heard about this trade between groupism and individualism, is not out there an example of something in between?



Picture taken from [ref]

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I have written before how much Japanese people care about the other and anyone who has been in Japan before would not contradict me ... you can feel the difference right on top the airplane in your way to Japan, of course if it is a Japanese airline, or in your way back home if it is not. Through my own lenses, empathy, harmonious and hierarchical social relationships, groupism and collectivism shape the Japanese culture, and these have kept at peace their society even in the most difficult moments (I do not need to recall the previous unfortunate events in Fukushima and Japanese people reaction towards it). Unfortunately, it seems that it has not brought always good, or good enough, since several years ago the Japanese government has made their best to reform the system education promoting greater individualism to foster imagination and creativity. According to [ref], the challenge of Japan is not only pedagogical but cultural:

"how to find a balance between group harmony and individuality?"

I guess this is not the challenge of only the Japanese government, but of the entire humanity ... at least mine it is.

Recalling again Okakura in the book of tea ...

"The secret of success in the mundane drama of life is to keep the proportion of things and give place to others without losing one's own position". [Tao philosophy]

Related posts: [1,2]