Outline for Argument Paper

Reason: There exists a fundamental difference between the way an individual is brought up in Western Culture and in Eastern Culture.
Evidence: “In contrast (to the West), the traditional view, especially in Asia, has been that the individual is nothing until shaped and refined through interaction with others… The Hindu person is produced consciously and deliberately during a series of collective events.” (Finding Flow 79)

Reason: Individuals brought up in Eastern Cultures seek out unity and common values in relationships.
Evidence: East Asians perceive people as inseparable from other people, so that ‘the relationship, rather than the individual, may be a fundamental unit of consciousness”. (qtd. Placing the face in Context 367)

Reason: Individuals brought up in Eastern Cultures spend more time and are more concerned with the people and things outside of their own self.
Evidence: “East Asians have a more ‘holistic’ pattern of attention, perceiving people, objects, and events in terms of their relationships to other people, objects and events rather than in terms of their distinctive properties…People raised in the Western European tradition find it easy to isolate an object from its context; East Asians do not…East Asians are more alert than North Americans to relationships and context”. (Placing the face in Context 366)

Reason: Meaningful and long lasting relationships require two conditions: Compatibility between goals and willing to invest attention in the other person’s goals
Evidence: “A relationship that leads to order in consciousness instead of psychic entropy has to meet at least two conditions. The first is to find some compatibility between our goals and that of the other person or persons… The second condition for a successful interaction is that one be willing to invest attention in the other person’s goals…When these conditions are met, it is possible to get the most valuable result from being with other people-to experience the flow that comes from optimal interaction.” (Finding Flow 81)

Claim: Adopting Eastern ideology in social and family settings leads to more successful and meaningful relationships.


It’s tough to maintain long and meaningful relationships; the high divorce rate is a good example. The way our economy is organized through the merit and reward system trickles down into our culture and we find ourselves with bad relationship skills. If we adopt just in our social life Eastern values and ideals we will posses better habits and find these meaningful relationships we seek.