Collectivism in the Korean society: Then and Now
Introduction
In my Observation Paper, I wrote of how I received the assistance of Koreans when I had arrived. The collectivistic assistance of the Koreans was something I was especially amazed, as they could approach the people along the street whom they did not know, just to make sure I received the help I needed.
Given this opportunity, I would be discussing about the collectivistic attitude of Koreans in the modern society, with an attempt to link the origins. This paper would also discuss on possible attributions to the change of the society’s attitude through incidents which I have either heard from my Korean friends or had experienced personally myself.
Origins of collectivism
Collectivism, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is observed in social organizations in which the individual is seen as being subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, nation, race or social class.
In Korea, collectivism has its roots from Confucianism, where goals of the group are more important than that of self-fulfillment. Schools of the past emphasized on the teachings of Confucian, which had an impact on the workings of the Korean society.
The different classes of society also emphasized the idea of collectivism, especially the notion of in-groups and out-groups. This was especially evident in the higher social classes of Koreans, as they try to maintain their status in the society to keep out the lower classes from climbing up the social ladder.
Over the years, as Korea started to face foreign intervention and colonization, the different classes worked together as a group to preserve the Korean identity. The call for independence and democracy are great examples of the collectivistic attitude of Koreans, as they fought for independence and democracy. The Koreans were willing to risk their lives as they believed for “a greater call” in order to benefit the rest of the society and generations to come.
Collectivism in Modern Korean Society
According to
In my Observation Paper, I wrote of how I received the assistance of Koreans when I had arrived. The collectivistic assistance of the Koreans was something I was especially amazed, as they could approach the people along the street whom they did not know, just to make sure I received the help I needed.
Given this opportunity, I would be discussing about the collectivistic attitude of Koreans in the modern society, with an attempt to link the origins. This paper would also discuss on possible attributions to the change of the society’s attitude through incidents which I have either heard from my Korean friends or had experienced personally myself.
Origins of collectivism
Collectivism, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is observed in social organizations in which the individual is seen as being subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, nation, race or social class.
In Korea, collectivism has its roots from Confucianism, where goals of the group are more important than that of self-fulfillment. Schools of the past emphasized on the teachings of Confucian, which had an impact on the workings of the Korean society.
The different classes of society also emphasized the idea of collectivism, especially the notion of in-groups and out-groups. This was especially evident in the higher social classes of Koreans, as they try to maintain their status in the society to keep out the lower classes from climbing up the social ladder.
Over the years, as Korea started to face foreign intervention and colonization, the different classes worked together as a group to preserve the Korean identity. The call for independence and democracy are great examples of the collectivistic attitude of Koreans, as they fought for independence and democracy. The Koreans were willing to risk their lives as they believed for “a greater call” in order to benefit the rest of the society and generations to come.
Collectivism in Modern Korean Society
According to