Difference in mentalities

13/08/2015

1618

Life in Europe and Asia is fundamentally different, particularly evident in their ways of life, traditions and mentalities.

In order to better understand a person of an origin different from yours, it is important to be aware of the special characteristics and practices they experience having lived in their country. As representatives of their respective culture, they express their life concepts, their manner of thinking, and beliefs.

Beliefs are cognitively formed patterns of thinking which determine the basis of what is good and what is bad, as well as how one treats himself and those around him. Everyone has their own set of beliefs, which shape their concept of life, linking together and creating various forms of behaviour in their daily activities. These may include actions such as punctuality, frugality, cleanliness, politeness, fidelity and so on. In reality, it is particularly significant to note that attitudes and mannerisms towards such actions in the East and West may be vastly different.

“East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet”, as the great English author Rudyard Kipling wrote more than half a century ago. Even today, this statement still proves to be relevant in interpreting the terms of the still-existing fundamental differences between the Eastern and Western mentalities.

Chinese artist Yang Liu has found her way of illustrating and explaining these “differences” to her interested audience. Born in China, she lived the first 14 years of her life there, then moved with her family to Germany. Thus, she was able to feel the difference between her “two worlds”, having been immersed in both Eastern and Western cultures. Later, she portrayed the differences of her life in two countries in a series of minimalist paintings.

Colour coding:

Blue – Germany

Red – China

Size of the individual Ego