According to Dr. Geert Hofstede, as stated by Moran, et al, collectivism “occurs when there is a tight social framework in which people distinguish between in-groups and out-groups; they expect their in-group to look after them, and in exchange for that owe absolute loyalty to it” (Moran et al., 2014). When looking at Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture, specifically individualism-collectivism for China as compared to the world, China scored a 20 where the rest of the world is at a 45.17. This shows that China at a low range of individualism, indicating a more collective culture. The rest of the world, in comparison, is more individualistic and places the emphasis “on independence and a focus on the individual” rather than the group. (Moran et al., 2014). The differences in culture could not be more drastic, especially right now as the world is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
It feels as though we cannot turn on the TV or open social media without hearing about the “second wave” and the constant reminder to socially distance, wash your hands, and of course, wear a mask. For those of us living in the United States, we have seen the mask topic become more and more politicized and some citizens view it as an infringement of their individual rights. Maybe you know someone who doesn’t wear a mask, invites you to gatherings, and lives as though nothing has changed and there simply is not a pandemic going on. We could not ask for a more clear and obvious example of individualistic culture on display. Every state taking different measures, or no measures has caused some states to see more drastic upticks in cases, hospitalizations, and even deaths.
When looking at more collective cultures, such as China, they have seemingly not done as poorly. In fact, research from the University of Kent has found that people who adopt a collectivist mindset are more likely to comply with social distancing and hygiene practices to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is not breaking news, as seeing the population of China social distancing and wearing masks consistently has become a common sight.
That same study, however, found that people who are more individualist are less likely to engage, partly due to beliefs in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and feelings of powerlessness surrounding the pandemic. It is almost as if the collective mindset is empowering individuals that they can get through the pandemic together because they will all do their part. In individualistic societies, there appears to be more of a feeling of powerlessness maybe because we do not feel like we can rely on each other to do their part. I don’t think that the exact same measures in China will work here, nor do I think that we should simply all lock ourselves inside our homes never to venture out again. However, adopting a more collective mindset has served us in the past and could help guide us through this pandemic as well.
Resources
Biddlestone, M., Green, R., & Douglas, K. M. (2020). Cultural orientation, power, belief in conspiracy theories, and intentions to reduce the spread of COVID‐19. British Journal of Social Psychology, 59(3), 663–673. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12397
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). Routledge.
Your article is interesting because it gives clarity to the successes that many countries have had combating the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reveals the flaw (individualism) within the American culture that makes it difficult for the United State to get control of a deadly virus. Collectivism and Individualism are two concepts Americans struggle to balance and comprehend. Collectivism and the ability to be selfless for the good of a group is an overwhelming concept since it is not attached to a mechanism that provides instant gratification. Asking a society to be selfless when the response is that there is nothing in it for me, is a difficult task. Americans have long been infected by the disease of selfish individualism, we are a society that puts our own needs first, a society that has earned a reputation of called a “me-first” culture (Samuel, 2018). As you said wearing a mask has become politicized and controversial, those unwilling to wear a mask walk around with a chip on their shoulder feeling victimized because of the new rule.
What is difficult for me to understand and stands out when I see it, is people not wearing a mask yet armed with a weapon, typically open carrying a pistol holstered in the full display above their hip. It is obvious they have some knowledge of the state’s law towards the open carrying of weapons and are willing to abide by those laws. The sight of it makes me consider the possibility that they may be the few that are uninformed of a global pandemic and the nation’s efforts to prevent the spread of a highly infectious disease. But then the reality sets in, most likely they disregard the possibility of contracting the virus and are more concerned with the fear and insecurity of being a victim of criminal activity. Regardless of their reasons, I do think at this point, not wearing a mask with as much information that has/is continuously being put out that their intent is to attract attention with the possibility of creating a conflict. Social media and the viral videos of confrontation are the latest sensations providing instant gratification combined with the opportunity of becoming a celebrity hero or celebrity victim standing up for their rights.
As the country suffers from a variety of struggles such as an infectious disease with no vaccination or cure, racial, gender, and economic inequality. The infection that will ultimately prove most harmful to the country is our own individual selfishness (Feffer, 2020).
Reference
Feffer, J., (2020). America’s selfish individualism has become a death cult in Covid-19 era.
Business Standard. Retrieved from https://www.businessstandard.com/article/international/america-s-selfish-individualism-has-become-a-death-cult-in-covid-19-era-120080400447_1.html
Samuel, L. R., (2018). The Rise of “ME” Culture. Psychology Today. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/future-trends/201808/the-rise-me-culture