Organizational Behavior

There is a long standing theory that there is a cultural difference between individualistic and collective groups of people. With individualistic concerned about their own selfish interests and the collective concerned about the groups or societies.

This usually boils down to a West vs. East mentality I would like to propose that there is no such thing as collective mentality on three prongs.

1.) Even when people operate on altruistic intentions it is from a selfish standpoint they do it maybe not for reward or recognition but because it feels good. (What is more selfish then doing something because it feels good?)

2.) In the countries that are usually described as collective like India, China, Korea, Japan etc there are political and religious constraints that are enforced on the population that makes acting un-uniformly displeasing with repercussions of property loss, imprisonment, and death. Acting to avoid unpleasant consequences to your person is selfish and acting in the individual’s best interest.

3.) The surveys for most of these academic concepts took place during the period of 1950-80 against the back drop of communism a brief period over the course of our long life a species that is hardly representative in hindsight.

The first billion dollar house is in India. The worlds riches man is a Mexican. Amazing thing happen when the walls of religion and oppression come down.

I am not saying that people are bad or that we don’t help each other just that we do it in the context of lend and cooperate because I might need a hand some time. I think this trade between free people is an amazing thing I just don’t know why selfishness has gotten such a bad rap.