Collectivism vs Individualism

 23 October, 2025

______

This week we talked about collectivism and individualism. The survey based on Hofstede's theory gave me a good look at the different cultures in our class, we could see who was more collectivism-sided and who was more individualism-sided. As a Dutch person, I think this is true for many other European countries as well, we are taught to live independently from a young age by doing work and school assignments individually. In the Netherlands, teachers often say that you are at school to improve yourself, and that I are the one who decides what your life will be like. I have heard this many times, and it made me realize that I am indeed responsible for my own choices, whether I want higher grades, a better education, or personal improvement. Now that I am older, I understand why teachers emphasized that so much; without that mindset, I might not be the person I am today.

During the class, I heard from Japanese students that they have a different way of thinking. Japanese people tend to be more collectivist, working in groups and helping each other more. Some students explained how they view their boss differently and how they would adjust themselves out of respect for their superiors. Other topics, like helping family when unemployed or personal freedom, were actually quite similar to how I think, which was nice to hear. One other interesting discussion was about the idea that 'You can choose the people in your environment (family & friends).' It was nice to hear that some people feel they can choose their friends freely, while others (like Mr. Lafleur) believe that as you get older, your ability to choose becomes more limited.

From Hofstede's video, I learned more about the difference between individualist and collectivist societies. He explained that in individualist cultures like the Netherlands, people focus more on themself, taking care of themselves and their close family, while collectivist cultures like Japan focus on 'we', where harmony and loyalty to the group are most important. I found it interesting how this connects to our earlier lessons about power distance. In Japan people often think more about what benefits the group, while in the Netherlands, we are more direct and independent. It made me realize that both systems have value, individualism gives freedom, while collectivism builds strong community bonds.



Reacties

  1. Hayden27 oktober 2025 om 23:10

    Interesting and good reflection. Do you think collectivist can also grant freedom?

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  2. Emilija27 oktober 2025 om 23:15

    I like the picture lol. It was interesting to read a perspective of a Dutch person but I am honestly not surprised, I would assume such case by my knowledge of the country. Nevertheless, a very nice read.

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