Roger Ames And Confuscianism

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Professor Roger Ames began his lecture by speaking of the misconceptions that Americans have about the Chinese. Usually the Chinese culture is either romanticized or demonized. China and America are both are powerful countries and Ames spoke of the fact that if they do not join peacefully they are stunting the possibilities they have to change the course of the world. Ames spoke a lot about the focus on competition, a winner, loser, and every situation. Whereas Confucius would focus more on flourishing relationships and being respectful and loving all. Americans definitely have a problem with pushing our ideals onto other countries. We think that everyone wants to live like we do, so we trying to conform their ideas. But there is a disconnect between the Chinese and Americans because we do not understand the traditions of Confucianism that are the basis of the Chinese culture. Americans like to think of themselves as individuals that rely solely on themselves instead of others. Whereas in the Chinese economic system they acknowledge that human interactions are all transactions and we rely on something or someone with every move that we make. The essence of Confucius’ teachings is to make the ordinary things in our life extraordinary by nurturing and working at our relationships. The Chinese workplace is very different compared to the American workplace because in the Chinese culture, ones place of work is a big family and they all have familial like relationships based on trust and working as hard as one can in order to benefit their family. Whereas in the American workplace it is not based upon respect and competition is valued to highly. Yes, there is corruption in China just like everywhere else and there are Confucius teaching being applied inaccurately. But it is wrong and unjust for Americans to view the Chinese and Confucianism through the American

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