Yuxi Si
Grass
The differences between Eastern and Western cultures provoke ongoing debate. As a foreigner in England, everything in this country seems strange and exciting. But one thing in particular stands out for me: the English sit at random on patches of ornamental grass in parks and other public spaces. Urban areas in China are often very densely populated, so, to protect the environment, people are not allowed on lawns.
The Chinese advocate collectivism and are accustomed to considering the impacts of their actions; they place the needs of society above their own. This contrasts with the English – who seem to me a people with a casual attitude to authority, in fact to life in general. The English are a race of individualists, and value personal independence: signs saying ‘keep off the grass’ are often ignored.
Different patterns of thought are engendered by different cultural backgrounds. These dissimilarities in thinking are visible in the differences between lifestyles in the West and East. It is these variations that I examine in my project. However, I make no comment on which is the better culture, which is right or wrong. I am simply sharing my own feelings on the Western world as I see it.