One example to differentiate the eastern and western perspective about the self is their

philosophies about the self or their notion about self-identity. According to Gish Jen, a Chinese-
American novelist who grew from both cultures, western perspective about the self is seeing it
as a unique identity of your own. It focuses more on the individualistic approach that all people
are independent and very different from each other. While eastern perspective about the self
concentrates on their main principle which is unity and collectivism. It is a self that is more
adapted to their duty than their rights. We all know that people are different, however, what
distinguishes the two perspectives is the amount of worth they put on that difference. Western
perspective put so much importance on every decision that they make believing that this defines
them, while it is not a very big deal for the eastern to be different or unique. Another example as
stated by Gish Jen is taking care of the elderly in view of the eastern and western perspectives.
For western, doing this lets them feel for themselves that it is an extension of their love, for them
it is self-dedicated. Eastern culture, however, would think of it as their duty to take care of their
elderly parents.