March 14 Chapter 7 response

The main focus of Chapter 7 is on long term orientation versus short term orientation which was analyzed during the Chinese Value Survey. Long term orientation is defined as "fostering of virtues oriented towards future rewards" whereas short term orientation focuses more on "fostering of virtues related to past and present" (pg. 239). A concrete example of long term orientation which I found interesting was the principles of Confusianism. Some of these principles included holding strong relationships with one another, viewing the family as important, treating others as you would like to be treated, and doing what necessary which includes spending in a careful manner(pg 237-238). I think these are some great ideas that should be followed in society because they make life for people around us easier. Examples of long term orientation countries include China, Hong Kong, and Japan. On the flip side, short term orientation includes characteristics that are opposite to those of long term orientation. They focus more on individual needs such as social status, actions that lead to fast gratification, and spending a lot of money (pg 243). Examples of such countries are the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Overall, I find short term orientation to be less efficient and not as good for society as a whole. Example of such countries are the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. I think the Asians countries in general have a better approach to life in this regard and that Americans and other short term countries should try to incorporate more Asian ideas into their cultures.