Different cultural paths of interaction; reductionism and holism...

𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯; 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙢

How deep-rooted traditional health practices and expertise enhance better insights of one another in cross-cultural interactions, for example in business or diplomacy.

Last night I was preparing a Chinese herbal medicine formulation at home for my better half, consulted from the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

Looking at how different cultures view health and illness, it teaches us also about how people from different cultures perceive interactions and collaborations with others. Especially those interactions with a purpose (e.g. business) or mission (e.g. diplomacy).

While Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on a holistic approach, Western Medicine (WM) often applies an approach of reductionism. Reductionism is about developing and setting clear and fundamental goals (often from complex circumstances), for example the elimination of the malignant cancer tumor in a body. The holistic approach takes a continuous balance and harmony of the body as an important priority while treating a malignant tumor.

These different paths of thought, perception and approach can be seen as well in human interactions from different cultures, whether in business, diplomacy or otherwise.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 (𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺) 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴.

These different paths in collaboration might conflict in expectations of management and operation, efficiency and effectiveness, or trust and reliability.

On the other hand, the synergy of understanding and respecting both two paths in collaboration might enhance to greater contributions, or at least the necessity of coming to mutually acceptable results or concessions.

As for TCM herbal medicines, the force is not in a single herb, but in the harmony with other herbs in formulations or other TCM practices with advanced synergy as well as in maintaining the balance of the complete complex human organism.

Gaining interest for health perceptions and management in different cultures is a great asset for a better mutual understanding and interaction in many perspectives.

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