ASIAN VALUES AND EMOTIONS: TOWARD AN ASIAN COMMUNITY

HAKSOO BAE

ABSTRACT

In this article, I want to discuss three Asian values and emotions for establishing an
Asian community, and how it can be applied in resolving problems that plague western
society. The first is compassion for people, the type of love that bears no conditions.
The love is not dependent on properties such as money, power, and beauty that are often
associated with object of love. While it is very hard to find unconditional love in the
modern western society, Asian culture exemplifies a brilliant tradition of love for others
beyond egoistic interests. As such, while Asian culture is rooted in the compassion, the
western society is experiencing degradation of its social fiber due to an exceeding focus
towards self-interest. The second is happiness of self-certainty regardless of any external
success. It is self-valuation of happiness irrespective of estimation by others. It is different
in essence from the satisfaction of pleasure riding on visible achievements, which is the
leading standard of happiness in the modern western society. The Asian concept of
happiness can struggle against destruction of the environment due to mass consumption
in pursuit of the greatest pleasure in the West. Finally the third is autonomy that stems
from reaction against the dependence of most Asian nations on the western world in
thoughts. Demand for the autonomy resists invasions of western civilizations upon Asia,
and reinforces the validity of Asian values and emotions toward the community.