In the aftermath of Covid, the whole world is recovering, still vulnerable and fragile. But even though the pandemic was global, its effects hit the world very unevenly: the scar in Asian societies has closed much faster than the still open wound in Western societies. Since the end of the Cold War, individualist liberalism seemed invincible and far more popular than its collectivist counterpart, but the debate has been rekindled. 

This episode will examine, through the perspectives of Mexico, Japan, and Singapore, how these two models clash, and which model is better for the future of the world. 

NOTE: This podcast would like to acknowledge the place of subjectivity and promotes it: every person has a different vision of what they experience. The three different participants were asked to speak in the name of their country and how they see the situation, but any other person from the same countries may view things very differently. This podcast welcomes variations of visions on the same topic, and for this reason, there will be another episode on Individualist and Collectivist Societies in the future with different speakers from the same countries, to compare and increase perspectives and our knowledge. 

References:

“Milton Friedman – The Escape from Collectivism”, LibertyPen, 17th May 2013, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl0SmvcpXyY.

Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, 1996, Simon & Schuster