Perhaps you’ve seen this graphic spreading around the Internet recently.

http://bsix12.com/east-meets-west/

Having lived nearly the last twenty years in Asia, I enjoyed seeing these depictions and understanding clearly the different world views, or better yet, value orientations which these graphics represent.

A westerner moving to Asia could learn a lot just by studying and understanding expectations and priorities, and how different they will be when arriving in, especially, East and Southeast Asia.

There was one graphic in particular that I wanted to comment on today: the “Ideal of Beauty.”

The west: darker skin is more beautiful.  The east: lighter skin is more beautiful.

True. I witnessed it in many different situations.

White westerners on the beach strip down to the bare minimum of clothing – wanting the sun, the tan, the darker skin, which makes them look “alive” or “traveled” – especially in the summer months. Tanning booths? Darkening creams? They use them all. Working outside in the sun? No problem. If mowing grass, take off your shirt. If weeding, get your shorts on. Use the opportunity to bring some life back to your skin.

Easterners – I’ve seen it in both Vietnam and Malaysia – avoid the sun at all cost. If on a motorbike, waiting for the traffic light to turn, they will huddle under the shade of a tree a hundred yards from the intersection rather than wait at the line in the sun. And they will wear long sleeves, often shirts or coats put on backwards to make sure their arms are not exposed to the sun when driving. Whitening creams? Oh yes. Many young girls will use them to try to get the bronzish look out of their skin – that same color that westerners will pay money to get. Working in the field, large conical hats are worn to protect as much skin as possible from the sun. I had more than one friend in Vietnam who lamented how they were the “dark” one in their family. Their sister was the fair-skinned beauty – having the lighter town which was basically indistinguishable from the underside of a white westerner’s arm. Dark was undesirable, and white was beautiful. In Malaysia, I have not found this to be the case – at least not in the same way as in Vietnam – and it must be because of the great diverse cultures, including the Indian culture, which has spread its influence into Malaysia.