Book Review: The Geography of Thought by Prof. Richard Nisbett

I was introduced to this book called The Geography of Thought by Prof. Richard Nisbett a while ago. The title of the book immediately struck a chord with me. So even though I had a pile of ten books to read at that time, this book took its turn all the way to the front and I finished it in two days.

This book is the compilation of research work by the author, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, on the subject of cognitive psychology. Particularly, it focuses on two groups of people of vastly different cultural and linguistic background -- people in the East and in the West. It discusses how their distinct mental programs -- including thinking differently, acting differently, cooperating differently -- have resulted in multilevel of differences in aspects ranging from the philosophy of living to the religions and worldviews, between people in the East and the West.

Are there really such differences? If so, what are they and what are the causes? And, do they really matter anyway? Tons of questions that interest those who live in between two languages and cultures -- someone like me -- are addressed in the book.

One thing that made this book a valuable one to me is its account on the Eastern thinking and behaviors. Of Eastern descent, I am amazed at how this book is being truthful to the reality, that is, what actual Easterners (inhabitants of China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, in particular) think and behave. The account on the differences, by comparing the East and the West, is also largely true, based on my personal observations and experiences.

So I love this book. As someone who "lives" this cultural issue firsthand, I felt that "I knew it! But someone finally put it into words!" when I was reading this book.

If you are interested in this topic, an extension reading may be this one: Cultures and Organization - Software of the Mind. It is also a scientific report of this topic, yet with more complete and extensive research study. It addresses the cultural differences on personal, societal and organizational levels, and studies more countries on the East-West spectrum. The Geography of Thought describes a general East-West difference, while this one details country by country. And since it's even more scientifically rigorous, it's not as fun to read as The Geography of Thought. If The Geography of Thought is a Scientific American article, Culture and Organization is a Science paper.