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One World, Two Minds
While cyberspace and concorde jets have made the world so small that East and West meet regularly, when it comes to understanding one another, the two worlds are as far apart as ever. This book deals in broad strokes with the major differences in the mindsets of the two groups, not to encourage prejudice, but to evaluate these world views.
- GenresPhilosophyChristian
83 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 18, 2011
This is an excellent little book on the similarities and differences of Eastern and Western cultures. I love the format of this book as the author takes so many different areas of life and paints a picture of a Western view and then an Eastern view. Then, the author beautifully shows what it looks like when these two cultures come together in this area of life. Finally, for each area, the author also provides a biblical perspective of how we should think and/or act in this area of our lives. He does a great job of showing how both Eastern and Western perspectives bring a part of the truth, but neither brings the whole truth into focus. In God's Word, He has given us a picture of what Truth really is, and we see bits and pieces in both Eastern and Western cultures. However, it is not until we begin to understand and approach life through the lens of Scripture that we really begin to bring Truth into view. Denis Lane writes beautifully and practically. As a Christian educator who works with many international students from Eastern cultures, this book has been a tremendous help! I highly recommend it!
March 9, 2020
I think this book offers some insight; the biggest thing for myself was a relational matter: some small differences in table manners between Western / Eastern cultures and how to approach a Western influenced person vs. an Eastern influenced person. Efficiency / direct action vs. time / patience. I’d like to read more about this sort of thing, maybe something that explores the dynamics within cultures themselves more closely. However, I do have a lot to say about the basis for the majority of his statements, which came off to me as very general and broadly applied.
Lane tries to define parallels between the cultures, but generalizes a lot of the aspects associated with Western & Eastern cultures. I think it was helpful how he would summarize the backgrounds of both cultures, how both cultures influence each other, and their respective qualities that are affirmed and denied within Christianity, BUT in my opinion, the information was really oversimplified. I’m sure that God can affirm so much more than a harmonious attitude towards nature or the emphasis on the individual, etc. Lane also kind of does this thing where at the end of every dissection, he says both cultures are too extreme and that we need to compromise because they both have valuable qualities. And then I was left with, “Okay. So what would that look like?” And then he goes into the Christian viewpoint, but I think he ought to have explained how the sin of man is seen in different cultures and explicitly discussed how the Christian viewpoint relates to them respectively.
Throughout the book I just got a strong sense of how he perceives certain qualities to be associated with Western & Eastern cultures because he keeps repeating them in his points. Eastern = harmony and the whole and nature and collective/group thinking and peace and conformity & Western = individual and independence and direct and progress. Okay… but it sounds to me like a very Western perspective on how to perceive differences. Maybe he could have defined how cultures perceive things in their terms rather than saying “Westerners think this way” and “Easterners think this way” as if there is only one explanation for differences in thought. For example, Lane discusses how these cultures perceive humans (“The Doctrine of Man”) and he claims Westerners think like “man is simply a more developed kind [of animal]” and “When man’s body dies, the Western agnostic believes, that is the end.” Can he really say that all agnostics think that happens? And can he say that an agnostic’s perspective will define Western culture as a whole? There’s no example or reasoning or personal testimony provided at all— he just makes that statement.
Then he goes on to say “To the Eastern mind, where man came from is not important. He is here, but he is infinitesimally small and insignificant.” He only provides one example for this claim, a story where a Thai farmer “…decried the ridiculous folly of these Westerners who attached so much importance to a few individuals. In his mind men are too insignificant to worry about a few people dying in a prison camp.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Thai farmer thinks that man’s origin is not important, nor does it necessarily mean that he thinks he himself is infinitesimally small and insignificant. What if he meant that the individuals in the prison camp were insignificant, not people as a whole? Was the “in his mind” statement really from the farmer’s own mind, or was that Lane’s interpretation of the farmer’s statement? And even if Lane’s interpretation was the farmer’s true meaning, then would this one farmer’s thoughts apply to the rest of Asia as a whole? Mr. Lane, you’re telling me all Eastern cultures think the same way as this Thai farmer does?
When he talks about influence: Western and Eastern cultures do have considerable influence on each other, but can we really say that every culture under the Eastern / Western umbrellas will be influenced in the same manner? I read an illustrated book about the differences between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures once when I was young. Even in the similar aspects, there were differences. The sense of respect and hierarchy is among all three, but they have different levels and titles and norms and traditions that distinguish them from each other. With this in mind, his perspective seemed very rigid and honestly simplistic throughout his writing. I get that he lived among certain Asian cultures and recorded his personal observations, but I think distinction between all the different Western & Eastern cultures is necessary; Southeast Asian cultures are different than Pacific Islander cultures, and Western European countries and Eastern European countries definitely have their differences too. Considering the fact that Lane himself is a Westerner, I think he exemplified what Western cultures try to do in all their methods of study: trying to make sense of the world in categories, which is a point that Lane ironically discusses in the beginning of his book as a traditional Western way to think. His intention was to bring more understanding between the West and the East, but it just seemed like a Westerner’s point of view throughout the book.
Lane tries to define parallels between the cultures, but generalizes a lot of the aspects associated with Western & Eastern cultures. I think it was helpful how he would summarize the backgrounds of both cultures, how both cultures influence each other, and their respective qualities that are affirmed and denied within Christianity, BUT in my opinion, the information was really oversimplified. I’m sure that God can affirm so much more than a harmonious attitude towards nature or the emphasis on the individual, etc. Lane also kind of does this thing where at the end of every dissection, he says both cultures are too extreme and that we need to compromise because they both have valuable qualities. And then I was left with, “Okay. So what would that look like?” And then he goes into the Christian viewpoint, but I think he ought to have explained how the sin of man is seen in different cultures and explicitly discussed how the Christian viewpoint relates to them respectively.
Throughout the book I just got a strong sense of how he perceives certain qualities to be associated with Western & Eastern cultures because he keeps repeating them in his points. Eastern = harmony and the whole and nature and collective/group thinking and peace and conformity & Western = individual and independence and direct and progress. Okay… but it sounds to me like a very Western perspective on how to perceive differences. Maybe he could have defined how cultures perceive things in their terms rather than saying “Westerners think this way” and “Easterners think this way” as if there is only one explanation for differences in thought. For example, Lane discusses how these cultures perceive humans (“The Doctrine of Man”) and he claims Westerners think like “man is simply a more developed kind [of animal]” and “When man’s body dies, the Western agnostic believes, that is the end.” Can he really say that all agnostics think that happens? And can he say that an agnostic’s perspective will define Western culture as a whole? There’s no example or reasoning or personal testimony provided at all— he just makes that statement.
Then he goes on to say “To the Eastern mind, where man came from is not important. He is here, but he is infinitesimally small and insignificant.” He only provides one example for this claim, a story where a Thai farmer “…decried the ridiculous folly of these Westerners who attached so much importance to a few individuals. In his mind men are too insignificant to worry about a few people dying in a prison camp.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Thai farmer thinks that man’s origin is not important, nor does it necessarily mean that he thinks he himself is infinitesimally small and insignificant. What if he meant that the individuals in the prison camp were insignificant, not people as a whole? Was the “in his mind” statement really from the farmer’s own mind, or was that Lane’s interpretation of the farmer’s statement? And even if Lane’s interpretation was the farmer’s true meaning, then would this one farmer’s thoughts apply to the rest of Asia as a whole? Mr. Lane, you’re telling me all Eastern cultures think the same way as this Thai farmer does?
When he talks about influence: Western and Eastern cultures do have considerable influence on each other, but can we really say that every culture under the Eastern / Western umbrellas will be influenced in the same manner? I read an illustrated book about the differences between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures once when I was young. Even in the similar aspects, there were differences. The sense of respect and hierarchy is among all three, but they have different levels and titles and norms and traditions that distinguish them from each other. With this in mind, his perspective seemed very rigid and honestly simplistic throughout his writing. I get that he lived among certain Asian cultures and recorded his personal observations, but I think distinction between all the different Western & Eastern cultures is necessary; Southeast Asian cultures are different than Pacific Islander cultures, and Western European countries and Eastern European countries definitely have their differences too. Considering the fact that Lane himself is a Westerner, I think he exemplified what Western cultures try to do in all their methods of study: trying to make sense of the world in categories, which is a point that Lane ironically discusses in the beginning of his book as a traditional Western way to think. His intention was to bring more understanding between the West and the East, but it just seemed like a Westerner’s point of view throughout the book.
May 21, 2013
Very good and concise summary of the differences in thinking between the Western mind and the Eastern mind. It was very helpful to me for relating to my friends from Eastern cultures. The book could go into much more depth on each subject.
January 22, 2025
An incredibly informative and helpful work on how to understand the differences and similarities in Eastern to Western culture. He shows how neither of us really get it right but when we put them together we can better understand how to function together. He goes through Western perspective, Eastern perspective and how they come together in the Christian perspective. He not only helps readers to understand cultural differences, but how those differences impact the sharing of the Gospel. Certainly a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand & comprehend cross cultural evangelism + missions.
November 25, 2023
Great overview
August 30, 2022
A must read for everyone who works in an East-meets-West setting. I first read this little book right before moving to Thailand in 1996. Now whenever I meet someone about to go to Asia, this is the first book that I recommend.
Lane paints in admittedly broad but useful strokes, the differences between Eastern and Western ideas and practice. In later chapters he explores the outworking of these differences in such fields as politics, education, and environment.
Lane paints in admittedly broad but useful strokes, the differences between Eastern and Western ideas and practice. In later chapters he explores the outworking of these differences in such fields as politics, education, and environment.
July 20, 2016
Thought provoking and challenging
One world two minds forced me to ask questions that I've never had to ask before while providing a very broad perspective that clarifies the answers to proposed questions
One world two minds forced me to ask questions that I've never had to ask before while providing a very broad perspective that clarifies the answers to proposed questions
April 8, 2015
This book was good, it really brings into perspective the differences the East and West and Christian views are. This book helps keeps the reality of working cross culturally in perspective.
May 9, 2016
Lane's analysis of Eastern and Western worldview is insightful, historically-grounded, and missionally-focused. A very helpful primer!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews