The Soul of the Far East

"The Soul of the Far East" by Percival Lowell is a study of Eastern thought and culture. The book looks at the big differences between Eastern and Western societies, with a focus on the ideas of being an individual versus being part of a community. Lowell looks at how people in Japan and other Far Eastern countries see the world, arguing that their group-focused way of thinking creates a unique civilization that values working together and social order more than expressing oneself as an individual. He starts off by describing his first thoughts when he got to Japan, showing how he saw the Japanese way of thinking as very different from his own Western way. He talks about how the Japanese seemed both familiar and strange, because their customs and beliefs showed a different understanding of what it means to be human. When he talks about what it means to be an individual, Lowell says that the Far East's focus on family and community makes personal identity less important, which is very different from how the West values individualism. Through his observations, he sets the scene for a detailed look at Eastern values and what they mean for understanding human life.