Inner-directed
.control over your life
.dominance
.aggressiveness
.not afraid of conflict
.focus on the self
.preference for stability
Outer-directed
.not enough control over your life
.flexibility
.compromise
.need for harmony
.focus on other
.moving with the environment
The last topic of our cross-cultural assignment will treat the differences in Turkish and Belgian culture focused on the way the community is directed. There are two opposite models we can handle. On the one hand there is the inner-directed model which is defined by control, dominance and stability in life. On the other hand there is the outer-directed model that logically comes down to an opposite vision based on little control, flexibility and harmony.
The word ‘inner’ points out that there is no or little group feeling present. Just as in the individualist model, there is a strong focus on oneself. Belgian culture definitely leans more towards this model. Once again followed by most of western Europe and with the United States as a role model. A lot of the collectivist examples can therefore be cited here. With the fact that people are self-oriented comes a certain degree of aggressiveness. When personal desires cannot be attained for a certain reason, people tend to turn aggressive in various ways. In nature, this aggression is demonstrated by the fact that it totally exploited in order to answer the mass consumption needs. Being able to satisfy and maintain a stable relationship with the client is the number one priority, whatever nature’s casualties may be. In the short term this kind of doing business is very profitable, but severe consequences on the long term are often regretfully neglected. Deforestation and oil refinery are poignant examples.
Summarised, the Belgian and western civilisation put the stress on individual needs and will take control over everything they can to maximise personal benefit. Life can be controlled. Medicine is continuously developing and redeveloping tools and practises. Man can cure cancer for decades now. Human clones have probably already been conceived and average lifespan has doubled in only a century. What will future bring?
As we said before, because of the affects of globalization, collectivistic approach and its derivatives such as outer-directed model are felt less. Therefore, there aren’t reasonable differences between Belgium and Turkey, when we compare these two. I meant that Turkey is no completely outer-directed model, but less inner-directed in comparison to Belgium and Western countries. Traditions and customs are a key role in the process of forming this model in Turkey. The inner-directed person listens to their own heart. The outer-directed person follows advice and instructions from outside sources. İn this sense, Turkish people always listen their relative’s or older person’s advice. The other example is making change. The outer-directed person is afraid of to be different. They are afraid of to stand out and will fear to take a stand on important issues. They fallows the crowd and fears being alone. Their desire is to be a team player and to therefore belong to a group. There's a certain amount of safety in numbers. Tradition is also important. What was good enough for my ancestors is good enough for me. When we considere all of these psychological attributes, the conservatives sense is easily understood in Tukey. In Turkey the conservative party that holds the majority of votes is obvious example of these. But, i think this understanding is a great obstacle for the modernization period because plurality, different ideas and view are important in order to reach knowledge and civilization. People should be a little bit rebel. People shold not take thoughts directly. As everyone knows skepticism is the first step of scince. Unlike outer-directed persons, the inner directed person is the rebel. They remains true to himself despite the personal cost. They are not afraid of going against the grain or the crowd. They believes in himself first and foremost.
To sum up, due to the fact that there is strong traditions and customs in Turkey, outer-directed model is felt stronger than inner-directed model. The relations with nature is key part of this undertanding. But Libralism and globalization makes people more inner-directed day by day.
Kadir Can Türkoğlu
Maxime Dewalhens
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