Realize is defined as "the process of noticing or understanding something you did not notice or understand before" or "to achieve something you have wanted for a long time" ("Realize"). In tandem, these definitions provide direction. Realization is an interactive process to make real. What, then, should we seek to realize about ourselves?

Culture establishes the boundaries between the self and others. In individualistic cultures like the United States, rational choice theory (the idea that individuals control their personal decisions) is widely held. It is logical to assume that higher levels of choice and personal agency equate to higher levels of personal happiness. However, in practice, we have far less control than we might realize. In "Self Determination: The Tyranny of Freedom," Barry Schwartz argues that our sense of rational choice is influenced by the kind of culture we inhabit (Schwartz 81). Highly individualistic cultures value personal autonomy and self-determination; rules and traditions are restrictive, not agents of greater freedom and social connection. In collectivistic cultures like Southeast Asia, the self is viewed as an interdependent entity, with decisions being made in the greater interest of the group (Schwartz 84). Here, rules provide increased freedom due to their shared adoption. Schwartz offers the example of language, demanding words to be exact and inflexible in their meaning, with the resulting rigidity providing an ability to understand and communicate freely (Schwartz 81). Individualistic cultures were also shown to be less happy than collectivistic ones for three reasons: expectations about control (the assumption that increased autonomy will equate to increased satisfaction), increased expectations of the self and others, and an undermined sense of social interdependence via increased individual autonomy (Schwartz 85). Overemphasizing personal freedom impairs the ability to enjoy it.

Komiljon Murotmuseav explains that the staying power behind such a cultural shift is the result of symbolic interactionism. "The formation of the self does take place in situations of interaction, but not because people are simply reactions to the opinions of but because in these situations a personality is formed and becomes aware of itself, not by simply looking at others, but by acting in concert with them" (Murotmuseav et al. 190). Linda Francis describes this phenomenon as a "paradigm shift in conceptualizing self, driven by both emotions and identity" (Francis et al. 271). Identities are created and asserted through dynamic interplay within our social, cultural, and economic environments. In the West, we have been convinced that high levels of choice will make us happier, yet we fail to notice that we are not, in fact, happier because of them. Still, we continue, convinced the solution involves creating even more choices.

A possible solution is to address the framework itself. In social interdependence theory, Shimizu explains that human dynamics depend on how personal goals are placed within the larger social structure. Positive and negative interdependence can be structured by addressing three categories: outcomes (shared goals within the group), means (shared resources), and boundaries (physical or group identity; Shimizu et al. 2). "Positive interdependent cooperation does not only tend to result in more frequent use of higher-level reasoning and more intrinsic motivation, but also promotes more positive interpersonal relationships and greater social support" (Shimizu et al. 2). Importantly, the transformation from self-interest to mutual interest is "one of the most important aspects of social interdependence" (Shimizu et al. 2).

Since we cannot know what we are missing or objectively observe our relationship between culture and identity, constructing better goal-oriented systems can offer improvement. Exploring frameworks embracing a balance of collectivistic and individualistic perspectives and interdependent cooperation can facilitate a healthy reexamination of what we value.

Works cited:

Francis, Linda E., and Richard E. Adams. "Two Faces of Self and Emotion in Symbolic Interactionism: From Process to Structure and Culture—And Back." Symbolic Interaction, vol. 42, no. 2, 2019, pp. 250–77, https://doi.org/10.1002/symb.383.

Murotmusaev, Komiljon Buribaevich, and Regina Tangrikulova. "Social Psychology of Communication: Communication as the Realisation of Social and Interpersonal Relationships." International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, vol. 8, no. 5, 2021, pp. 190-, https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v8i5.2634.

"Realize" Cambridge.org, Accessed 20 Oct. 2024, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/learner-english/realize. Seligman, Martin E. P., and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. "Positive Psychology: An Introduction." The American Psychologist, vol. 55, no. 1, 2000, pp. 5–14, https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5.

Schwartz, Barry. "Self-Determination: The Tyranny of Freedom." The American Psychologist, vol. 55, no. 1, 2000, pp. 79–88, https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.79.

Shimizu, Ikuo, et al. “Measuring Social Interdependence in Collaborative Learning: Instrument Development and Validation.” BMC Medical Education, vol. 20, no. 1, 2020, pp. 177–177, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02088-3.

Pictured above
Walker, Coire: Photograph of Incense at Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, Bangkok, Thailand. 1 Apr. 2023. Author's personal collection.