Kishore Mahbubani

The word noncontradiction is rarely used in Western discourse. The Western mind is used to black-and-white distinctions. One side is right; one side is wrong. The Chinese mind is different. Both black and white can be right. This mind-set of dualism is best captured in the concepts of yin and yang. In the Western worldview, either yin or yang would be right. In the Chinese worldview, both yin and yang can be right.

Americans hold sacrosanct the ideals of freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion and also believe that every human being is entitled to the same fundamental human rights. The Chinese believe that social needs and social harmony are more important than individual needs and rights and that the prevention of chaos and turbulence is the main goal of governance.