The Lessons From Asia

What can Asia teach the world about creativity? Assumptions can be intriguing. Inherent in this frequently asked question as subject matter is the assumption that when ‘the world’ is referred to, it is often the developed Western world. It’s seldom about what Asia can teach Africa or Antarctica.

That having been vented,let’s move on and for this train of thought. I guess we will take ‘the world’ to be largely the Americas and Europe.

Asia’s unique offerings
It’d be very presumptuous to say what can Asia teach; let’s try and see what is unique about Asia and the kind of work literary or artistic that it produces. At this juncture of time, to my mind there is much uniformity, a sort of a pattern that the Western developed world has settled into. Be that of language, of palate, of social hierarchy and so on.The Western imagery is very fatigued. Asia has very fresh imagery;the colorfulness the vibrancy the throbbing of life.

Moreover, Asia continues to confound. There is a lot of order, a set sensibility that may appear in parts of Asia, for example Japan or Singapore, but for most part what bursts forth is the sheer diversity. 

The languages, the landscapes, the culture, the food the religions, the gender dynamics - all are at different stages across Asia and most often than not,different in the same place.

There is a coexistence of contradictions. Parts of Asia are hi-tech, parts of it look stuck in time. Newer thoughts are accepted without ancient wisdom being altered.There is blurring of lines, a certain comfort with chaos.

This may be more true of Asian pockets like India or parts of Southeast Asia but it is a broad stroke you can paint Asia with.And increasingly, as we talk about globalisation and multi culturalism, where Asia scores is that in large parts it is already spontaneously practicing the next new social buzz word of trans-culturalism - where there is a little bit of mine,a little bit of yours,and a third completely new form of culture that is emerging as a hybrid of the two.

Change, but stay the same
This ease with things changing and yet not panicking about letting go, stems from the philosophical belief - be that of Buddhism or Hinduism or other ancient Eastern philosophies - that the concept of time is cyclical,the co-existence of past present and future.

This is fertile ground for both the new and the old. Introducing something new doesn’t necessarily mean weeding out the old - be it thought, concept or product.

There is space for extremes and then some.The ability to adapt has resulted in a richer sensibility.There has been low resistance to influences. And Western thought and practice has been interpreted and integrated in a whole new manner.

The theory of reincarnation, of the existence of an internal soul which continues to exist, just changing the external on its jounery, is perhaps reflective in Asia’s consciousness. 

The ability to retain the core and change the paraphernalia is immense. In our brand and communication context, when we talk of a global idea this understanding is perhaps useful.That the brand/idea can take various forms whilst remaining true to its core will perhaps find easier acceptance.

Visual communication is an important aspect. Given that there is such a diversity of culture - both of older cultures like India or China and relatively modern ones like Hong Kong and Singapore - and of languages, even in the same country, the visual
part of communication plays a key role.

Use of body language and other visual cues are as important in their own right as the spoken word. As newer terrains and newer markets with varied sensibilities are charted, the art of visual communication will gain more currency.

The profundity of daily life 
I’d also like to touch upon another Asian attribute: profundity. Given that the cultures are ancient and there is a distinct oral  tradition - the profundity, the wisdom, has soaked into daily life.

The ability to make profound statements in a simple manner, the ease with which higher philosophies of life are part of everyday conversations is so unique.

How a product fulfilling a very basic function could be elevated into something meaningful is perhaps a learning. People here consume emotions and feelings more than mere consumption.

The ability to consume and yet not get consumed is distinctive.The more developed, economically saturated societies around the world, where consumption has peaked and where greed is not so good anymore, can perhaps take from Asia the ability to see beyond pure consumption,and to actively look towards creating a value system alongside products and not just of products alone.

Asia is a fabric that changes every inch in its wrap and weft. Its ability to absorb and not just assimilate but celebrate differences is what makes Asian creativity so indefinable and so limitless.