Every nation has its own culture which is made up of certain values naturally transferred to the next generations. The social, political, and economic structures of a country play a major role in the formation of these cultural values. On one hand, countries have different cultures due to such structures peculiar to them; on the other hand, they are in constant contact with each other. Especially, there has been a continuing interaction between the Eastern and the Western throughout history. It is clear that both cultures are very similar in some ways, but they also show several key differences.
Eastern and Western cultures resemble each other in some notable aspects. The first similarity is the adherence to religious beliefs. Both civilizations shape their lives according to their religious beliefs. As an example, Christians living in the West go to the church every Sunday to pray. Likewise, Muslims living in the East go to the mosque every Friday in the direction of their beliefs. In addition, families living in the East and the West also nurture their children according to their religious beliefs and enable them to transfer these beliefs to the next generation. Another similarity between two civilizations is the way they communicate. In everyday speech, people use similar terms when communicating with each other. People living on both sides share the expressions they want to explain with each other by establishing similar sentences. Furthermore, both are also similar in terms of commercial life. For instance, they have been developing banking systems in commercial applications. That is why such applications as checks, credits, and guarantees give the commercial life a substantial direction in both cultures.
Despite these similarities, eastern and western cultures bear a few crucial differences as well. The main difference between the East and the West is the geographical structure. Depending on the landforms of the East and the West, their climates also vary from each other. Eastern countries generally have a milder climate, whereas western countries have a colder climate. Another difference is to do with their family structures. In Eastern culture, the concept of family is given more importance than Western culture. While the thought of getting support from the family on any issue is quite dominant in Eastern culture, more individual life style is seen in the West. For example, in the West, when children reach the age of 18, their families are not obliged to look after them. Thus, the people living in the West live a more independent life away from their family. Besides, the educational system between two civilizations shows great differences. Eastern countries have implemented an education system based on traditions and customs, whereas the Western educational system is open to innovations. Therefore, Western countries use scientific and technological developments in their education systems. In brief, these cultural features make these civilizations different from one another.
To sum up, there are noticeable similarities and differences between Eastern and Western cultures. In spite of, these similarities and differences, what is important for me is the way people treat each other. In my opinion, if mutual rapport is achieved, the communication between the East and the West will be healthier.