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TABLE 8.3 Key Differences Between Indulgent and Restrained Societies
II: Private Life, Consumer Behavior, Sex, and Politics

INDULGENT RESTRAINED

Higher approval of foreign music and Lower approval of foreign music and
fi lms fi lms
More satisfying family life Less satisfi ed with family life
Household tasks should be shared Unequal sharing of household tasks is
between partners. no problem.
People are actively involved in sports. People are rarely involved in sports.
E-mail and the Internet are used for Less use of e-mail and the Internet for
private contacts. private contacts
More e-mail and Internet contacts Fewer e-mail and Internet contacts
with foreigners with foreigners
Less consumption of fi sh More consumption of fi sh
More consumption of soft drinks and Less consumption of soft drinks and
beer beer
In wealthy countries, higher In wealthy countries, lower
percentages of obese people percentages of obese people
Loosely prescribed gender roles Strictly prescribed gender roles
In wealthy countries, less strict In wealthy countries, stricter sexual
sexual norms norms
Smiling as a norm Smiling as suspect
Freedom of speech is viewed as Freedom of speech is not a primary
relatively important. concern.
Maintaining order in the nation is not Maintaining order in the nation is
given a high priority. considered a high priority.
Lower numbers of police offi cers per Higher numbers of police offi cers per
100,000 population 100,000 population

and starvation, oppressive states and exploitation, devastating epidemics,
and never-ending wars for territory. It is not unreasonable then that the
Eurasian societies of intensive agriculturalists have generated philosophies
such as Buddhism, according to which all life is suffering and the pursuit of
happiness is a waste of time, or the three great Middle Eastern religions—
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—which teach that real bliss is achievable
only in the hereafter.