Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is my family): What happens to my self-concept when I take others’ perspectives?

Abstract

In this article, I take cues from an ancient Indian verse 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (meaning the world is my family), link the mechanism of blurring the distinction between self and other that is suggested in the verse to the more recent and western psychological construct of 'perspective taking'. Putting the two together, I outline a process by which multiple rounds of perspective taking can be used to strengthen increasingly higher levels of identification and ultimately create a perception of belonging to a global family. I propose four testable hypotheses that emerge from the arguments I lay out. I also raise a question of critical importance to organizations as I reflect on the recommendations made in the organizational literature regarding the benefits of employees identifying strongly with their organizations.