Katya Tjahaja

The Farewell: An Argument For Collectivism

Katya Tjahaja

Columbia University

kt3024@columbia.edu

The Farewell, a 2019 movie directed by Lulu Wang, addresses questions of patient autonomy vs. a more collectivist model in an East Asian context. It is centered around Billi, a Chinese-American immigrant who struggles to come to terms with her family’s approach to her grandmother’s, Nai Nai’s, cancer diagnosis in China. In the film, Billi grapples with the conflict between collectivism and a patient’s right to autonomy. The film, revolving around Billi’s personal beliefs about patient autonomy, beliefs that were shaped by individualistic thought but then were swayed by the collectivistic model displayed by her family, explores how the individualistic approach to medicine is not applicable to Nai Nai’s case. Instead, the immersion in Chinese cultural values of collectivism, intertwined with her conversations with all of her adult family members, changes Billi’s mindset. Max Ying Hao Lim addresses this conflict in their article, “Patient autonomy in an East-Asian cultural milieu: a critique of the individualism-collectivism model.” Lim argues that a hybrid system of the two is necessary for the ‘correct’ medical decision to take place. Lim states that “core ethical principles need not be culture-bound—indeed, their very existence mandates for them to be universal and non-derogable—but instead cultural alignment occurs in the particular implementation of these principles, insofar as they respect the general spirit of contemporary ethical standards” (Lim 1). However, the narrative framing of the film argues that Chinese cultural values and familial views impact decision-making in a medical setting. As Billi is the central character of the film, ethical issues are seen through her perspective. The film shows how a collectivist approach aligns with Billi’s family’s ethical and cultural values. Therefore, as she becomes more inclined to agree with the collectivist approach and her family’s stance on medical decisions, as viewers of the film, we are in the same position.

Reference List:

Lim M. Y. H. (2024). Patient autonomy in an East-Asian cultural milieu: a critique of the individualism-collectivism model. Journal of medical ethics, 50(9), 640–642. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2022-108123

Wang, L. (Director). (2019). The Farewell [Film]. A24.

BIOGRAPHY

Katya Tjahaja is a Master’s of Science candidate at Columbia University (2025) pursuing a degree in Narrative Medicine. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, Tjahaja graduated from Eckerd College with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology, Molecular Track with minors in Chemistry and Creative Writing.