Breen on Korea

Writing an opinion piece related to last week's CSAT exams Mr Breen pretty much sums up what I think is wrong with Korea:

...there is a profound aversion in this culture to debate. The clash of ideas is seen as more clash than ideas. Many of the problems in this society can be traced back to this one profound cause. Instead of the exchange of ideas, one finds exchange of symbols of power and he who has the power has his ideas accepted. 

The irony here is that when people spend all the time rushing at each other like peacocks for who has more status, there is no real harmony. Similarly, when people have to contain their thoughts in the face of greater power, as in many families for example, you get pretence, dishonesty and frustration. The harmony is a delusion. This is a fractious society in which people are angry and mistrustful and exceedingly rude to one another. 

Which is not to say I don't love Korea to bits. And a certain aptitude in operating within this system, as distasteful as it might seem to some, is an advantage.

The above sheds some light on, and comes to my attention with almost uncanny timing as I try to deal with some uniquely Korean problems issues misadventures things.

Of course neither Mr Breen, nor I, offer any sort of solution....

Although, dumping the CSAT and hakwon, and reforming education would be a good start.

Comments

[Whitey]

I, too, liked Mr. Breen's piece.

As a somewhat regular visitor to your site, I would be interested to read about the "uniquely Korean problems issues misadventures things" you mentioned. Please consider sharing.