Categorizing is not always bad.

People want to know how old they are, where they come from, what is their ethnic, they are men or women. People really like categorizing. But categorizing keep stereotype. For example grandfather is too old to start study, Hispanic is lazy, woman can’t be a president. So someone said people categorize just for their convenient or control other group, it is bad custom we must not do that. However is it really bad itself? If not why people categorizing? And what is the important thing when we categorizing?

 Human beings, as a social creature, categorizing is natural. We want to sense of belongings and we have belonged to a group naturally since we were born. When we were born, we were member of family. May be when we were in new born unit, nurse made a group like smile group and cry group. We were member of school, we were member of peer group, we were member of a club. Whether someone made us do it or we did it on our own, we belong to a group as a whole life. We are categorizing and categorized.

According to social identity theory, people belong to a group inextricably, it is important for people to what group I belong to and they want to make a positive self-realization in that group. After they become a member of a group, they categorize as an in-group and out-group which the member were different from our group’s characteristics. And naturally, people define their group that ‘we are more superior than your group’.  because people identify with group they belong to.

But most important thing when we categorizing is not only purpose but effect. If we categorize people just for convenient, it is natural and ok. but that categorizing make discrimination, it is not ok. Of course, we can’t predict all effect and there are many unexpected effect like race-conscious admissions policy[1]. Some categorizing or grouping makes majority and minority, according to the number of group member. It just number, but people, majority group think it is right to treat minority group with disdain. This thinking causes bad effect of categorizing.

Categorizing that is made in daily life is not always bad rather natural. Categorizing is the natural habit of human and they categorizing for their conforming identity. But it effect can more serious that we expected. For example they make majority and minority group, and cause the conflict between of them. So we aware natural trait of categorizing and don’t treat it is inhuman behavior but we must consider the effect before categorizing.


[1]‘Cheryl Wood-hop’ case (reverse discrimination): she is poor family white girl but she wouldn’t receive acceptance for admission to university even she has good grade enough to enter university. but other minor racial group member enter that university even they have low grad than her. So she suit it.

 

 

 

 

Is it nonsense that America company leaders wouldn’t choose Asian American?

 We usually use a word ‘Model’ to express approval someone when we think that they perform their role or duties extremely well. ‘Model Minority’ is not that different from this mean. Asian- American whose achieve higher degree of success in America. Sometimes this word labels the group and gives members of Model Minority pride. But this word also gives disadvantage those members called ‘Bamboo ceiling’. Bamboo ceiling is discrimination that Asian-American have trouble in promoting their position in business. Although many figures show Asian-American’s ability, why All-American exclude them as a management position? There are three reasons of that : Politeness, Asian American’s mind, Fear of mainstream,

Asian American’s politeness which is very important custom in Korea can cause a prejudice of Asian American. Some America company leader didn’t choose an Asian American because they are passive, unsociable and they seemed to no passion. For example, they try to avoid eye contact when they meet boss, they are not trying to strongly argue their opinion they just cope with task which boss give them. But according to custom which they educated by their parent, it isn’t polite look boss straight in the eye and insist their opinion isn’t good manner to boss. So company leaders aware they just follow their custom and don’t misunderstand.

But some Asian American really becomes passive or unsociable. They were frightened beforehand and run away. They think they are minority and can’t get an opportunity. So they are not thought more and behave actively to make a goal. Or others wouldn’t change their ingrained customs that are not good in America. ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’ unless they don’t change their mind and behavior, That is a poor excuse that they can’t be a main stream because we are minority.

Think, How’s your feeling when non Korean are outnumber than Korean. This situation is a little scary and fearful that they can be a main stream and get a main position in our society. Choosing other ethnic as an executive is not that easy. All-Americans so do we. They are fear about losing ground that has powerful voice. So they protect themselves from potential predator group. It is human nature to protect ‘own territory’. And actually most White American leaders feel that it is more comfortable that White American enter inner circle(small group of people who have a lot of power and influence on their company)

Although these can’t justify their reasons why they didn’t choose Asian American employer because some reasons are not true, just bias, there response is not so irrational that we criticize. All- American’s discrimination about other ethnic group especially Asian American viewed as success group are not based on nonsense. It is natural attitude of native who treat not familiar people and natural attitude of to maintain their position. So it is important that not only All- American break their bias but Asian American should accept and understand All- American and looking for way to allay their fears, concern, suspicions and acquire opportunity.

Making successful model

Many children face to a conflict with parent about their dream. Parent wants their children get tradition profession job like lawyer or doctor. But this ‘hope’ is burden for their children. Actually many immigrant especially 2nd generations have a burden to parent and other ethnic’s expectation and prejudice that Asian American are good at math, have a good grade but lack of leadership or social relationship. These discords between parent, other ethnic and 2nd generation group of Asian American are come from different concept and experience about success. To solve this problem, making ‘success model’ is good way because of breaking prejudice, persuading parent, confidence of 2nd generation themselves.

First successful model is a great to break the stereotype of Asian. For example Yul Kwon who is television host and former government official, lawyer, and management consultant showed his sociable trait, leadership and challenging which other ethnics think Asian American hardly has them through TV show, ‘thirteenth season of Survivor’. It is enough to prove people’s thought is not true.Asian successful model is a good way to break the prejudice of Asian.

Second, successful model gives that Asian American parents who want their children follow their expectation aware of their wrong attitude and make them change their mind. Of course their children are future and dream of them and it is natural that parent wish children get a success. But before they require, they should think that ’what is success?’ ‘what is my children’s dream?, ‘my require is help to their happiness?, ‘Did I want a lot of responsibility to children?. Just awareness about their unreasonable requirements is good.

 Third, successful model can be a role model of 2nd generation who have dilemma between their parent’s American dream and their dream. They are fear that they can’t satisfy other people’s include their parent’s expectation. However they want to live as a ‘a private individual’ without heavy expectation, ethnic, nonmainstream. Still there are ethnic mainstream or nonmainstream furthermore it in hard for them to fill up the gap. Clearly they are American but can’t not but aware of ‘Asian’ American. And they can’t neglect their parent’s hope because they know their parent go through changes in U.S. But their life is theirs. So successful model can be a courage and possibility to gain their lives.

1st and 2nd generation, although they are live together, have different dream. If they, 2nd generation, even can’t harmony their family, it is more difficult to harmony with social group that there are many other ethnics and to be a member of American social. Of course, they should solve these problems themselves. but cause of their mental conflict is not only for them but also their parent dream that not consider their children’s dream. So it is important to awareness of 1st generation’s invisible force as well as other ethnic’s prejudice and they have confidence about their live. To do this, making successful model is one of the solutions.

 

CRY, CRY FOR RALPH.

I read the book over the last night, THE LORD OF FLIES which was written by William Golding. When was it? I watched the movie on TV in class when I was 10 years old. Well, remembering that, I was so young and I was so shocked that time, even though I can’t remember the movie in detail until I got the book by chance. The story line is very simple. The boys got into an accident in flight and made an emergency landing on some island. There is a hero, Ralph. He became the “leader” of the boys gaining their trust. All the boys followed the rules and orders from the leader, having hope that they would be rescued by adults. However, as time went by, they were losing hope for a rescue. In the mean time, the boy named “JACK” opposed to the leader, Ralph, with constant objections. A tension between JACK and Ralph had come to them. The boys were put on the line that they had to choose the leader. The rumor that a monster lived in the island flew around the boys. Fear got intense. Jack made his group and broke away from the boys by using the situation. Simon who was considered as the “CRAZY BOY” found out the truth the monster was in fact the body of a soldier. (Fear made their eyes blind.) So, he tried to let them know the truth, but he was finally murdered by JACK’s family. JACK’s madness and violence got deep again and again, the Ralph’s family ran away from them. But, the advisor of boys who was fat and shy but also wise and honest, Piggy (His name is “Piggy” in the story.) was murdered by JACK. In the end, Ralph became alone and he tried to do a final escape from them. After all, at the moment everything seemed to be ended up, he was rescued by PEOPLE and the boys were rescued as well. The story is finished like this. Even though the story seems to be very simple, there are a lot of symbolic meanings in the book and I think it shows us our cruel reality. These things are the greatest points of this novel.

One thing I feel missing is that the characters of the novel are all “BOYS”. I think, to describe human’s society, the author might want to limit the sex of the characters as male. But, “What if there were GIRLS in the story?” I am thinking and thinking….
Well, he might want to exclude the sex of female with special intention. But I think he made a mistake to twist the human’s whole aspects. But, with the specialty that it is an adventure novel and to be able to symbolize the time of the war, he might need to emphasize the sex of male. So, I won’t feel the want anymore. I searched ‘The Lord of Flies’ through the internet and I found out it means like an EVIL. So, the lord of flies means the human’s true evil character. Well… Actually I felt a creepy feeling about the title at first. Did he have the ethical view that humans are born evil? I don’t know.

Anyway, with the harsh criticism and the ridicule for human society in his novel,
I want to clap my hands to his wonderful idea and writing skills.
At the end of the story, the reason why Ralph cried so sad might be that he felt he lost their purity and innocence. It’s now the time we need to cry for Ralph.

Korean wave

Korean wave started about 90s. For example, the drama” 사랑이 뭐길래” really catch on in China and a dance group ”클론” also in Tiwan. Actually the word, Korean wave, was called initially by a media in china. It have a great effect on Chinese. Korean mass media also admire highly Korean wave about exporting our contents and culture. They also said” since many Korean entertainers who enter a abroad will earn much foreign currency, it is help to restore our economy. But they just watch good aspects, not bad aspects about Korean wave. I assure Korean wave exposed many problem following things: excessive economical bias, excessive government invovement and hidden natinalism.

To begin with, the most problem of Korean wave is that it is more treated as conomy purpose than as pure culture recently. While the public recognize Korean wave as popular culture, people who take lead in discussion of Korean wave, most companies, gorvernment, entertainments and scholars, are usually interest in economic value which was created by K-pops and dramas. So most entertainments tend to launch movies that just is interesting or even glorify violence and illegality as purpose of making money. Therefore, they have no interested in how increase mutual understanding between each cutures and how contribute to realize universal cutural value in huminity.

Another problem is that government invoved excessively in Korean wave. They tend to intervene entire fields of Korean wave as production, distribution and sales. Even political community have applied Korean wave because they aware Korean wave as having political value. Therefore, both of them have more interested in just selling products than develop quality and level of product. So there remain not policy of cutural promotion, but sales.

Finally, Korean wave have hidden nationalism. Most scholars who have interested in Korean wave insisted that Korean wave result from suprimacy of Koran culture and Korean culture is embark on a new chapter because Korean product is important as strategy. Even mass media baldly expressed This view. Futher more severe thing is that the public have received this nationalistic view without no filtering.

In conclusion, Korean wave should go in the right direction and discussion of Korean wave be establish on universal cultural in huminity. And Korean wave also shoud not be treated by minorities who is obsessed by economic interest.

Solution or Problem? : School uniform

For 6 years, as I was middle school, high school student, I wore school uniform. When I become a middle school student from elementary school student, school uniform was the big issue among friends. During school years, some students reformed the uniform or purchased again because they changed their school or their grown out of his clothes. And school uniform store had price competition, because uniform price expensive so parent want less expensive one.  In all ages, school uniform is on the center of issue among students. But actually,  school uniform is not good for student because of three reasons : where they came from, economically, right of students

 School uniform is vestiges of Japanese imperialism. During 1910-1945 colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula, Japan made many rules that were easy to control Korean. School uniform was one of the rules in school. They made students wear same clothes and limited their behavior as students. Although it was very degrading treatment as Korean, there are still remained. Whatever the reason why they follow that rule again, they have to think more deeply where uniform comes from and why we, our grandparent ,wore it and it is right way and there is other way except uniform.

 Some people said uniform keep student from feeling economic gap between the rich and the poor. But this idea has long passed, it could apply to past when school uniform was not so expensive and all uniform was same regardless school regulation. Today’s school uniform various depend on school regulation and price is also various and expensive. So student who wear certain school uniform is may be rich to go that school. Furthermore there are other things that students showed their economic level such as outer clothing or cell phone. So Uniform can’t solve the feeling that poor fell all the more deprived.

 School uniform could undermine student’s right. People have a right to reveal personality traits through clothes. But school uniform infringe upon people’s right by making the students wear same form clothes and control their thought and behavior, not only wearing uniform but conforming to a single standard. Some advocates of school uniform maintain that uniform save students needless waste of time to send on clothes or accessory which reveals their personality traits. If so, are students not human? Are they just studying machine? Revealing personality is the only reason people can’t concentrate on studying. So school uniform is not solution but problem as student’s right.

Before choose the solution, people should think about where this rule come from, can it make another problem, is it really good for in view of the purpose.  The advocator argue that ‘School Uniform’ can be the way of solving students relatively depressed on home economic and making students focus on studying. Of course it can be the solution these problem. But we think about it, can cause other serious problem like human right and its purpose is really for students, so good for students? School uniform locked students in school as a cause of combination. Who is combination for? For teacher? For parent? For police?  If we can’t answer these questions, school uniform is not good solution.

Knowledge vs Experience

Most people usually are learning and practicing through their whole lives. From reading words in text book such as toy, car and train, people have the concepts and ideas. They more understand the actual meaning of these words by playing toys and riding or driving cars, trains. Education from books and experience are the main two point for People to gain their knowledge. Each play different roles for people. But I agree knowledge from experience is more important than that from books.

To begin with, Experience first can prove whether the knowledge form books are true or false. Textbooks are very wonderful in teaching people essential principles, how is the world looks like? what is the basic law of change of people and things? We can learn many things through primary school, secondary school until entering university. But people can only understand the really meaning of form books and justify them if they are right through practices. A few hundred years ago, people learn from text book that the earth was flat. However scientists found that was wrong through observations and measurement.

Another reason is that the knowledge from experience can improve and advance our society. As books limitated, they only teach us the what people found in the past. The knowledge from the books are constrained to the certain conditions and environment. For example, mould and tools design of plastics industry, the university course only taught me very simple cases, most knowledge are obtained from various different and complicated cases in my career.

Finally, there are a lot new inventions and new products which could not be found from textbooks. Our society and world are developed through continuous practices. So those knowledge never found in books like internet, e-business. those are all developed through new practices.

“The truth comes from practices and experience”, people are continually discovering new things and assessing the creditability of the knowledge written in books. The knowledge from experience help us much more than those from books.

Hving many friends vs a few friend

I think I like have many different friends because we can learn more from having many different types of friends. If we have just a little close friends, then we cannot learn as much as we can if we have many friends. Therefore, I assure it is better to have many different friends.

To begin with, having many different friends can teach us about life and the world. I think you can learn many things about many different countries if you know people from around the world. For example, if you have a friend from China and one from Iran, you can learn more those two countries. If you just have friends from your country, then you do not learn very much about the world.

Another reason is that we can also have many different kinds of experiences if we have many different kinds of friends. For example, some people like sports, others like music, still others like to study. If we have many different friends with many different interests, then we can never feel bored and we can have a happy life.

Finally, if we have many different friends, then maybe we can have more help from people when we need it. For example, if we need some kind of help with something, but we don’t know too many people, then it might be difficult for us to get help. However, if we know many people, then it will be easy for us to find help when we need it.

Therefore, I believe that it is better to have many different friends in our lives. Having many friends can teach us about the world, we can have more fun with different friends, and we can get help more easily if we have many different friends.

People to being enthusiastic of public official

Before long, a high student girls who was the tenth of whole school is said in a certain interview “ my dream is that I become a ninth degree official.” This is the evidence lots of people consider become a official as great job. It also become more popular and favorable as a job compared with the old days. As a result, lots of task-takers hage given challenge become a official, but it is hard to get the job like entering within hole of needle. Nevertheless, they continually give challenge as a dream. Why they do that? Why the job receive fervent response by many people? The fact can find out in official’s features which just have in reality of our country: the stability of job, fixed office hours, not a little public official’s annuity.

To begin with, I assured the stability is the most main reason which become a official. In these days, it become a serious problem to increase rates of youth unemployment globally. It’s the same our country. So many youth are living from hand to mouth because not having a job. Add to this reason, most companies usually don’t guarantee employee’ retirement age. So many people have begin to be concerned become an official as stable job. The situation came out in our reality with a good feature of official.

Addition to, the another reason is that by having fixed office hours officials have an leisure or self developed time. You know that most employees of private companies work overtime at night and even go to work on weekends. So many employees were swamped with heavy workload. So they have gradually lost their leisure of life and repress their complaint in this situation because they are afraid to be fired for his company. By being continually in a vicious circle, they are becoming exhausted. But official always work with fixed work hours : 9 AM~ 6PM. So most people who work for private companies tend to resign a company because a official.

Finally, you can find many books about providing about old age. That is just as important thing as college admission, getting a job as one’s life. According to National Statistical Office, the old who receive economical aid is up to 6% of entire old people. this is numerical figure at the rate of about a 120 people. So many parents encourage their children to become a official and in reality, many youth feel good attitude for becoming official because public officials’ annuity.

In conclusion, according to National Statistical Office, tester of this civil service exam is conducted 2011 is one hundred fifty thousand people. this figure is same at the number of graduated people entire university annually. This is evidence many people think official is to be in the limelight as stable and good job physically and mentally. Trying reality finally result in accord with itself as redounding to good features of official.

Result of Air pollution

A certain expert said” imagine if every 800 million Chinese drive a gasoline-powered automobile, the smog that accumulate in the atmosphere.” Most countries are struggling to industrialize as quickly as he can. So much carbon dioxides add to the atmosphere every day through industrialization. Carbon dioxide is a major material that causes serious air pollution. But most people do not fully understand what air pollution is serious and there are some causes and defects by air pollution. Air pollution is mainly caused by the industrialization, and three effects are; ozone depletion, global warming and endangered species.
To begin with, as the air pollution is severe, problems of ozone depletion have come up to the surface of public problem. Ozone’ layers that high above the Earth’s surface help the earth to protect the sun’s harmful rays. Most plants and animals can be exterminated and many people can be ill with skin cancer when the ozone layer is destroyed by the accumulative effect of human activity. In modern society, most people use the refrigerator for a comfortable living but it includes huge amount of CFCS as a refrigerant. Finally, 50% of the ozone layer in the Antarctic region has already been destroyed without fear and many creatures like human, animals and plants are in danger.
In addition, another factor we should consider is the global warming. Global warming is mostly caused by heavy concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When the high concentrated carbon dioxides are in the atmosphere, radiations from the Earth’s surface cna not go away from the Earth. As a result, Earth’s average temperature gradually increase. nowaday, one third of the glacial in the Antarctic has already vanished and many island countries have sink such as Maldives and Japan because of the incresing temperature. That means sea level had been increasing gradually but this speed would be increased. According to the scientist, Maldives will be disappeared in 30 years and if sea level gradually increases as now, all the piece of land will be gone in a millennium.
Finally, the most serious problem of the air pollution is the endangered species. As sea level increases because of extremely concentrated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the land has sink and many creatures like animals and plants have lost their habitat. Deformation of the habitat leads the species extinction. For example, some scientists said that if 10% of the habitat decreases, 50% of species would be eliminated. Also, climatic change to have influences on many species. These facts clearly show that the effects of air pollution cause serious problems on the ecosystem.
In conclude, air pollution is the result of industrialization, like growing population, emission of automobiles and urbanization. This industrialization leads people face with short term and long term problems that are not only ozone depletion, global warming but also gradually degrade.