We meet a lot of teachers in our life. Some are good and some are bad. Some teach very well and some teach very badly. Some can deal with kids well and some cannot. One teacher I really liked. He was my history teacher in 9th and 10th grade. He taught us well and helped us learn other things too. He was a very cool teacher. Although his class wasn't strict, he showed us many videos dealing with the topic every day, like videos of world war 2, the assassination of JFK, etc. He also told us life stories, and I thought they were very interesting. He even shared personal stories with us, which I felt very connected to. He was open minded, told us about his family, and even told us about how he got his first tattoo. While telling us his tattoo story, he said "don't do something you'd be sure to regret later. I've been regretting this tattoo since I got married!" I am glad he was my teacher and I miss him.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Seon Hyuk Im / Exercise B / Tues. 11am
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Junseok Kang About Teacher / Tuesday 3, 4
2000600056
Junseok Kang
Sound of Music
"I'm sorry." I lowered my head enough to reach the ground. However my teacher calmly told me. "I know you're teenager and full of hormones. I just want to help you to think clearly." I was not a good student in high school. My grade was good. But that's not the problem. I was kind of selfish and had a defiant attitude. I always thought about myself and it ignited the problem with my friends and sometimes with teacher.
One day, it was quite and rainy Monday. I was tired from studies from last night. I felt like I was carrying the heavy baggage whole time. And my eyes got cloudy due to pouring sleep. It was music class. But at that time for me, I was solely focused on the university enter exam. So I didn't care about the subjects which were not included in the test. Usually I studied math or English during these classes. That day, I was too tired. So I lied my face on the desk and tried to take a nap for a while.
However my music teacher got upset with my attitude. And she told me to join and enjoy the class. I didn't want to do it. So I said something rude to her just to insult her. "Well, why should I music is not even in the test anyway. I need to take a nap for my study for other subject." Her face turned into red like well ripe apple. "The things on the test do not matter all the time in your life. So please straighten up your waist and try to focus the class." We kept argued about it. I knew that I was wrong but I didn't stop. And then class finished with arguing. Later I felt terribly sorry to her. I went to the teacher's room and made an apology to her. "I'm sorry." Then she said "I know you're teenager and full of hormones. I just want to help you to think clearly." She made me put down the guiltiness which bothered me a lot.
Later I tried to enjoy the music class, and later I realized that what I might have missed really important thing in my school days.
Junseok Kang Job / Tuesday 3, 4
200600056
Junseok Kang
Ready for Job yet?
In a quiet cafe, people chatting sound, the smell of freshly ground coffee, and I'm writing the story about no one hasn't thought before. Yes, I want to be a writer. Being a writer has been my long time dream. To achieve my dream job, I am still trying to figure out what I need and the path how I become. Being a writer is not easy. It needs writing skills and ingenious ideas also sufficient financial support before becoming successful.
To become a writer, I have tried to read books as many as possible. I think philosophy is very important for delivering the message to public. In my humble opinion, story itself takes big part but without deeper meaning, it remains just superficial. So I've read the history of philosophy especially, and found some philosophers who are similar to my view such as Sartre. Also the history and essay are good for nurturing my idea and the way of thinking. Various episodes in history give me an inspiration and stimulate my imagination. I know classic helps me a lot, but I am a little bit worried about imitating old styles.
I'm trying to finish my writing before I graduate. I have prepared for one writing for my school time. Because I love a story about sharing the hope with people, I am writing about the story about the person who is going through eating disorder. But I have heard many stories about these issues are out there already, I have to pay extra attention to not being cliché. Besides this writing, I also have written about short stories, whenever I have time.
Being a writer in Korea, there are several ways. But I think applying for the writing contest for prospective writers is the best way to become one. I don't settle the exact time when I apply for it. However, I planned to get a job and experience life more before I start as a full time writer. At the renowned young writer's lecture, I heard that before getting recognized as a writer, it takes time and money. So I will get a job to support myself and then turn into a full time writer.
I know chasing the dream job is not easy at all. It will be difficult journey. However I know it will be worth.
Junseok Kang Argumentive/Tuesday 3,4
200600056
Junseok Kang
Religion is expired
"Imagine there is no heaven, It is easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky." John lennon sang. Many scientist and philosophers have raised the question about the religion in present. Does God exist? Does religion has adverse effects as many as its good function? There are plenty of different dispute. What I want to deal with is "Do we still need religion?" Someone might ask how do people know what is good or wrong if there is no religion. Like this quote, religion has been maintained its prevalent status as a moral guide over other ethics standard. But I want to point out what makes it is beyond others, how have it functioned and is still valid in modern times.
Let's leave the argument about the existence of God. I believe that the concept of God existence just has provided superiority over other ethics. In fact, there are numerous secular morality. One of the examples is humanism and legal system. Legal system has been improved over human being's history. It has been functioned as a solid standard of being good. Also humanism gives us firm theoretical base for concept of goodness.
Also I highly doubt that religion has functioned well. If you closely look into the history, religion has been abused as a ground of racism, imperialism and unjust warfare for long time. It has been given the morality superiority and legitimacy to absurd actions. We have to think about that conquest and slavery in Africa and other regions started with missionary purpose. The people of 'chosen by God' has ludicrous superiority over other races and countries, these sort of religiously interpreted idea lead many big tragedies in history like endless wars in middle east.
So I want to ask about if the religion as a moral standard is still valid or not. I think the religion is expired. It had been written thousand years ago. For centuries, many thing have been changed. The thing which is considered immoral and sin in the past like homosexuality has its own deserved status now. What bible says not to do or wrong doesn't necessary mean that it is evil anymore. Also freethinking, humanism and legal system completely replaced religion's old role. They provides us enough ethics background.
However if someone points out that the role of religion as a comfort giving, I have to admit that it is what religion is good at. In the unpredictable and sometimes painful world, the religion gives us the comfort and confidence that make us to get over and carry on life. Recently many scientists and philosopher have tried to find an explanation about the agonies people are going through. But it is hard to deny that the idea someone almighty take care of us is the most comforting for us to depend on.
Religion is expired. Science and secular philosophy have given us more than enough explanation about the things people were looking for in the bible. Its role as a moral guide is also outdated and sometimes even it seems too narrowed to apply to the modern world. But still has it's irreplaceable function as comfort giving.
Junseok Kang intellectual property/Tuesday 3,4
2000600056
Junseok Kang
Is internet piracy evil?
I love watching movies in cinema. Couple of weeks ago, I watched Ironman 3 in the cinema. Before it is officially released, I easily found the pirate version of it on the internet. Many people have already downloaded it. It seems that reasonable that contents creators blame the piracy as a biggest factor of reducing their income. And it has become one of the issues since the beginning of the internet history. However, I have a different opinion on this issue. I think piracy is not evil in entertainment business.
First, according to Swiss government's research, internet downloaders don't necessary mean that they don't purchase any contents. Its research shows that downloaders spent reasonable amount of money for their entertainment in buying concert ticket or going to theater. After Swiss court judged piracy is not illegal in their territory. Even considering the fact that its research only focus in domestic economy and rules out foreign companys' contents, it shows that piracy can boost entertainment business. It means that internet is able to lead new trend, which can bring the attention and financial benefits to contents creator. And piracy is just one small part of shadow among internet's numerous merits.
Second, I strongly think that business should adopt to transition of its environment. Few years ago when mp3 player appeared I read the article about one singer's sigh for his reduced music CD sales volume. He blamed the internet piracy. Then I thought why people want to buy CD anymore, because mp3 player is way small and comfortable. So he should launch selling his music online. As core attribute of internet and customer, downloading is inevitable. Customer wants to get what they want in easiest and cheapest way. Also internet is the one of easiest way to make it happen. If these factors are unchangeable, why the business change themselves to adopt? Like I mentioned before, the domestic entertainment market doesn't shrink due to piracy. Now only export of contents matters. I think there is numerous ways to solve this problem. Let's assume that Iron man 3 movie distributor want to contract with Korean distributor. In this situation, I think they can estimate the loss caused by piracy beforehand. So creator can ask an extra charge or different option for their product. Or like netflix which is successful movie and TV show distributor in U.S. Production company can launch their own franchise for online service.
Internet piracy is not desirable. But it has its own bright sight and it is inevitable. Whenever an invention happens, a good few of past died. I think internet has become one of the biggest changes in production business. And if they don't adopt new environment and technology they will lose.
Junseok Kang Famous person/Tuesday 3,4
Martin Luther King
200600056
Junseok Kang
In the last summer, I met a guy who is from Africa in the school. He seems a good guy and we had a short conversation. He told me that he had many unpleasant experiences In Seoul. Once He went to a restaurant and waitress kept ignoring him and only made an eye contact with his Caucasian European friend. It was short moment but enough to make him feel offended. This seems to me as an expression of racism. Even South Korea is the country which is not ethnically diverse, I imagined that what if Martin Luther King wasn't born, how the world would be like. The world must be very different from we know and not desirable like today.
Martin Luther King was the activist against the racism and advocated the equal human right among people. He was born as a son of Baptist minister. When he was young, he experienced many situations where his father had been insulted and even beaten because of different skin colour. It made him think about the absurd of racism. His father thought him that not to submit to racism. Later he entered the college and studied theology. In 1955, the incident which changed his life and history happened. The woman named Montgomery was arrested for not yielding her seat to Caucasian male in a bus. This incident ignited the grievance among Africa Americans. It developed into a protest for human right. Eventually this protest earned the result that the segregation is unconstitutional. However, he didn't stop. He set the further goals which were the right of workers, the abolition of any form of racism against races and anti war movement. In 1963, Novel Peace Prize was awarded to Martin Luther King.
The world after Martin Luther King is totally different what it used to be. He influences in various ways. First, he achieved the equality of African American. Even the prejudice and racism didn't disappear right after the movement, he laid the foundation. After time passed, the racism started to diluted and equality between races considered the fundamental aspect for moving to better world. Second the working class earned the better condition which they were deserved. At that time, worker had gone through the unfair condition and underrated wage. He encouraged people to stand up for their rights in the end it bore the fruit. Lastly, he affected the way of protest after. He always advocated the importance and legitimacy of nonviolence protest. And he never compromised his principle.
The world is not perfect. Sometime it seems absurd. However, person like Martin Luther King raised the voice and tried to change. This effort brings a improvement to better world.