By Kim Ji-myung
"History never looks like history when you are living through it." This is a statement by American educator John W. Gardner.
Quoting this famous sentence, Forbes explained this means history is always confusing, messy and uncomfortable.
The history we are now living through, especially around Seoul, indeed looks confusing, messy and uncomfortable. As a senior citizen, I cannot agree more with this statement. If anyone disagrees with this, then he or she must have some information which is not available to the elderly.
It so happens that today's leadership in the four strong powers surrounding us, the United States, China, Russia and Japan yield extraordinary charisma. In many aspects, they defy the traditional shape of predictable and reliable statesmen.
On the other hand, in South Korea, the speedy and radical measures, based on the ideology and philosophy of this administration are welcomed by some but not all of the population. Both domestic and international policies of President Moon Jae-in and his staff, such as relations with North Korea, industrial relations, employment policies, education issues follow the radical orientations of the government.
The press, in general, carries positive reports of the sustained high rate of support for these policies. Those opposing or warning against government policies are heard at a very feeble mosquito-decibel.
Building a fair and just society quickly is by no means simple and easy. Rectifying the past either by verbal criticism or judicial punishment simultaneously in all corners of the public has cornered and fatigued people.
In little more than a month after the Winter Olympics at PyeongChang, rapprochement with North Korea has become the top priority of the nation.
The beautiful scene of reunion and harmony as "one people" among political leaders, entertainers, and people from the South and North Korea evokes, in the older generation, a feeling of deja vu. To many aged Koreans, the national leaders now sitting in the driver's seat seem too naive, inexperienced and over confident. They seem to ignorantly or willingly ignore the many pitfalls and dangers lying ahead.
It is a pity that a majority of elderly people seem to refrain from speaking out for fear of being attacked by social media. If the history we are now living through does not look like history, what should we do? History here means, in my view, the traditional, long-term, and understandable evolvement of historical events.
The wisdom will come from taking time. When you cannot see things clearly, wait until the fog will clear away. With the passing of time, people will calm down. Then we may tell signals from noises and find out if the pied piper of Hamelin, as in the fable, is leading the rats or the village children with his music.
In the meantime, I hope the nation does not make foolish choices. Never let your friends down. Don't confuse friends who shed blood to protect you with your enemy. Find lessons from history.
Good press should be able to set the agenda for the nation, and suggest solutions. And yet, independent, objective and fact-based reporting sometimes collides head-on with political power and commercialism.
There are many historical cases in which our judgment of leaders and policy changes rapidly. The changing tone of newspaper headlines about Napoleon's return to Paris after exile on Elba in 1815 is just one example. Over the course of just 13 days, Napoleon goes from being called an ogre, tiger, monster and tyrant to being called the Emperor and Royal Majesty?
I have tried to avoid serious political topics in my column. Because I don't have an extra source of information that my readers don't have and also because I want to discuss more interesting subjects. However, friends and colleagues around me feel grim, and concerned about the uncertain future of the economic, social, diplomatic, political path of the nation.
According to Dr. Yoon Sun-bong of Samsung Economic Research Institute, an analysis of Korean media showed Korea's policies have been sticking to affairs of the past. In this chaotic period of profound changes, I hope the leaders will provide people with a feeling of security and stability with a clearer picture of the future.
Kim Ji-myung (Heritagekorea21@gmail.com) is the chairwoman of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage).
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Quoting this famous sentence, Forbes explained this means history is always confusing, messy and uncomfortable.
The history we are now living through, especially around Seoul, indeed looks confusing, messy and uncomfortable. As a senior citizen, I cannot agree more with this statement. If anyone disagrees with this, then he or she must have some information which is not available to the elderly.
It so happens that today's leadership in the four strong powers surrounding us, the United States, China, Russia and Japan yield extraordinary charisma. In many aspects, they defy the traditional shape of predictable and reliable statesmen.
On the other hand, in South Korea, the speedy and radical measures, based on the ideology and philosophy of this administration are welcomed by some but not all of the population. Both domestic and international policies of President Moon Jae-in and his staff, such as relations with North Korea, industrial relations, employment policies, education issues follow the radical orientations of the government.
The press, in general, carries positive reports of the sustained high rate of support for these policies. Those opposing or warning against government policies are heard at a very feeble mosquito-decibel.
Building a fair and just society quickly is by no means simple and easy. Rectifying the past either by verbal criticism or judicial punishment simultaneously in all corners of the public has cornered and fatigued people.
In little more than a month after the Winter Olympics at PyeongChang, rapprochement with North Korea has become the top priority of the nation.
The beautiful scene of reunion and harmony as "one people" among political leaders, entertainers, and people from the South and North Korea evokes, in the older generation, a feeling of deja vu. To many aged Koreans, the national leaders now sitting in the driver's seat seem too naive, inexperienced and over confident. They seem to ignorantly or willingly ignore the many pitfalls and dangers lying ahead.
It is a pity that a majority of elderly people seem to refrain from speaking out for fear of being attacked by social media. If the history we are now living through does not look like history, what should we do? History here means, in my view, the traditional, long-term, and understandable evolvement of historical events.
The wisdom will come from taking time. When you cannot see things clearly, wait until the fog will clear away. With the passing of time, people will calm down. Then we may tell signals from noises and find out if the pied piper of Hamelin, as in the fable, is leading the rats or the village children with his music.
In the meantime, I hope the nation does not make foolish choices. Never let your friends down. Don't confuse friends who shed blood to protect you with your enemy. Find lessons from history.
Good press should be able to set the agenda for the nation, and suggest solutions. And yet, independent, objective and fact-based reporting sometimes collides head-on with political power and commercialism.
There are many historical cases in which our judgment of leaders and policy changes rapidly. The changing tone of newspaper headlines about Napoleon's return to Paris after exile on Elba in 1815 is just one example. Over the course of just 13 days, Napoleon goes from being called an ogre, tiger, monster and tyrant to being called the Emperor and Royal Majesty?
I have tried to avoid serious political topics in my column. Because I don't have an extra source of information that my readers don't have and also because I want to discuss more interesting subjects. However, friends and colleagues around me feel grim, and concerned about the uncertain future of the economic, social, diplomatic, political path of the nation.
According to Dr. Yoon Sun-bong of Samsung Economic Research Institute, an analysis of Korean media showed Korea's policies have been sticking to affairs of the past. In this chaotic period of profound changes, I hope the leaders will provide people with a feeling of security and stability with a clearer picture of the future.
Kim Ji-myung (Heritagekorea21@gmail.com) is the chairwoman of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage).
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