By Lee Eung-tae
COVID- 19 is not the only cause of depression for many of us in these troubled times. Every day, the internet treats us to the sight of a famous actress viewing the nighttime panorama of the Han River from her beautifully appointed sitting room or we get to read about some celebrity buying a multi-billion-won building in downtown Seoul.
The incompatibility of lifestyles is a real downer. We feel ashamed of our failure to afford even a modest tiny apartment for our families. It frustrates us to recognize that no matter how hard we work and however much money we save, we can never catch the bird soaring high in the sky.
In primetime soaps, we see people dancing and merrymaking in fantastic halls overlooking brilliant lights and wonderful buildings. Instead of feeling vicarious satisfaction, we stare blankly at these views that seem to be as remote from our own realities as Mars.
Some of the latest news has upset us. Most galling must be the news of land speculation deals perpetuated by some public servants. We are stunned to see their sinister crimes revealed day by day. How can public officials, who are paid by citizen taxpayers supposedly to supervise the land for us, commit such an insidious crime? Anger increases with our depression and frustration.
In Korea, unemployment is high because of the economic recession, so a great many young adults strive mightily to become public servants. Obviously then, it is very hard to become a public servant and only those with high intelligence will achieve that goal. But after being hired, some devious public servants use their intelligence in an absolutely illegal way in order to satisfy their greed. The public is consequently enraged.
Stoking the furious reactions to these incidents is the sad fact that our society is becoming increasingly polarized by fake news and disinformation. It is hard for even the most critical thinker to discern the truth. Worse, we can hardly believe the news being churned out every day by different news outlets, dealing with facts in a radically biased fashion like a couple of blind individuals touching different parts of an elephant and finding two different creatures. Disinformation and biased reporting lead to increased polarization among ordinary citizens. As a result, we see an array of hashtags full of foul oaths and negative responses to the news which has been manipulated to sow mistrust and resentment.
Regardless of party affiliation, ruling or opposition politicians seem dedicated to playing a big role in whipping up our negative emotions. Despite the financial crisis where an array of businesses in the service sector are about to collapse, politicians seem to be obsessed by the struggle to win the tug of war for the next presidency, which again enrages the ordinary citizen.
But let's not waste our precious time nursing those negative emotions which would drive us deeper in misery. In spite of all the frustrations, we need the wisdom to create our own happiness. Remembering the old adage, "Happiness lies in our mind," we need to seek and achieve it in our own ways for the sake of ourselves and our families and moreover our whole society. Rather than drawing a brilliant picture of our future, how about drawing a humble picture for today in which we lend a helping hand around the home or feel gratitude for the gift of each new day?
I might invoke a phrase in the essay written by famous guitarist Wayne Coyne:
"Happiness is not a situation to be longed for, or a convergence of lucky happiness. Through the power of our own minds, we can help ourselves."
Lee Eung-tae, a former high school English teacher, has been teaching English for 35 years.
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The incompatibility of lifestyles is a real downer. We feel ashamed of our failure to afford even a modest tiny apartment for our families. It frustrates us to recognize that no matter how hard we work and however much money we save, we can never catch the bird soaring high in the sky.
In primetime soaps, we see people dancing and merrymaking in fantastic halls overlooking brilliant lights and wonderful buildings. Instead of feeling vicarious satisfaction, we stare blankly at these views that seem to be as remote from our own realities as Mars.
Some of the latest news has upset us. Most galling must be the news of land speculation deals perpetuated by some public servants. We are stunned to see their sinister crimes revealed day by day. How can public officials, who are paid by citizen taxpayers supposedly to supervise the land for us, commit such an insidious crime? Anger increases with our depression and frustration.
In Korea, unemployment is high because of the economic recession, so a great many young adults strive mightily to become public servants. Obviously then, it is very hard to become a public servant and only those with high intelligence will achieve that goal. But after being hired, some devious public servants use their intelligence in an absolutely illegal way in order to satisfy their greed. The public is consequently enraged.
Stoking the furious reactions to these incidents is the sad fact that our society is becoming increasingly polarized by fake news and disinformation. It is hard for even the most critical thinker to discern the truth. Worse, we can hardly believe the news being churned out every day by different news outlets, dealing with facts in a radically biased fashion like a couple of blind individuals touching different parts of an elephant and finding two different creatures. Disinformation and biased reporting lead to increased polarization among ordinary citizens. As a result, we see an array of hashtags full of foul oaths and negative responses to the news which has been manipulated to sow mistrust and resentment.
Regardless of party affiliation, ruling or opposition politicians seem dedicated to playing a big role in whipping up our negative emotions. Despite the financial crisis where an array of businesses in the service sector are about to collapse, politicians seem to be obsessed by the struggle to win the tug of war for the next presidency, which again enrages the ordinary citizen.
But let's not waste our precious time nursing those negative emotions which would drive us deeper in misery. In spite of all the frustrations, we need the wisdom to create our own happiness. Remembering the old adage, "Happiness lies in our mind," we need to seek and achieve it in our own ways for the sake of ourselves and our families and moreover our whole society. Rather than drawing a brilliant picture of our future, how about drawing a humble picture for today in which we lend a helping hand around the home or feel gratitude for the gift of each new day?
I might invoke a phrase in the essay written by famous guitarist Wayne Coyne:
"Happiness is not a situation to be longed for, or a convergence of lucky happiness. Through the power of our own minds, we can help ourselves."
Lee Eung-tae, a former high school English teacher, has been teaching English for 35 years.
