Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Juregen]

This title has been brewing in my head for a long time. At first most of you will either think it's another beat down on Koreans customs, and some of you will call me an apologist when I further explain my ideas.

It is all too obvious for most of us that Korean society lacks a certain etiquette. I am often angered by the lack of decency and politeness.

But.

Etiquette, Decency, Gentleman, .... these are all concepts developed in Europe (No, not in America ), mostly during the Renaissance.

So although I do agree that Koreans lack these things (in general ...), especially in public places, can we uphold the Koreans (or Asians in general) to follow the same set of principals that were developed a long time a go in a far away place?
On a side note, I notice that these traits are often missed in other Non-European countries, although in a lesser degree.

Koreans have their own set of etiquette actually, although I still have great trouble understanding it, mainly due to respect being in a single direction from the bottom up, which is very hard to swallow for me.

On an individual level, Koreans can be very entertaining, amusing and adhering to the principals of good behavior, but when we meet them on a more distant level, say on the street, and not on a name to name basis, a lot of them seem rather course in their behavior.

I often see Korea as still being a peasant society, don't take this in a negative sense, take it objectively, even though they are now a developed country, a lot of older generations still portray the rudimentary behavior of a farmer. I often forgive such people for they don't have a clue to what they are doing wrong.

I do often encounter younger generations acting completely different from their older counterparts. Often excusing themselves when intruded into private space (also a Western Concept), paying more attention to the people around them, instead of paying attention only to the people they know.

So change is in the air, and rules of proper behavior (as understood in the West) are becoming slowly more prelavent in Korean society.

Therefore my advise to you:
Even though Koreans are no Gentleman, give them some respite, they have been changing in such rapid fashion from peasant culture to developing culture to developed culture. Especially older generations, who have difficulties in changing their way, should be excused. If it is not in you nature to be forgiven, then try to avoid older generations, and do not uphold them to your own standards. Show them the proper example and hope it rubs of.
And maybe, this counts for anyone including me, try to understand their side of the story. Koreans often think we are rude as well.

[thiophene]

Easy on the ethnocentrism. Why should they change to a more west friendly etiquette and not the other way around?

[mercury]

[Juregen]

[Julius]

[markhan]

It some respects, you may already be influenced by ethnocentrism without even knowing about it.
One of the leading historian (I forgot his name, but he was a professor in Harvard) noted that over 50% of all modern inventions has roots in invention created long time ago in China. For instance, many argue (even though I disagree) that first computer was created in China. ie. Abacus. There are many similar arguments. Also IPod is popular for ability to use MP3 file. Mind you MP3 player was first created by Korean company, MPMan. Sony could also argue that Korean MPman was modifed version of Walkman, and so on.

Of course our ability to propagate the knoweldge could not have been possible without the paper and printing machine, which are also Chinese invention. I hardly think Chinese would ask foreigners to abide to their "cultural etiquette" based on fact that we are using THEIR THINGS.

Let's not be childish here.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[mercury]

[komerican]

[thiophene]

[crusher_of_heads]

[winterwawa]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Sure, China invented steel. But it was only mass-produced in the 19th century by an Englishman, Bessemer. Just like the printing press, it was invented but not made available to the people. While the West was driving the Industrial Revolution the only time a Chinese person saw steel was while he was laying railroad tracks.

[nateium]

[komerican]

Steel manufacture. (history of Chinese science)



actually what happened was that bessemer merely beat Kelly to the patent office. He may have gotten his ideas independently or perhaps from Kelly who got his ideas from the chinese.


http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/VC/visitor_info/pa_history/whole_pa_history.htm

William Kelly, a native of Pittsburgh, is regarded as the inventor of the Bessemer process of making steel.


http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9200760_ITM
Henry Bessemer's work had been anticipated in 1852 by William Kelly, from a small town near Eddyville, Kentucky. Kelly had brought four Chinese steel experts to Kentucky in 1845, from whom he had learned the principles of steel production used in China for over 2,000 years

http://gates.itcstore.com/default.aspx?p=92690
Iron working can be traced as far back as 3,500 B.C. in Armenia. The Bessamer process, created independently by Henry Bessemer in England and William Kelly in the United States during the 1850s