Korean Job Discussion Forums

[big_fella1]

I didn't want to derail another thread so I thought I would start this one.

Do you consider yourself moderate?

I was surprised at people on here who are not moderate claiming to be so.

I am not a moderate, when something is wrong I call it, and I'm not afraid of expressing emotions like anger, frustration, joy, love and just confusion.

I am from the greatest country on Earth called Australia, but my country is not perfect. There are problems with racism, taxation, wealth gap, and welfare. No, not welfare for those that are having a bad time but corporate welfare.

Now if I'm from the greatest country on Earth and talk about it, what makes people think that the country I love and live in, Korea will be exempt.

There is a problem here when the world is defined as Koreans and others. There are problems with the road toll here. There are problems with racism, some of which are stupidity of individuals others are actually discrimination by the government and government departments as any person who has tried to claim the tax deduction for rent and isn't a Korean citizen can tell you. I feel as a permanent resident (F5) who is elligible to vote next year, I can talk about these things.

I don't like stereotypes, but I do use them as we all do, but I can also accept that not everyone is the stereotype.

I'm not moderate and I'm proud of it.

[thegadfly]

I am a moderate and often play the devil's advocate. The problem with being a moderate on these boards is that many threads are started by people who want to angrily complain in broad generalizations aka haters. (Rant threads are in a different category -- we all need to vent ocassionally.) A moderate points out the flaws in these extreme positions. That is why a person could be called an apologist on this board and a Korea-basher on the English Spectrum Korean Sentry board. The position is only opposite the extreme posters on a particular board.

[Mr. BlackCat]

I guess you'd have to define what a "moderate" is. I described myself as "moderate" on the other thread because there are things I like about this place, and things I don't like. But most of all, there is tons, TONS, that I really don't care about yet will pipe in with a funny anecdote here and there. Yet, as I said in that other thread, there are those here that will back you into a corner about those things to the point where you end up sounding like it's the most important thing in the world. And then they'll use that against you like you can't shut up about it.

I'll reiterate my analogy to Fox News and the War on Christmas. There is no War on Christmas, the majority of people happily celebrate it every year and there is no threat to its continued traditions. Yet they will isolate one instance they can manipulate into some sort of attack (Here's a funny story about an ajumma shoving me on the sidewalk!) and then go after that person even though that person doesn't really care about the issue. Sensing they have been misunderstood that person will try to clarify their words, only giving Fox more soundbites. Then Fox News will start throwing out inflammatory words so the person is forced to defend themselves personally. Again, it just gives Fox what they want which is more ammunition and attention.

So, that's what I meant by moderate on that other thread. There are lots of things I don't care about, but even the things that do irk me more aren't things I'm going to go out and protest. But certain posters here will try to politicize and attack every point. They don't have opinions, they have agendas. They will deny that Koreans bump in the subways and streets. They'll compare the foreigner push back of the gentrification of Itaewon to the White Man's slaughter of Natives. They'll compare any racism in Korea with some random example from our home country. They'll bring up a soccer riot in a small Italian town from 5 years ago to prove that people shoving in the subway isn't a big deal (yes...that really happened). And oftentimes (though less these days), they'll swarm a thread, especially if they feel they can isolate one person and "win". Thus, if you're not careful (and sometimes I'm not) you'll get caught in their irrational nets. Remember, just like Fox News, their goal isn't a rational debate. It's attention and self-righteousness. They'll move the goalposts, create strawmen, deny saying things, twist your words, throw out inflammatory language, even send threatening PMs (and in some cases openly threaten you with the Mods' blessing apparently).

So, yes I consider myself a moderate. But, like in the US these days, being a moderate in such an irrationally politicized environment tends to look extreme. Having well thought out ideas seems extreme. Changing your opinions based on new information seems extreme. Acknowledging the positives and negatives in one situation is extreme. Holding more than one thought in your head seems extreme. And most of all, thinking for yourself seems extreme.

[Died By Bear]

[transmogrifier]