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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:25 am Post subject: 'Foreigners Are American and Americans Are Fair Game?' |
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Language so foul by Cho Se-hyon
In the old days, Korea used to be called the "courteous nation in the East." Living in a Confucian society where etiquette and decorum were stressed, our ancestors must have gone out of their way to be kind and considerate to foreign visitors, mostly Chinese, I suppose, to have earned that description. But now, it seems, we have become one of the most discourteous, if not downright rude, people in this part of the world....Gone are the very basics of courtesy and caring that we have accorded each other as members of one community. Gone, also, is the sense of decency and respect with which we have interacted with other people.
Cho Se-hyon was a former reporter at the Associated Press.
He has been contributing articles on political, economic and social issues in Korea to various publications.
The Korea Herald (October 25, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/10/26/200410260011.asp |
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jurassic5
Joined: 02 Apr 2003
Location: PA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:42 am Post subject: |
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We have always been proud of being one of the most highly educated and literate people in the world, in addition to being the most courteous nation in the East. We also talk constantly about our undying aspirations to join the ranks of the advanced nations. But a per capita income of $10,000, supplying the largest number of computer chips to the world, and hosting the Olympic Games or the World Cup soccer finals do not make us first-class citizens.
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and won't make us a hub of asia either 
i like this guy. he has written some good articles. i can see some koreans not liking him though.... |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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from the article:
"We have always been proud of being one of the most highly educated and literate people in the world, in addition to being the most courteous nation in the East."
Most courteous nation in the east? More courteous than Japan??
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
from the article:
"We have always been proud of being one of the most highly educated and literate people in the world, in addition to being the most courteous nation in the East."
Most courteous nation in the east? More courteous than Japan??
[/b] |
I fervently wish that I could recall where I read this, but years ago I did read that the "courtesy" referred to in the original Korean (or Chinese, as the case may be) referred NOT to English-language notions of courtesy (such as consideration and polite behavior), but rather to the formal Confucian rituals and behavior of the Korean royal court. In other words, the Chinese who visited the Korean court and remarked that Koreans are "courteous peoples of the East" were admiring the Koreans' strict adherence to Confucian court ritual, and that this is the actual "courtesy" that is referred to.
They were not remarking on Koreans' kindness and politeness to foreigners.
Which makes much more sense. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| mashimoro wrote: |
Most courteous nation in the east? More courteous than Japan??
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Just remember that the Japanese were about as couteous as the Nazi germans in the first half of this century.
Every society has its ups and downs. |
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flutieflakes
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| i have been using cho se hyun for 2 years with my adult classes..........want to get them taking???????????...........fire off a few copies of one of his articles, watch your students squirm while reading it and get ready for some interesting responses...........guess the truth hurts sometimes............with the searcher, it is almost all the time.........love his honesty..................... |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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Having said this, though, I must confess that this country is becoming more and more verbally violent and abusive these days. Our society has already changed to such an extent that foreigners cannot imagine how obnoxious, even savage, we have become to each other.
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| But right now, perhaps because of our unquenchable greed and insecure outlook on life in this increasingly materialistic society, we have been forced to be belligerent and combative toward our neighbors - not to mention foreigners - because we view them as competitors or even enemies bent on taking our hard-earned piece of the pie away. Gone are the very basics of courtesy and caring that we have accorded each other as members of one community. Gone, also, is the sense of decency and respect with which we have interacted with other people. |
These two parts of the article hit home for me. Last night I was in Siji and walked up to a cab and opened the door and told the driver where I wanted to go. There was another cab, up in front of him and he was yelling at me and waving. I got in the cab I had chosen. The other cab driver came up to the window and started yelling at my cab driver.
Before you knew it, he got out and they started yelling at each other. I just about got out and gave the other cab driver a piece of my mind, not only for his rudeness, but also to tell him it wasn't the other cab drivers fault, it was mine. However I came to the conclusion it wasn't worth it.
I figure if the other cab driver was mad enough he may have tried to throw a punch or something. |
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