Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pocketfluff]

I know it's not the "sexiest" of topics, but I feel it's relevant to discuss how living in a country known to have less-strict standards on biotechnology (think stem cell research) has changed or reinforced your beliefs.

Certainly, Korea (and many other Asian countries) has a much more relaxed standard on biotech-testing. I, for one, see both positives and negatives in such laws. Basically, I'm asking the ESL community to help out an on-the-fence to determine on which side she might feel more comfortable.

I would like to know how people living in Korea (or other Asian countries, and if not those, Western countries) feel their views have changed or haven't, having been emulsed in such environments.

[laogaiguk]

[Zark]

Humans have always feared science. And maybe we should. But it does seem to take some experimentation for us to get it right.

I am PRO research. Probably too pro.

Read Humberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" - and in that book is the HEAVY issue about whether glasses were "Satan's Tool" or the old - "If God wanted us to see, well . . . he would have given me good eyes" debate. And - how that was messing with nature . . .

Anyway - that is my expansion/distortion of that little segment in the book - but really it is the same issue - man's fears.

There was, in its early days, great fear that electricity would leak out the walls and kill us all.

Cloning, Stem Cell stuff, and other new - and potentially scary - stuff needs to got through that stage I guess.

Remember it was quite a struggle to get the world to accept that the Earth was not the center of the universe - and the powers that be fought the idea for a long time.

Part of the issue is that we tend to listen to falacious arguments without thinking - and we hear LOTS of bad science that people put forth to further politcal agendas.

See www.JunkScience.com for the debunking of a lot of what we already believe - because some half-wit reporter with blonde hair and flashy white teeth told us it was true . . .

[mindmetoo]

I don't have any problem with biotech in almost any form. I'm a little disturbed by tech that would allow people to pick the sex of their babies. Korea is going to be hella interesting when those two male dominated cohorts become adults and find there are 15% less Korean women around to date and marry. The Chinese are in the same situation.

I'm a little disturbed by companies that make seeds that produce crops that don't produce seeds, forcing farmers to rebuy their seeds. Messing the most basic element of civilization without a lot of study is problematic. But then again if a company wants to make those seeds and farmers are stupid enough to buy them...

[Zark]

The shortage of women in the countries that, uh . . . "select" for males - will have its own natural turnaround.

Soon women in these countries will be MUCH more powerful. In discussion groups in my uni classes we used to talk about how women can pick only the best of the men - and perhaps - someday - two husbands (much to the dismay of the males!)

They will get what they asked for. Things in shortage just naturally become more valuable. As it should be . . .

[Smee]

I don't think we should clone more Asians.














But yes, to answer your question. While the discussions in Korea aren't more frank than thtey are in the US, they treat the separate side of the issue.