Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thepeel]

The Latin American NGO Cadal (pdf) just combined economic freedom, political freedom and freedom from corruption in one index, and apparently these are the ten freest countries:
1. Iceland

2. Denmark

3. New Zealand

4. Finland

5. Luxembourg

6. Switzerland

7. Sweden

8. Britain

9. Australia

10. The Netherlands

From: http://www.johannorberg.net/?page=displayblog&month=03&year=2007#2205

http://www.cadal.org/english/pdf/Democracy_Market_and_Transparency_2006.pdf

Canada is 11th, and the USA 16th. The survey is worth a read.

[jinju]

boring countries

[ED209]

Sorry, where's Korea? There must be some kind of mistake

[English_Ocean]

Where's the list of the least free nations?

[EFLtrainer]

I've seen that before. 16th is too high. We are behind every nation in Europe, Japan, Korea, Canada.... and more. How many nations have ZERO personal freedoms? Or, have they not noticed the Bill of Rights no longer applies?

[mindmetoo]

[wannago]

[jinju]

[bixlerscott]

Uh, could the USA be on the list of the least freest nations? I think so..sure of it. Of course in every nation there is a big difference between being poor and wealthy when it comes to how free you are... And some will argue that freedom is not based on financial wealth, but is simply a state of mind. Of course, your state of mind is free if you can go fishing or golfing on a sunny warm day on a whim while not being concerned about financial security vs. toiling at work every day, even if your sick, just to pay the bills and then have little or nothing left over while juggling it all in great emotional pressure. (wow, you can save a few $ while your at it here if you didn't already know this, something only the well paid in America can do) Working in a corrupt business world without an inheritance coming is not freedom, but many have to endure. American or Danish alike...

Too many more reasons to mention why I said USA when comparing the level of freedoms to many other nations. Of course, other developed nations are just as corrupt as the USA. Look at how the 20 something year olds are rebelling in France over getting the shaft from the business world. They are ready to burn the dam capitalists out if comes down to it so they had to give back a little. This post could be many pages in size.. No longer is the old adage true, "America is the land of the free and the freest of them all, the land of great opportunity." Dam shame they lied to us on this one.

We have it better teaching English over here than, probably, as much as 90% of our graduating class back home are living with parents or seriously underemployed (I still feel underemployed still) and in a virtual debtors prison (still am due to huge student loan debt) due to the lack of opportunity and corruptions running rampant while it cost too much to go to college and simply live and build wealth like people in grandpas day achieved. Not realist economics in place today unlike in grandpas day is why so many westerners feel a lack of freedom and downright enslaved. Serious. Millions of young to middle aged adults today are slaves to the $ wishing to be freed while just sliding backwards (especially if raising kids) despite trying with all thier abilities due to hyper inflation, high costs, getting screwed, and lack of actual earnings realized as a result of jobs underpaying on account of the new so called, global economy. And thier homes they hoped would be good wealth building investments through a mortgage; are sliding in value as they paid too much while using thier equity as an ATM in attempt to better raise kids or were trying to keep up with the Jones due to raising costs of living while opportunity decreased. All while the big boys get all and freedoms decrease for most. Purely hogwash. I tied economics to freedom, becuase economics are the single most important factor in determining if you are really free in todays world. These are not simple times we live in, unless your wealthy and have trustable people running it all for you.

Guess we should be thankful we found a little more freedom through an opportunity in Korea for the time being to help them speak English so thier kids grow up to be successful in the world of international business. How long this freedom (opportunity) lasts is anybodies guess in such a quickly changing world of economics. I can see it being obsolete in 10 years. This is one tough age when it comes to money, careers, and freedoms as compare to grandpas day where you got a career and thrived for life in it while you just live at home on the families property (economical livelyhood) in a simply old fashion manner.
Who is the freest regardless of nationality? Those who just live and let live without serious worry about money and career, not counting those who choose to ignore finance and economics. Those who did not get sold on that college will propel you skyward thing and just work in a skilled trade like welding or plumbing might be doing better in the long run, but they are still enslaved to a life of dirty work and long hours. OK, it required a degree to achieve a little freedom to teach in Korea and skyward we went, but not to the tune of $40,000 a year like expected after college. But I must say that $50,000 cost and 5 years of study is a high price to pay in taking a risky $25,000 a year teaching job in Asia with employer I never met before accepting job, but I did it instead of making the rich richer back at home for beans in some cubicle or sales floor while being intimidated and threatened to scare me into producing higher financial results. Greedy corrupt ones (what is happening in America is not new to the world, look at Korean history of the Yangban) is what takes freedom away from people of all nationalities.

This is my 2 cents on freedom.

[jaganath69]

[bixlerscott]

oooooo, that was not nice. Guess some people are bored. I get bored alot so I sit in a PC room alot on my off time since there is not much more to do other than drink in my local area. Of course, I can go walk to Homeplus, ride a bus, go to a foreigner bar, watch tv, or get under a bus and hide from Korea. LOL.

Serious there is alot to be liked and flaming us young um's is not one of them.

On Korea being free, I'd say they are getting there big time.

[jinju]

[jaganath69]

[jinju]

[igotthisguitar]