KoreaTimes(352) - Columnists, Opinion, page 1

The Korea Times

Site Map E-paper Subscribe Register LogIn
Site Map E-paper Subscribe Register LogIn

Opinion

Columnists

Sat, March 6, 2021 | 11:00

Jason Lim

The resentment trap

In his talk, “Inequality and hierarchy give life its purpose,” Jordan Peterson asserts that hierarchy is a state that allows people to set goals so that they can climb up to the next rung in the system. Further, hierarchy is necessarily unequal since you can't have an upper-trajectory achievement journey unless there is inherent inequality between one achievement milestone and another. As an analogy, ladders can only exist if there are gaps in between the rungs.

2021-02-21 15:51

GameStop populism

Remember when everyone invested in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies a few years back as bitcoin was rising rapidly towards $10K and above? If it was an investment craze for the rest of the world, it was a veritable social phenomenon in Korea driven by tech savvy young people subscribing to a popular narrative of sudden wealth and prosperity they could call their own.

2021-02-07 17:49

Freedom of 'anonymous' expression?

Freedom of expression is enshrined in the constitutions of all democratic nations, but does that mean that there is also a freedom to express oneself anonymously?

2021-01-24 18:17

So Kim's not Korean anymore?

By Jason LimAfter the recent mob invasion of the U.S. Capitol, Andy Kim, the just reelected Representative from New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, helped federal law enforcement and local police officers clean up the rotunda of the Capitol. His actions were captured by the media and quickly went viral, representing a ray of serenity and quiet decency in midst of all the chaos and vitriol that had roiled over the nation since the presidential election and culminated with the attack. The story also made it over to the Korean media. It seemed natural since Kim is a second-generation Korea...

2021-01-10 16:50

Things you only see when you fall from grace

It feels ironic to write about a Buddhist monk at the time of a major Christian festival, but perhaps it's only appropriate since Ven. Haemin is truly a fallen angel of 2020. I would like to make a full disclosure before I start. I personally know the subject, although he probably won't recall me. My parents have been regular attendees of Bulgwang Zen Center in upstate New York for many decades now. This is the temple where the monk got his start and was supported through his schooling. I believe that he also held an official position in the temple in recent years, although he might not be f...

2020-12-27 17:42

Snappy and sloppy slogans

This day and age of social media clickbait masquerading as news almost makes you long for the days of the “MTV Generation,” who were accused of having an attention span of less than a minute. Well, a minute today would be a lifetime as we now have to measure attention spans by counting how many micro-doses of dopamine our brains ring up at every ping of our wearables.

2020-12-13 17:24

Thanksgiving in thankless year

As I write this, the international media is reporting that Diego Maradona has died. The outpouring of grief and condolences has been universal, with perhaps the exception of English soccer fans with a long memory and equally long-lasting grudge for the “Hand of God” incident. Several weeks earlier, we also lost Sean Connery, the quintessential James Bond, who defined a manly cool that survived even today's BTS-like metrosexual culture. 2020 also marked the passing of RBG, Alex Trebek, and Kobe Bryant, just to name an additional, notable few.

2020-11-29 17:38

Social justice without fairness

By Jason LimOver 56 percent of California voters rejected Prop. 16 in a state that voted overwhelmingly (65 percent) for Joe Biden. This was a resounding defeat for a supposedly “progressive” ballot box initiative that would “allow diversity as a factor in public employment, education, and contracting decisions.” According to California's voter guide webpage, “A YES vote on this measure means: State and local entities could consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin in public education, public employment, and public contracting to the extent allow...

2020-11-15 18:02

Moon and Korea's zeitgeist: a grand narrative needed

A Facebook friend recently posted a 2017 interview Der Spiegel did with French President Emmanuel Macron that deeply resonated with me and resulted in a lingering curiosity. What is Korea's zeitgeist today?

2020-11-01 17:58

Trembling Tiger, Roaring Dragon

The Korea Society's Annual Gala Dinner held Oct. 7 was the organization's premier event of the year, held to mark the U.S.-Korea relationship and honor those who work to maintain the alliance.

2020-10-18 17:33

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WooriBank

Top 10 Stories

DARKROOM

Code of Ethics

Copyright