Category: Stories

Writing

About, Social

A Hierarchical Society

UNI Publishing

By chance, I watched a documentary of old but fancy palace in England. It was used to serve visiting royal crowd in hunting or vacation season. The crowd was normally with 800 followers and the huge kitchen in the palace was jammed with 20 chefs to prepare tons of meal including lots of chicken, pork, and beef. The castle was extremely elegant with sophisticated architect design and skills.

Looking at the palace, I also could see how it shows strong class system was there. It is surely weird to see different people from different classes. One was born as a chef and served to death. The other one was naturally born as a king and admired to the end without any doubts. Did they ever doubt why they were born like that by whom and what? The class society was collapsed after civil revolution and democracy through communism. Though it seems like human natural instinct as it is replaced with other forms of class such as money, career, education, or something else today.

Once humans feel injustice or inequality of class society, the system is overthrown by angry citizens as minorities. The moment comes when the outrage is so huge that exploded like a volcano. It could cause amount of severe violence and blood that there is nothing to lose for people anymore. After turning the system upside down, it seems to be changed and different for a while. Then it gets corrupt again showing the limit to be fixed again. The human history has been through tons of transformations by this process till now.

In modern society, people regard democracy and capitalism are the best forms to keep humanity and justice ever since. The point is that it could be same at the end no matter how people find the perfect system. The democracy, capitalism, and even the communism seemed ideal theoretically at first. Though the symptom and side effects seem quite similar in the end like other systems once humans get used to it.

People try to find the hole of system to escape from their disadvantage and save own accumulation legally. Then it is transmitted from generation to generation. After all, there is another form of class society. Some scholars say it is time to adopt other forms of social system to ease the gaps among people instead of democracy or capitalism. I think it is not the matter of system but human natural instincts. Once you have vested rights, no one wants to give up on it but only tries to keep it. Thus, it is the start of system to fail and corrupt. It would be only repeated as the system changes its form.

Apple’s Story

I – Comics

UNI Publishing

It was a normal school day as usual for Apple when she woke up. Though she felt very different and happy not like other days in the morning.

‘Do you like comics?’ Asked Jin to Apple reading a comic book the other day.

‘The Girls high school is behind my house and there are tons of left comic books which students threw away on its back yard’ Said Jin.

‘Really? Could you bring them to me?’ Asked Apple with excitement.

‘Sure, it is not a big deal’ Smiled Jin.

‘Now I can read tons of comics!’ Imagined happily Apple.

Apple could not wait going to school as soon as possible. She hurried to finish her breakfast and packed her stuff in a bag. It usually took half minutes to the school on foot and it seemed longer and far away on the day. Arriving at school, Apple quickly searched Jin on her desk but she was not there yet.

‘Hurry up, Jin! Come on quickly!’ Wished Apple.

When Jin came into the classroom, Apple greeted her first faster than anyone.

‘Hi, Jin! Did you bring the comics that you said yesterday?’

‘What? Ah…right. I am sorry, I forgot…’

‘What? Did you forget?!’

Apple could not believe what she had just heard of. It was like all the energy with hope around her suddenly collapsed. Her happiness and joy soon turned into despair.

‘Do not worry. I will definitely bring it tomorrow’ Said Jin.

‘But I already waited for the looong one night!’ Screamed Apple in her mind. Yet she had no choice.

‘Ok, please don’t forget it tomorrow. You promise me?’ Begged Apple.

‘Don’t even mention it’ Answered confidently Jin.

‘Tomorrow is the day. I surely could read comics tomorrow.’ Dreamed again Apple.

The next morning, Jin was late again and she had no comics in her bag when came to school later.

‘Sorry, I was so sick last night that I couldn’t go outside’ It was Jin’s answer. Apple felt odd. She felt herself like a fool but couldn’t say a word over friend’s disease.

‘She could not lie to me as she knew yesterday how much I wanted the books.’ Thought Apple.

‘Did I express it enough yesterday? She could go outside quickly as it does not take a long from her house behind to the school!’ Apple decided to express a bit harder how she wanted it much.

‘Will you bring it tomorrow for sure, right? I really, really want to read those comics’ Almost cried Apple.

‘……oh, ok…I will.’ Seemed unsure though Jin.

Now Apple felt nervous. She had a sense Jin would not bring it tomorrow again as she seemed unsure and vague.

‘What is the reason? It is just in her back door. Why is it so complicated to bring it whether she is sick or not?’ Wanted to yell Apple.

It was the biggest challenge for Apple to understand it through her entire life for 9yrs. She had never felt frustrating like this before and it was also the first feeling to hold on the anger. Apple did not even know how to get angry. She just felt huge anger looking at Jin’s insincere attitude but did not know how to express it.

The first time for Apple to ask someone for something, she felt shame for that as it turned out as failure and disappointment.

The next morning, Jin was absent to school and Apple did not know the reason but she was not surprised this time. The anger was also not that big but it was more like embarrassing.

Now Apple started to doubt about Jin.

‘Think she has a serious memory problem in her head. How could she be absent if she knew I am waiting for the comics? She had to be here whatever happened to her.’

Apple decided to solve the problem on her hands.

‘Sorry, I forgot it again…’ Seemed real sorry Jin next day.

‘It is ok. I will go with you after school. I will bring it by myself. Just let me know where it is when we get your home.’ Said Apple.

‘Really? Will you go with me? It is a great idea!’ Said happily Jin.

‘I was a fool and dull. I had to do it on the first day. I trusted her too much…’ Thought Apple.

Jin and Apple happily walked and talked a lot on her way home after school.

‘You won’t believe how tons of comic books are there. It is stacked like a huge mountain!’ Said with excitement Jin.

‘Oh my gosh! How could I pack all of those books then?’ Asked Apple with amazement.

‘Do not worry. You can come by my house tomorrow again.’ Said Jin.

Unfortunately, Apple could not see a single comic book when they got Jin’s house. Actually Apple did not remember much after that. When they got home, Jin had to care of her younger sister and brother and asked Apple to have Ramyeon together.

Then Apple also had to play with Jin’s sister and brother for a while. It was not bad though. Noodle was delicious and Apple always wanted to have younger siblings. Then Jin’s Mom and other family came home and asked Apple to have dinner together so she did it. Later Apple realized the outside was almost dark.

When Apple came home, Apple’s mom was furious and asked her what had happened. Apple said honestly what had happened since she had a reasonable reason to be late. Luckily, Mom had understood it and told Apple not to be late again before the darkness. Next day, Mom kicked Apple’s butt with a broomstick when she was late again in the evening.

Social

Basic Income

UNI Publishing

I have heard basic income was tested for a half year in Finland, Europe which is already well known as a social welfare country. The test did not affect on job increase much but people, especially seniors, had felt much better happiness with basic income since they could share some with their family or grandchildren.

I think the result gives something to think. It is why people need a better and stronger social security net. People do not ask minimum wage because they are lazy or do not want to work long. It is necessary and essential for humans to keep their modest and decent lives.

In this case, the minimum wage can not be the enough answer. The society needs to prepare for the basic income as capitalism gets stronger. Only one percent of wealth takes 60~80% of all money while others starve under poverty.

The middle class should feel safe and relax with their appropriate income but they do not as they are busy paying for high rent fee, car, and education fee. Rare percent of super rich agrees with this idea as they strengthen on diligence and aggressive competition in Capitalism.

There are various kinds of people in this world. A wants to work hard while B enjoys relax schedule. A does not work only for money and B does not enjoy slow cycle by simple laziness. They just do it because it suits their traits and it is time the society accepts the different life and value styles rather than tag on them as a miser or a loser.

In the future, machines will replace humans little by little(it may have been already started) and people still need to keep their life without heavy labor. Robots should exist to make humans’ life more convenient and comfortable. Otherwise it just takes man’s job and accelerates the inequality of wealth.

Book Review

Book Review_Death of A Salesman

UNI Publishing

The Endless Pain of Life

First edition cover (Viking Press)

It’s about a diligent father who had worked for his family for 30yrs. At the end, he ended his life on purpose by a car accident for an insurance compensation for his left family.

At first, I had bought it for English study but forgot to read it. Then later, I stayed in the dormitory room at a resort to do some part time job in winter. There was nothing to do at night as the place was far away from downtown. So I read it for couple of days to kill some time. 

Before reading this, honestly I didn’t know nor fully understand about employees or fathers’ life. This book isn’t about family’s fancy warmth nor love which TV drama describes.

It’s more about reality which is tragic and pathetic how fathers survive and sacrifice their daily lives for family. I think it’s not only about fathers but all the workers have to work and earn money for a living.

Somewhat, it’s endless pain of life for humans unless they stop breathing. I hadn’t liked my stubborn, conservative father much but thought of him a bit differently after this book.

Essay

Korean Spa Sauna

UNI Publishing

The Playground for All Generations

Last weekend, I stayed overnight at the Korean Spa & Sauna with my friend after taking some massage. There were tons of different people struggling to sleep in among noisy and messy crowds.

Usually, I come early to sleep at home but waited for breakfast and sauna in the morning. As I guessed, it was real uncomfortable to sleep there. I have always wondered why such many people leave their comfortable home and try to stay a night at the messy place.

It’s a dating place for couples, gathering zone for family, relaxed heaven for moms, and a playground for kids. It is even a sweet shelter for a lonely homeless. In fact, it looks more like a refugee center.

My friend constantly complained how it is not so clean to use and share stuffs with so many people. Though I have never found a perfect place which satisfies all ages at once to relax and take a rest like this in South Korea whether I like it or not. It is a rare phenomenon which is hard to see anywhere in the world.

Some think people are there because they are crazy about sauna. I think people are there to away from loneliness and find some comfort among other people as today is the age of nuclear family.

It is a bit sad that we don’t have a huge land so that people gather inside of the building rather than go outside to enjoy nature and sunshine.