Living the Good Life

The happy life is thought to be virtuous; a virtuous life requires exertion and does not consist in amusement." An article in the Kyeogyang magazine, by a priest professor of philosophy,  begins with  the words from the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, who defines the good life as happiness and a life one  daily tries to understand. It is not what we see presently with the  eyes but is composed of our history, our outlook towards a future joined to our ultimate purpose in life.

Life is not just the passage of time but a continuous disciplining activity, which attains life's ultimate objective by our completing a dynamic journey. It  has to be distinguished  from  existence, for the good life is an ideal pattern that is made clear to us. With Aristotle, the good life and  life itself are distinguishable; however, we  feel some regret in the way he expressed it.

The reason for this, the professor believes, is that we are not able to see much beyond what we  momentarily face in life, the coarseness and the present pressures, making it difficult to see what the  philosophers think is important: seeing beyond the present moment to a totally grace-filled life.

He goes on to tell us that to live the good life with joy, it is necessary not to overlook the abyss we live in, and the constant pressures of life.  The word 'life' brings many thoughts to mind, both  bewildering and difficulty.  And yet those who can say the word 'life'  serenely, simply and positively, is a sign that the person is living  the good life, the professor says.

However, compared to those who see the happiness and elegance of life, a greater number feel the anguish and the extreme sadness of life, kept from living the good life by focusing on the future pressures of life that await them.

The wise from all the different cultures of the world and in different ages have seen the beauty of life, and many living today lament that the life they live is not in that mold. But we forget that the good life does not depend on our situation in life.

He gives examples of 'survivors,' who have not been destroyed by what they have experienced. One is the Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, who wrote the masterpiece, Princess Mononoke; also two Chinese novelists, Yu Hwa in his novel To Live , and Mo Yan in Life and  Death Are Wearing Me Out. These writers have praised the nobility of life, and without needing to say so personally have by their creative works shown a desire for the good life.  

The exalted life of a survivor is the fruit of one who has understood the meaning of life, its fundamental goodness, and is earnestly in search for happiness in the  journey of life.

Korean New National Assembly

This past Wednesday, the 11th, we had the national elections for parliament. The editorial in the Catholic Times expressed expectations of what they would like to see from those elected to the assembly.

There were Catholics elected and yet a lot of sadness because of what had not been accomplished in the past by many who were elected to the assembly. The editorial expresses hope that being elected is not only a reason for thanks and celebration but also an opportunity for all  to see what part of their service has been carried out with fidelity to the common good.

The Second Vatican Council expressed what is expected of our elected officials, in # 75 of the Pastoral Constitution: "Political parties should not prefer their own advantage over the common good." Those elected should have the will of the people in mind, the editorial said,  and for the Christian elected members, it hopes that they will follow Christian teaching.

For the Catholic, their Gospel vocation will be asking much of them. Of primary importance, we are told, is to get rid of self-interest and desire, and to resolutely  overcome an excessive concern for party interests and tactics. The domain of politics, the editorial pointed out, should be guided by virtue, morality and the common good.  For the person of faith, respect for life and for the inalienable rights of each person is a serious obligation.  Those who are Christians will work, it is hoped for the common good with unselfish service. The upcoming activities of the assembly are sure to be measured, criticized and judged, said the editorial, with a precise yardstick.

Surprising to many were the election results since it was thought that there was a lot of dissatisfaction with the administration. In the past, a 55 percent voter turnout was a good indication that the opposition would benefit, but this was not the case this time. The conservative Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) won with a small majority in parliament, which is a sign to many that the opposition did not win its case with the people, with its opposition to the Free Trade Act and some other controversial issues backed by the administration. The daughter of past President Park Chung-hee, Park Geun-hye, now the leader of the party, was given credit by many for the surprising election results.
         

Sincerity and Genuiness in making One's Case

A  Catholic Religious Sister  was not too happy when seeing a cartoon showing the values of the Free Trade Act between Korea and  the United States. Writing in the "Window From the Ark" column in the Catholic Times, she wonders if there is anything that can move us like sincerity. It is, she says, what our society needs more than anything else. With sincerity we can  forgive mistakes, and separated hearts can be joined together again; our strength comes from sincerity. 

She feels that sincerity can do a great deal in healing some of the problems of our society. The compassion  Koreans showed during the IMF period a few years ago, when Korea had problems with foreign exchange, is a good example.  Citizens helped to overcome the problems by  converting what they couldn't convert--precious wedding gifts, golden rings given to babies on their birthdays--to help increase the gold reserve of the country.

The cartoon was captioned: "With the American and Korean Free Trade Act our daughter will change." Seeing the cartoon, Sister felt wretched. "Lemons, oranges, cheese, etc. at a good price; complexions will improve, easy diets.... American cosmetics, handbags, etc., at cheap prices; the increase of foreign investment will increase  jobs."

This pro FTA cartoon issued by the government was hard for her to accept.  It lacked sincerity. She was hoping for facts, the pros and cons to help make a good decision, but this was not forthcoming. Citizens have a right to know what the facts are in order to make an informed decision on the wisdom of the FTA.

Her problem with the cartoon was twofold. If it is recognized as a serious policy issue and is treated with this kind of lightness, there is a lack of morality.On the other hand if the issue is not recognized as serious than there is a lack of understanding of our society.

The second problem is the way women are seen. Are women so dull-witted that the seriousness of the problem is on the back burner, and all they are concerned about is their appearance? She felt it was looking down on women, seeing them as a nicely wrapped commodity, interested only in themselves and making commodity buying cheaper.

Some of the younger generation will be happy with the change to free trade, but we should not forget those who will not benefit. For them, life will be more difficult. And shouldn't their future predicament be also our present concern? With more sincerity, the sister says, our citizens  will be happier and more at peace.

Need for Some Knowledge of Philosophy

"The Catholic Church in Korea has grown quickly; that the Catholic culture has been internalized by the Christians is not as easily said, but it is an area of concern that will be addressed philosophically by the Church in the future." Such were the words of the president of the Catholic Philosophical Society in a recent interview by the Catholic Times. 

Korea has benefited a great deal from the Confucian ethic and culture that was prevalent during the Joseon dynasty. It lasted over 500 years and still has a strong influence on the thinking of modern-day Koreans, he said.  Along with the influence of Buddhism, Christianity did not start off with a 'blank tablet' but with a strong understanding of the natural law thinking with which Christians are familiar. However, this basic understanding of who we are and how we are to live is no longer a common understanding of society.

Philosophical thinking is a way of maintaining the ethical way of living that Korea has experienced throughout its long history. "Philosophy is considered difficult, not part of us," the president said, and in the recent past, he went on to say, it was not easy to express oneself in concrete ways about our present problems, and many philosophers escaped into theories. But it is philosophy that can help solve many of the problems we now face.

The Catholic Philosophy movement has had two seminars yearly, and has published papers each year but has not been very good in making its work known to the public. The new president wants to change this by making known what the philosophers are doing to help the Catholic culture take root in Catholic thinking.

To help understand our present situation is the work of philosophy, he says. He gives us the example of the term: the common good. The common good of the United States or Europe is not the same as the common good of Korea. When we read the Catholic culture through the eyes of philosophy and apply it to our Korean way of thinking, our cultural approach to life changes, he  said.

The president makes clear that Catholic philosophy does not change our culture directly. Catholic philosophy began in the West and brought to Korea a Catholic culture whose strangeness has disappeared. But its melding into the feeling and conscientiousness of Catholic thinking by Koreans, in the final process of inculturation, will take much time before we have a Catholic culture that is part of our Christian way of thinking.

Looking over the present situation in Korea, there is sadness that much of what the young are importing from the West is a culture far removed from Christianity. To know this is in itself a big step in attempts to distinguish between what is helpful and what is destructive to the traditional Korean way of life. Hopefully, with a grounding in  philosophy the young will have the tools to make a wiser judgement on what to accept and what to reject.

'Pro Bono' Giving of Gifts

A journalist of the Catholic Times introduces us to the Latin phrase  'pro bono publico,' which is usually shortened to pro bono, meaning an offering of services or knowledge to the public, free of charge. It is often used by lawyers who offer their services to the poor to defend them before the law.

She tells us that this common Western custom is taking hold here in Korea with entertainers and prominent people in society, who are offering their talents free of charge for the public good.

When one gives monetarily this can easily be a one-time gift  but when giving your talent and special knowledge, this continues the giving.  Donating one's gifts  is changing the face of the culture of donations with a new model.

She gives us the example of a parish where persons offered their special talents, vocal, literary and artistic, to help in efforts to rebuild their church.

This is now a common element in our society. It is not only those who are eminent in society but ordinary  citizens who are offering their special gifts. And groups with common purposes are also willing to use their activities for the common good. In these efforts, more is contributed than what the giver materially offers, as it tends to involve everyone, increasing interest and participation in what is being attempted.

For the Christian, she says, it also is a way of giving thanks to God for the gifts received. She hopes that these responses will continue: using our talents and capabilities to make the world a better place for all, without any desire for remuneration, only being done for the joy of helping others.


 

Making our Lives a Masterpiece.

The editor-in-chief of the Catholic Times reminds us that this is a bad time for most items being sold in the market today. Expensive items, however, are doing very well in department and duty-free stores. The present dull market has had no influence in this area of the economy; there are no sales when it comes to masterpieces. This is also a time where many fakes make it to the market, imitating  expensive brands.
 
He gives us an easy and humorous way of distinguishing a fine item from a fake. A man asked his friend if he could  tell the difference between an expensive brand handbag and a counterfeit.  The friend answered that even the specialists have difficulty distinguishing them. The man then told his friend how to tell the real from the fake: When a sudden rain-shower comes, the person with the fake bag will be seen using the bag as a temporary umbrella while the person with the genuine bag will try to keep it from the rain.

There are those who buy a well-made item, believing it to be an important possession. And there are those who want to showoff their wealth by buying something expensive. The difference between the two, he says, is no small matter.

Because something is expensive and well-made is not the only reason it's considered worth the expensive price tag: a great deal of time and care went into producing it, to making it the finest example of its kind. He would like us to do the same with our own lives, creating masterpieces.  He puts the difference in the details that distinguishes the masterpiece from a fake.

A religious life, he points out, can also be similar to the difference between the fake and the real thing. The real thing takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve; it's the difference, he suggests, between the pro and the amateur performer.

He goes on to distinguish between two types of self-esteem. One type has eyes on others; the other sees his own worth and dignity. Here we have the difference between pride and humility.

Our life as a masterpiece is not something we have received ready-made but must, with the grace of God, develop and be fostered. It takes insight to look ahead into the future, to love genuinely, to be true to oneself, understanding oneself and others. It is this wisdom that makes for a genuine faith life, not thinking only of oneself but of others and society. Isn't this what makes our religious life a masterpiece?            

Eating for a New Enviroment

Last year because of  hoof and mouth disease 300,000 cattle and pigs were buried alive.  A professor writing in the Catholic Times reflects on the present threat of infectious diseases among animals raised in Korea and how this threat can be minimized.

Many opinions have been expressed but generally all agree that the problem has a great deal to do with how the animals are fed. In the past, the amount of meat consumed was little but with the economic improvement of the country this has changed. Protein from animals is considered important for our health, but too much can be harmful. The so-called cultural diseases can be attributed to the overeating of meat. From the year 2002, the raising of cattle, pigs and chickens has doubled.

What we used to eat only on our holidays, he reminds us, is now part of our daily fare. This big change in our eating habits is difficult for the body to accept. At one time, our bodies were accustomed to a minimum of nutriments and calories; today, there is often a surfeit that is said to contribute to our  many diseases. He reminds us of an old Korean proverb: "It is only a person who eats meat that knows the taste of meat." Eating too much meat is not a way of achieving happiness but a cause of worry. That is why those who are concerned with living healthfully often eat vegetables, boiled rice and other grains.

Korea is a small country and to keep up with the demand for meat requires raising our animals factory-style, making it necessary to use many antibiotics, which enter our bodies when we eat the meat. Decreasing the amount of meat will ultimately force the food industry to change the way they raise animals.

This will also improve our environment: today one kilogram of meat requires 2000 to 5000 liters of water. For one kg of beef, we use 24,000 liters of water. The raising of 10,000 head of cattle and the waste that is produced, he says, can be compared to the waste produced by a city of 111,000 inhabitants. The professor urges us to reflect on the damage that is being done not only to our environment but to our health by our current eating habits.  We have come to a point where we can decide what and how much we want to eat. However, he warns us, that unless we practice moderation and more skillful eating habits, our bodies and the environment will suffer.