Sex As a Game

With sex being an ever present money-making commodity in the world of advertising, it should be no surprise to anyone that it is the subject matter for much of our pop music. Korea is not different from much of the West in the way we use sex to sell our products.

With the way sex is constantly in our face, it leaves little room for being indifferent to what is happening. And as expected, reactions to this relatively new use of sex are varied. Some people like the breakdown of our sensitivity to things sexual, dispelling the aura of the sacred traditionally attached to sexuality. Some dislike what is happening to our culture: turning sex into an object apart from its legitimate role in life, making  sex into a game that can be enjoyed anytime and anyplace, without any qualms. It's surprising that, whatever school you belong to, more awareness of the results of the the way we think is not examined more closely, for it is not difficult to see the consequences of the choices we are making.
 
In a recent diocesan bulletin, a lecturer and researcher in the field of the culture of life writes about the importance of a person's growth in character and the ethical view of life. He introduces us to Park Jin-young, a popular singer and songwriter, and the president of JYP Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment conglomerates  in Korea. He is famous or infamous, depending on which school you belong to, in popularizing the notion that sex is a game. He speaks freely about making sex pleasurable. The writer wants us to question whether those who are adults see sex as a game to be enjoyed without conditions.

The notion that sex is a game is reinforced, unknowingly, he says, by those who have enjoyed a great deal of pornography. The values of those who watch porn, he says, are similar to the values motivating the makers of porno: bodily pleasure. Those who have given the subject some deep thought know that this is not one of our noblest pursuits.

How is it that Park has come to see sex as a game and seeks  to spread this thinking to the world? Taking the words that he expressed in an interview, the writer shows why this thinking became possible. As a child in middle school, the world was dark, the singer said. He drank a lot, smoked and got to know the opposite sex. We played kissing games during that period, he confided; there was nothing he  didn't hear or say, and no subjects  that he didn't allow himself to enjoy. 
 
This way of thinking during his youth continued to grow into what he considers mature adult sexuality. It is part of what he creates in his songs, he says, part of the "cultural masterpieces" that he offers the world, to children and teenagers, without in anyway being aware of the harm being done. And the mass media, by its unquestioning, silent approval, is spreading the harm throughout society. Without our realizing what is happening, says the writer, Park has become our number one teacher on sexuality. This distorted picture of sexuality, with the power of mass media behind it, has infiltrated all of society. And being so extensive, there can be little awareness of the long-term results. 
 
He concludes the article by saying that whatever makes money in our free society, no matter how unacceptable it may be to many within that society, is going to be allowed. To counter this trend, he would like us to become more aware of the power of mass media and its responsibility to society and, perhaps more importantly, to be more aware and upset at the distorted views of life that are being expressed, often simply because they can, by their outrageous sensationalizing, create money for their purveyors. 

Lack of Trust in Society

Reading reports submitted by students is an interesting experience, says a professor writing in the Peace Weekly. Many reports show a great deal of creativity, but not a few, he says, were copied from the internet or some book. A few years ago an incident came to light that is hard to beat.  A student had submitted an essay that his professor had written for an academic journal. When the professor questioned  him about the essay, the student admitted he had taken it from an internet site selling reports on cultural subjects, and this particular report had received an A+. All he had to do, he was told, was submit it, because it had been "transformed."

Selling intellectual property without permission of the owner is a legal problem, but the moral insensitivity of many young students is a bigger problem. This is not only a student problem but a societal problem, the professor says. We have teachers plagiarizing, politicians lying, civil servants involved in corruption, breaking and accommodating the law to serve one's own ends, and all kinds of habitual evasions of moral behavior.  This widespread societal immorality is helping to make our young people immune to what a virtuous life means, and allowing our society to sink deeper in the swamp of mistrust.

In a  new year's  report from the office of statistics, we are told  that only 22 percent of Koreans feel positive about trusting others; Norway ranked highest with 60 percent. The professor reminds us that the happiness ranking doesn't have anything to do with income. When there is a lack of trust in a society, we can't expect a happy society.  
 
Francis Fukuyama is quoted as saying: "A nation's well being and its ability to compete depend on the level of trust." Even though a nation may be a democracy, the level of trust among the members of that society will determine the prosperity of the country, both in quantity and quality. This trust is not the kind that comes from blood, or locality or school ties, but is the  public trust among the  citizens.

The less trust there is in a society, and the less effort made for advancing the common good, the more conflict and  expense in running the society. There is in such a society, he says, no meaningful growth, only a search for profit with fraud and  betrayal.The  candle-light processions showing disapproval of actions made by the government  in the open squares of our society is a sign of this disquiet.

In a recent press conference the president stated that she is aiming for a per-capita income level exceeding $30,000, to improve the distribution of wealth and the welfare of all citizens, as well as improving the relationship with the North. All well and good, but the professor explains that without trust in the overall intentions of our society, it all becomes a house of cards. The very day she gave her press conference, a group of priests were demanding her resignation, a symbol, says the professor, of the lack of trust in our society. 
 
The professor concludes on a positive note. The next time he is in an elevator, he says he is going to consider the other elevator passengers as if he were meeting Jesus, and greet them in the same spirit.  In his class he will stress mentioning the names of those whose words they are using in their papers. And a further thought came to him that evening at home: it might be a good idea to get rid of all his name cards. 

Our Beautiful Earth

A professor of astronomy gives us a blueprint of the universe to help us to better understand the paradox of what appears to be the sole existence of life (humanity) within an inconspicuous edge of what appears to be a lifeless immensity (the universe). Her reflections on our place within this universe, written up in the Kyeongyang magazine, is a reminder to all of us of a fact we tend to forget: we are not only inhabitants of the earth, but of the universe as well. 

To set the stage, she begins by asking and answering questions we all might have heard in grammar school. She has always been curious, she says, to know more about our planet, other planets and the universe, which prompted her to pursue her curiosity professionally, allowing her to delve more deeply into the subject; she asks us to join with her in this short meditation.

The sun, 49,600,000 km from the earth, is the star of our solar system, with its 8 planets, including the earth, orbiting, with their moons, this one star, our sun. The furthest planet from the sun is 30 times the distance of the earth from the sun, and within the solar system are also asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. Our solar system is part of the Milky Way Galaxy, a speck on the outer edge of the Galaxy.
 
She reminds herself, and ourselves, that we are one of billions of people on our earth, that our our sun is one star among billions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and that this Galaxy is one among billions and billions of galaxies in the universe, our universe. 

Trying to imagine the distances that makeup such an enormous universe is just too difficult, impossible really; trying to do so makes her dizzy is the way she expresses it. We are a very small  presence in such a universe. When she is asked what she thinks about our earthly affairs, considering the vastness of the universe, she says, she can't help but wonder how ridiculous and pitiful are those who don't  have any qualms in achieving their goals, no matter the means used. Though knowing our smallness, only a speck, and not even a speck, in the universe, our presence here, paradoxically, she points out, is a noble presence.

Our present home, planet earth, is filled with all kinds of life, the only life we now know to exist in the universe. We are unique as humanity: we can make tools and use them--we are life with intelligence. This universe, and we ourselves, were made according to a blueprint of a creator and, by a natural  development, evolved into what we have become today. 
 
Whatever the  individual belief or scientific viewpoint one may have, one thing is certain: we all share the same global home, a vast universe, in which our collective presence--humanity and all life--in comparison, is infinitesimal but at the same time big with unlimited preciousness. Whether this planet continues to be a comfortable place in which to live or becomes a rudderless ark floating on the endless ocean of the universe will be, she says, for us to decide. How carefully will we take care of, and be concerned with, our humanity, our earth, our universe? Her fervent wish is that we will be more loving in our caring than we have been in the past.

Pope Francis' visit to Korea?

We are now awaiting the names of the new cardinals that will be announced this year.  The Korean candidate most likely to be selected is Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the archbishop of Seoul, the birthplace of Catholicism in Korea and home to a great many Catholics. The editorial in the Catholic Times gives our Catholics hope that Pope Francis will be coming to Korea this year.

We remember the two trips to Korea of Pope John Paul, in 1984 and 1989. They were times of great grace and influence on the Church, having meaning for all of us.  The first visit commemorated the 200th anniversary of Catholicism in Korea; the second occurred prior to the International  Eucharistic Congress in Seoul. Both visits did much to make Korean Catholicism known in Korea and throughout the world.  His visits also helped the movement for democratization and furthered the growth of Korean Catholicism, as it grew in maturity, increasingly conscious of its place within the universal Church. 

One example of this larger role of the Korean Church can be seen by the hosting, by the diocese of Daejeon, of the Asia Youth Meeting scheduled for Aug.10-20, 2014. This meeting is for Asian youth, unlike the World Youth Day last year in Brazil, which was open to all. It is the hope that Pope Francis will be making the trip for the Asian Youth Meeting, although the bishops have made it clear this has yet to be confirmed. There is also the possibility of the visit coming in October, for the beatification of Paul Ji-chung and 123 others killed in the Byeongin persecution of 1791.

The pope's visit makes us all more conscious of fraternal love for all of humanity, and is a prod to live more fully the Gospel message of Jesus. The words and actions of the pope help us to reflect on some of the more important issues we face in life,,such as the plight of the poor and the mercy we should show for the alienated in society, and the need to sublimate some of our earthly values.

The visit of the pope is not merely a single visit by some famous personage, the editorial reminds us. The pope is the symbol of the Gospel and the message of faith that is being made known throughout society. It doesn't matter when he comes, says the editorial. His visit should energize all of us, within and outside the Church. Be prepared, the editorial advises, to work for a change in our lives. 

Considering the situation in Korea, with the North and South still not talking to each other, a visit from the pope could be a sign to the two Koreas of the need of fraternal charity. With the help of the pope, we could be seeing some visual aids that would help us all to be more conscious of the serious breakdown of goodwill between people and nations. We haven't progressed much since the end of the second world war. Any help along these lines would be welcome news. 

Baptism and the Beginning of Ordinary Time

The desk columnist of the Catholic Times begins her column by mentioning a woman who was persuaded by her best friend to go to a Catholic Church for Mass. She had some familiarity with Christianity, having gone to a Protestant Church and studied at their mission middle school, but going to Mass with her friend was her first exposure to Catholicism. 

One day she decided to study for baptism, and was given the name Catherine. The way her friend used to make the sign of the cross before she would eat, the columnist found very moving.  But her friend often was bored by the study, though finally passing the exam and was baptized. On the day of her baptism, she was filled with great emotion and cried.  Her godmother's hands and the cold water on that day, she said, all were warm. The Catholic neighbors from her village came with small gifts, which made for a memorable day. She soon became a devout member of the Church, reading many spiritual books and becoming a member of the Legion of Mary. Her whole family gradually were baptized.

However, the columnist tells us that she has become what is called a "tepid Catholic." Though many reasons for the change can be given, the result was she became like a wilted cucumber, from which all the water had disappeared. She would repeat to herself that she should be going to church, but as the word 'tepid' says, she was neither hot nor cold, just lukewarm, when it came to living her faith. And after missing her first Sunday Mass, it became easy to miss others. The other members of her family soon followed her lead. Even before the sprouts of the faith were allowed to grow, they dried up and died.

The columnist, her friend, tells us that because of different work commitments they were not able to see much of each other, though they did keep in touch over the years. Hearing that her friend was not going to Church gave her a heavy heart, and although she didn't consider her own spiritual condition one that allowed her to speak with confidence, she did feel she should have done more to help her friend with her problems in living her faith life. She did send her a book on the sacraments, hoping it would bring back some of the feelings she had at the time of baptism. These stories of Catholics losing their enthusiasm for the life of a disciple and the accompanying mission work they once considered important are all too common.

This Sunday, marking the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Ordinary Time of the liturgical year, is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, the beginning of Jesus' public life and mission. At our baptism, we also become sons and daughters of God and are given the same mission that Jesus was given. We too can repeat the words of the prophet Isaiah that Jesus spoke at his first sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:19), for they also refer to our own mission: To make known "a year of favor from the Lord."

Searching for Harmony

 

In the spread of communication technology, Korea is at the cutting edge, being a leader in the use of smart phones and high speed wireless internet use. It is, however, in a list of developed countries, close to the bottom in communication skills between individuals.  Writing in the Kyeongyang magazine, a college professor, in the field of communication and mass media, discusses this latest revelation concerning how poorly many of us communicate, and the role of trust in achieving better communication skills.

One of the biggest research institutes has reported that Korea ranks as one of the lowest in the trust needed for good communication. Though a leader in the world with equipment for communication, Korea, ironically, is at the bottom when it comes to having the necessary skills to communicate with others. If we want to remedy the situation, the professor says we must find the reason for our lack of communication skills, and how trust is involved in any successful communication.

He recounts what an older academic said at a  meeting of scholars: With a lack of trust, there will be less foresight, a high probability of uncertainty, increasing  anxiety and insecurity. In the end, this will lead to a lack of judgement and communication, which will lead to pushing one's ideas blindly. This is the current situation in the South in relating to the North,  according to the professor.

We all remember vividly the past: the war, the killed and injured, the abuse and condemnations--all factors continuing to build distrust. We have seen better times in our relationship with the North, but at present we have returned to the beginning of the relationship. Not only is there a breakdown of communication with the North but this situation also affects, he says, the relationships we have with one another, in the government and its opposition, in management and labor; also affecting class divisions within society, the intensification of local prejudices, and the widening of the generation gap-- all resulting from the collapse of effective communication.

In 2012 we began to see a desire for better communication, and the topic was being discussed more often, but at present, we have experienced only failure--from the top down, the professor says. Calling the opposition party, for instance, followers of the North is no help in building trust. He refers to advice from Confucius: A leader needs to gain the trust of the people before exercising power;  without this trust the populace will think they are being tormented; when those governing are not in the right, even when they shout their commands, they will not  be followed. 
 
The article ends with suggestions to improve communication skills.  He lists three factors cited by Aristotle: ethos--the virtue and character of the one speaking; pathos--understanding the situation and the emotional state of those listening; logos-- the words and the way we convey our message. This advice, the professor says, is true for all of us but especially for those in positions of leadership. 
 
Jurgen Habermas, in his The Theory of Communicative Action, also presents what he considers necessary for rational communication by citing three factors: the subjective, the objective and the social areas of life. In all three areas, he stresses the importance of being completely honest. When the mass media, for instance, is not reporting what people need to know, they are not being honest, they are not following the ethical principles of their profession. When they have their eyes set on the power of government, the owners of big business, and potential advertisers, communication with their readers becomes impossible, and a total breakdown of communication usually results.

In Korea, he believes it has come to a point where our communication is limited to small intimate groups, leading to divisions within all sectors of society. Though the means of communication have increased, the ability to communicate has decreased. Removing this chasm requires building trust and developing harmony between those who are in contending positions. This can be achieved if everyone involved makes a sincere effort to understand the other and work for harmony in society, each sharing their desire to reach a mutually agreeable conclusion.

Efficiency or Effectiveness

The speed of societal change and the competition for the material goods of society are bringing us closer to losing, unknowingly, the real benefits of communal living and distancing ourselves from our connection with Jesus and his body, the Church. In a recent issue of the Catholic Times, in its weekly column on faith and finances, the bishop reflects on the word 'efficiency,' particularly on how the word accurately portrays the current dominant value of our society. Before God, it is not a value we should add to those we have received as members of his kingdom.

In our daily lives we are likely to see the word used as an iconic badge of successful marketing: "super efficiency, energy efficiency...thermal efficiency...air conditioning efficiency...study efficiency."  The more efficient a product or a person is, the better, according to this current thinking. And this message is promoted with all kinds of splendid posters declaring the benefits of living efficiently. We have become so inundated and accustomed to this culture-speech that we are tempted to believe that low efficiency is bad, and possibly even evil.

The seriousness of the problem becomes obvious when we turn to the financial sector of society, with its standard of judging a person's worth by their perceived efficiency to contribute as participating members of society. More so than the ordinary citizen, the handicapped and the elderly--usually described, among others, as the "surplus people"--have borne the financial crunch for some time.

This is the cultural climate that surrounds us today, says the bishop. Young people frequently use the term "surplus people" to define a person who is not contributing anything to society, and thus is considered a useless individual. They also use the term to describe their own predicament. Though as students they prepared themselves with all kinds of special qualifications to contribute to society, many of them have not been able to find work and now spend their days surfing the internet. These graduates are the ones who consider themselves, as an economist named them, members of the "880,000 Won Generation"--workers at the bottom of the pay scale earning about US $650 a month, about what an irregular worker earns.

South Korea’s newest batch of university graduates lives in fear of being trapped at this bottom-level pay scale, and is the reason so many of them have given themselves the name of the "surplus generation." There is a need, says the bishop, to examine the economic situation of society to better understand what is prompting such alienating descriptions being applied to so many of our people. 
 
To be considered a surplus person is obviously, not easy to accept. But even if we put aside those who don't have jobs, those who do the routine drudge work in the manufacturing segment of the workplace are not seen with the dignity they deserve as sons and daughters of God, but seen only as expendable cogs furthering the profits of the company. This may be a legitimate operating principle when profit is the bottom line, but when considering the legitimate rights of the worker for finding satisfaction and fulfillment in life, the business model of efficiency becomes one of the absurdities of our society.

In the past, many persons did not have work that was satisfying and fulfilling, and today we may have even more persons who are considered "surplus humanity." We should know that this is not something that God looks upon favorably. However, our current media deliberately doesn't want to bring the seriousness of the situation to our attention, and many of our citizens choose to ignore the problem. Isn't this division between those who are useful and those who are not, a sure sign, the bishop says, of the culture of death that currently rules in our society? We who are Christians should be ready to respond to this challenge. Without such a response we are likely to continue having a society where the majority of us will soon join the younger generation as "surplus people."