The right to swing your arm…

One of the best things about Korea is that IT network is at its strongest.  The first thing major I purchased in Korea when I arrived in January was a cell phone.  Unlike the clunky remote-esque cellie I carried in my purse in California, I wanted a tiny slick phone that I could be actually proud of.  When I stepped into the cell phone shop (which are practically everywhere in Korea, about 2 stores each block) I was overwhelmed with how many options, glitz and glam were all included in a itsy bitsy piece of equipment.  I am pretty satisfied with what I got, since it has a fabulous camera, daily planner, TV, and with all that, you still can call people like normal phones do.  Well, Korea’s IT network does not stop there.  Everywhere and anywhere you go in Korea, you can easily access internet.  I would say if you don’t know something, you ask on naver; then within seconds, thousands of answers are provided for you.  If an issue is brought to attention, everyone and their moms will be on making comments about the issue.  The commenting culture is extremely active in Korea.  No one just reads an article or sees an image, they have to make some kind of comment, for their satisfaction and to maybe provide insight for others.  If you think about it, internet is the ultimate form of freedom of speech.  The internet and the online society provide you with a forum without limitations to express your feelings and opinions.  The internet is a powerful tool in such sense receiving and sending messages throughout the world within minutes however when the rights of one is taken without responsibilities, results are undeniably destructive.   

This morning, there was an eye catching article on the USA Today titled “Rudeness, threats make the Web a cruel world” 

Many make comments on issues without fully thinking what impact that will have on the person on the issue, because you are in a separate world where you face and real name is not presented for others to see.  Through these thoughtless actions on the internet seem innocent and harmless but it should be taken more seriously. 

When I moved to Korea in January, I was fascinated with all the absolutely gorgeous celebrities in Korea.  It was amazing to see how beautiful and interesting these celebrities are.  Another shocking thing was that within months of my arrival in Korea, two famous Korean actresses had committed suicide.  Jung, Da-Bin and Unee were loved by many fans and were featured in many popular dramas and had hit songs.  Even though there were publicly stated reasons behind the deaths of the two young talents but many speculated that the pressure of being on top killed them.  Another issue brought up by the management companies of the two young celebrities was the hatred comments on the internet about the two women.  How the comments affected their daily lives in such ways that they wouldn’t use the internet for months at times to avoid seeing negative statements. I know that these two events could seem like extreme examples.  While reading the article feature on USA Today it reminded me how powerful words are, whether it is spoken in English, Korean, through audio or viewed through a Dell monitor, they are powerful enough to make a difference in the world and also lead one to take his or her own life. 

As Voltaire stated, “the right to swing your arm ends where my nose begins.”  

August 1, 2007. Entertainment, Mindset.