Foreign Workers' life

 Documentary 30 days.

 This Documentary’s aim is “tolerance toward difference”. Most of people are afraid about being differentiated and they also hate differences. They want to be “common people” which clarifies that they are in major group. In extreme case, they also taboo many different minorities. So the thing that this documentary plans to show us is tolerance toward minorities who have different life style and characteristics. In this documentary series there are some clips such as 30days life of Islam and straight Christian and Straight man live with gay people for 30days. At first the attendants in these clips felt uncomfortable toward differences but after they experienced about different cultures and different life style, they recognize that they should be tolerated toward different aspect, and different life style. Since it is their right and it should be respected also.

Another aim that this documentary wants to achieve is deep understand for underprivileged people’s life. For example there is a documentary for living 30 days with social minimum wage.

With this two big aims of documentary I suggest new documentary program which meets with this aim.

  30 days of foreign worker.

 [Motivation]

 These days there are many foreign workers. In case of Korea, there are many workers from India, China and even from Mongolia. Many of these workers comes Korea with “Korean Dream”. In reality, however, their working conditions are harsh. Also the owners of factories who hired foreign workers do not give them exact wage for their working.

 Some of their owners use violence. They beat foreign workers and use abusive language toward them. In addition, foreign workers do not have freedom of moving. In extreme case, foreign workers should be in designated place. When they were exposed during escape, they will be imprisoned.

 Not only harsh working conditions but also there are other suffering.

Some of radical Koreans think that these foreign workers are making Koreans hard to find jobs. Also they suppress foreign workers and ignore them.

 Furthermore most of foreign workers do not have proper qualification for entrance to Korea. In other words most of them are illegal emigrants. So they cannot have some legal protection in Korea, such as medical care and the basic legal rights for labor.

 However, the biggest problem is that our society’s recognition toward foreign workers is feeble.

So to help this understanding, I programmed this documentary; 30days of foreign worker. 

 [Simple Scenario]

Scenario is simple. We have to find some candidates. If he or she is the factory owner who hires foreign workers, it may provide us perfect clip.

First of all, we have to disguise supporter like foreign workers and let him work in factories.

For 30 days he lives with other foreign workers and experiences their hardships.

 [Expectation]

Maybe before attendant experiences the harsh conditions, he or she might think foreign workers as job robbers. However, after he or she experiences the harsh conditions and sufferings for foreign workers, they would change their thoughts about foreign workers.

The biggest origin of most social problems is social unconcern. Also the biggest problem of foreign workers is that society’s unconcern. Many of the Korean citizens do not know about. To cure the problems of foreign workers, we first have to make Koreans to concern about the problem.

After we get social concern, we are able to improve foreign workers’ condition. Maybe we can make a campaign for them, or we can claim that government should make proper legal right for foreign workers.  

This documentary will be the first shot for the movement.

Education & Creativity.

  In Korea, there is a word that expresses the power of education. “Cow bones tower.” When Korea started the modernization, many people were still farmers. However, farmers noticed that in modernization, they can escape from poverty by educating their children. So many farmers strongly supported the education for their children with hopeful expect toward them. And to earn money for them, they sell their lands and cows.

(For Korean farmers, cow was the essential estate for either agriculture or commerce.)

 Writer expressed this situation like this. “Today’s students are studying on the tower of cow bones that was killed for their tuition fee.”  This is the origin of the word “Cow bones tower.”

 But, why farmers supported them by selling their most important estate? In my opinion, it is because of the power of education that can move the social hierarchy. In the modernization era, with the higher education they can have certain jobs 100%. Also it allowed them to escape from poverty they had experienced through harsh agricultural condition. With this expectation, old farmers of Korea ventured their future to their children.

However, things have changed. Although, traditional education system had succeeded to nurture people who are needed to economic growth, these days require something different. 

In this essay, I will briefly organize the problems that current educational systems’ problems and how they kill creativity of students.

1.     Current Education system has no diversity.

 According to Mr. Ken’s lecture, creativity can be nurtured on the basis of diversity. In other words, there should be opened and wide variety of education for students. They should be able to learn many things. For example, they can learn dance, swim and literature without any concern. However, in reality, school system does not provide enough range of education for students. With limited number of teachers and capital, they cannot give students choices. Without the diversity of education, Students’ creativity cannot be expressed.

2.     Education system is focused on grading.

 GPA is not the most important thing. However, it is. In Korea, for the university entrance, the most powerful tool to appeal the ability of student is grade. So school system also focuses on “upgrading.” Many teachers in Korean high school force students to get better score than others. They have to study after the regular class courses. This is so called “야자.” (Additional classes after school) However, we cannot blame teachers it is not only the problem of schools but also educational system that makes students to focus on their grade. However, as Mr. Ken said, there are many ways that allow individual to develop. Maybe they can draw a picture, or plan a movie. However, in Korean society it is really hard to do that.

3.     Still. Many Koreans think that education is the only way for hierarchical change.

 We know that things have changed. We are not living in a modernization period. Still, however, many people think education is the best way for better life. There are famous jobs in Korea. Those are doctor, lawyer and professor. In Korean society these vocations are treated as privileged class. Many people want them or their children to have vested rights and earn more money. So it is not strange situation that many parents support their children to make them doctors, lawyers, and professors. To become these “privileged class” it is crucial to get a good grade in schools.

 This is the original reason that explains why Korean society’s education system is stagnated by the grade and loss of diversity.

And Finally -- How can we solve.

 The paradigm should be changed. Education is not a tool for entrance to the privileged class. Education should be recognized as an investment for future that helps us to improvise our talents. The original idea of parents should be changed also.

 They should recognize their children that they have some sort of creativity. Also they should effort to discover their children’s potential ability.  

Michael Moore's yellow press

Michael Moore

In 1960s, Korea, there were many struggles and demonstrations for democracy against general dictator. The revolt was mainly controlled by the university students. Some might say that this is the evidence that students can have a great role for better political environment. In addition, they might also claim that students’ great participation can change the society.

However, they should know that in the period of 1960s in Korea. University students were regarded as perfect adult, and they had authority in the aspects of academics so they were entirely different with these days’ university students.

So, their revolt should be seen as the revolt of “citizen” not the “students.” Most important thing is that today’s students cannot and should not do this works.

According to Michael Moore, however, he thinks students’ active participations are needed for better democracy and change of educational environment. Michael Moore argues that many students are suppressed by the school rule and the teacher. As a result students are not able to manifest their opinion clearly and loudly to the society.

I partly agree with the Moore’s opinion about students’ freedom. There should be enough freedom to students to talk about their school life to teachers and about school environment also. However, these kinds of freedom should be limited for students. It is really dangerous way to liberate students for the excess of political issues.

First of all, Michael Moore should recognize that young children are “students.” They are in the state of learner. In other words, they do not have enough knowledge about their right yet. So giving students a great right (publish all of their idea through the newspaper) can be ill-used by them. Many of the students concern are focused on their school life, environment and gossip things. They hardly understand what fundamental problem is. They rarely understand about whole educational system. So, although Michael Moore opened his website to take free opinions of students, there might be no useful ideas that can be used to cure fundamental problems.

Secondly, Moore’s idea can be dangerous in different way. Moore’s activity for students can be interpreted as students’ political participation. Students, however, should not be allowed to do that.

It is obvious that political issues are very controversy. So when we talk about controversial issue, we should prevent it from sensationalistic movement and populism that can disturb rational decision. However, students are vulnerable to these kinds of sensationalism and populism.

For example, there is a Teachers’ Union in Korea. ( So called “전교조” Gyutae mentioned it earlier in his essay.) When they first came out, they were union that protected teachers and students right against authority. However, now some of them deteriorated like political organization. To spread their power all over the country, they incite the students with attractive issues such as abolition of exam. Which are not able to be realized.

 Their sensationalistic way allured students to behave like anti-school. Students can be easily biased. With this sensationalistic way, most students will be allured and support them without specific reason but by their emotional motive only. So it is quite dangerous to open them a way to access for political issues.

 There is possibility that they can be exploited by other political organization. To protect them from these dangers, Moore’s program should be limited in expanding students’ rights in school environment only.

Giving students a right for political participation is too radical decision.

In Korea, also, now it is different with 1960s. Our society became more structured and well organized. In addition, our educational environment also developed. Usually, many teachers and schools protect students’ rights.

In this situation, it is quite unnecessary to make students act against to their schools. There are no reasons and necessity for Korean students to revolt.

 Here are my debate motions.

 THB Michael Moore’s activity (newspaper) should be regulated.

 THB educational methods(teachers, organizations) must be separated with  political issue.

  (Education should be free from political issue.)

 THB students political participation should be limited.