ISSUE XVII: Values

VALUES

“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave ‘em all over everything you do” - Elvis Presley

Societies use value as their compass to navigate the sea of change. It informs choices, defines culture, and fuels progress. Values We often question the inherent worth traditions and the origin of our actions. In this issue, we attempt to answer those questions, reflecting on the roles tradition and innovation play in shaping our societies. We explore values from philosophies to the cultural norms that shape our lives.

Join us in our new issue, seeking for a deeper understanding of the values that bind and define us.

HOW KOREA’S ‘Hierarchy of Positions’ HAS HINDERED EDUCATION

By Jason Lee

Layout by Sophia Park

On July 6th, 2013, as ight 214 approached co International Airport ing its 11-hour journey from International Airport, the head an error in the plane’s nal the runway. is error would death of three passengers and of 187 more. However, this was not solely due to the crew’s tency or unforeseen circumstances fact, the two South Korean operated alongside the head aware of the plane’s erroneous post-crash investigations concluded that, due to said co-pilots’ Korean and cultural descent, they were point out their superior captain’s is wasted crucial seconds have been used to prevent the While South Korea is internationally perceived as a technological tural powerhouse today, an looked aspect of the East-Asian development is the stagnant ideologies that dominate day-to-day both within its borders and is, from when most South Koreans gain the ability to hold a conversation, are taught to speak to their tinct, more formal grammar down to their teachers, and their superiors lest they wish ished. is “hierarchy of positions” not only, in extreme cases, literally over one hundred casualties,

Asiana Airlines approached San FrancisAirport followfrom Incheon head pilot made descent towards would result in the and the injuring fatal incident crew’s incompecircumstances — in co-pilots who head pilot were erroneous path. What concluded was Korean heritage were hesitant to captain’s mistakes. seconds that could the accident. internationally technological and pop-culo en overEast-Asian country’s stagnant Confucianist day-to-day life, beyond. at Koreans rst conversation, they elders in a disgrammar structure, bow never question wish to be admonpositions” has literally led to casualties, but has also

fundamentally hindered the e cacy of its incredibly competitive education system. In a world where planes fall from the sky due to Korea’s culture, society needs to move on from this super cial “hierarchy of positions” structure in which Koreans myopically prioritize positions of power, one’s socioeconomic status based on what material goods they have (e.g., designer clothing), the undergraduate school one went to, seniority via birthyear, and so on. Instead, Koreans should adopt what this editorial will call a “hierarchy of ideas,” in which people will value and credit others not on the super cial metrics by which they do in the status quo, but rather on the value of the ideas and intellect that they present.

Let us, for a moment, consider a hypothetical situation that elucidates the importance of this proposed shi in ideological hierarchies. Imagine you are a student in a Korean school who is learning about World War II. And let us say that, while your teacher is lecturing the class, she makes a mistake. She tells the class that WWII started in 1941 when you know very well that it actually started in 1939. In a world in which Korean society, specically the education sector, operated under a “hierarchy of ideas,” you would raise your hand, your teacher would call on you, you would point out her mistake, and she would correct herself while thanking you for bringing her mistake to the attention of her and the rest of the class. However,

this outcome is a far cry from what would actually happen in the “hierarchy of positions” under which Korean society actually operates. In the status quo, you would bring the mistake to the attention of your teacher, and she would likely berate you for questioning her authority, telling you to be quiet and take notes instead of arrogantly trying to show o your supposed astuteness to the rest of the class.

Now, this anecdote might sound extreme. And in some ways, this hypothetical is extreme. But even if this was not actually likely to happen, the fact that Korean society operates under the “hierarchy of positions” means that Korean students are afraid of this possible outcome. So, instead of raising their hand in class, they put their head down further in their notebook and keep jotting down what the teacher is writing on the whiteboard. is phenomenon is not just limited to Korean society. Famously, in the movie Dead Poets Society, the concept of being afraid to question your teacher or parent may sound familiar. But the su ocating nature of the “hierarchy of positions” that sti es our children’s quality of and will to learn is one that is particularly bad inside of the notoriously competitive nature of Korean academics. Instead of encouraging our children to unquestionably listen to authority, we should instead teach them to use their own voices to stand up for what they think is right.

The Importance of Morals in Experimentation

A crucial part of every scientific experiment is testing. Defined as a scientific procedure or operation carried out to settle uncertainty, this part of the scientific process is necessary to prove one’s hypothesis with indisputable evidence or to prove the safety of one’s inventions. Thus, many companies must first test their products in order to confidently offer them to their customers. However, many businesses, namely make-up brands, often neglect the importance of ethical testing, choosing to test their products or hypotheses through unethical means such as with animals to benefit themselves or their company profits. This can include reporting false data for personal advantage, putting subjects at risk of danger, or using unwilling subjects while testing. Unethical experimentation can lead to a loss of dignity, a decline in overall welfare, or even death for the mistreated subjects. In fact, each year, over 110 million animals, including rats, dogs, guinea pigs, and countless more, are killed due to animal experimentation. Ethical testing is essential to protect the basic rights, dignity, and welfare of the experiment’s subjects, whether they be humans or animals. Therefore, moral values must be considered in order to keep scientific testing an ethical process. There are multiple factors that make scientific testing ethical in order to maintain moral values throughout the entire process. entire process. Firstly, scientists have the responsibility to minimize risks in the research process, including all aspects from conducting the experiment, collecting data, and concluding their results. Common

ethical issues that occur when this factor is ignored include lasting emotional and psychological trauma inflicted on the subjects, dangering one’s legal standing, and even putting subjects in serious danger. Secondly, scientific integrity, defined as the adherence to ethics and honesty, must be maintained during experimentation. Integrity is violated when scientists wish to modify their results for personal gain or to advertise their experiment as more impactful, which can harm people and the environment, waste a supply of limited resources, and negatively affect the credibility of the experiment. Lastly, scientists are obligated to protect participants in vulnerable groups or situations, such as prisoners, physically limited subjects such as pregnant women or disabled people, and children. When neglected, these individuals may suffer serious detriments to their mental and physical health. Hence, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) urges those who wish to involve vulnerable groups in their experiments to consult an expert before conducting the test. The factors that ensure scientific testing keep subjects, scientists, and the experiment honest and safe are essential to protect moral values. When one thinks about unethical scientific testing, many minds snap to animal testing. Beginning in the 19th century, protests against this practice were held, leading to the foundation of anti-animal testing societies such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Since then, animal testing has been the target of more and more backlash from scientists and the general public due to a variety of reasons.

Those against animal testing may argue that an unintelligent human should not have to go through more pain than a genius and thus, a less intelligent species such as a dog or a rat should not have to go through more pain than a human. Hence, scientists have a moral obligation to minimize animal suffering or avoid the practice in full if possible. When animal subjects are taken from their habitat, scientists risk the possibly severe consequences of disrupting said habitat. This can provoke prolonged damage to the overall diversity of the animal’s previous environment and the flora and fauna residing in it. Therefore, animal testing is often a relevant example of unethical scientific testing and moral values must be considered by all scientists involved throughout the process. The question of just how much a test subject can be negatively affected due to immoral testing has been the topic of debate in the scientific community as well as the general public. A particularly severe example of negative effects resulting from scientific testing is the Stanford prison experiment. This experiment was a social psychology study that used college students as test subjects to simulate a prison environment. It was conducted in order to observe the effect of labeling, social expectations, and other dehumanizing activities of a mock prison on the behavior of the subjects. When collecting volunteers, Phillip Zimbardo, the organizer behind the experiment, advertised the study as a “psychological study of prison life.” These volunteers were treated exactly like prisoners, which included the initial unexpected arrest, harsh living conditions, and loss of identity except for a single ID number. However, the aggression from the “guards” and the mistreatment of the “prisoners” escalated extremely quickly.

Written by Grace Lee

Layout by Haven Cha

Due to this, less than 36 hours into the experiment, one of the prisoners began suffering from emotional disturbance; this meant that he would cry, scream, and curse uncontrollably until the psychologists involved had to remove him from the experiment. Thus, this specific test subject as well as many others who suffered similarly showed the negative effects and trauma that may be inflicted upon subjects’ emotional and mental well-being as a result of immoral and abusive testing.

Immoral scientific testing has been the target of backlash from the public for years. The neglect of moral values often leads to negative and long-term effects on the emotional, physical, or mental well-being of the subjects of the scientific testing. Hence, the importance of moral values in testing is made clear through the consequences of previous unethical experiments. Scientists should learn from the dark past of scientific study and work towards integrating an increase in focus on moral values when conducting research.

From Seoul to the Streets of New York

Artist: Celine Yang

Medium: Gouache on Paper

In my artwork, my primary goal was to convey the profound influence of Korean cultural values on society while illuminating the intricate interplay between tradition and modernity. To achieve this, I chose to depict traditional Korean patterns amidst the backdrop of a contemporary New York street scene, thereby illustrating the global reach and impact of Korean cultural values. Given Korea's increasing influence in disseminating its cultural heritage worldwide, I found this to be an especially relevant and timely subject matter.

EXTREME FREEDOM

Eversince Britain created its first colonies in Jamestown and Plymouth Rock, negative sentiments between mainland Britain and the colonies had accumulated over time for various reasons. For example, the Salutary Neglect, a policy of which British imperial supervision was loosely enforced, allowed colonists to trade illegally with other colonies for a much cheaper price. With mainland Britain falling under debt due to the expenses le from the French and Indian War, the British turned to the American colonists as their source of income, enforcing laws that were previously unregulated, and imposing taxes on numerous commodities— most notably sugar, tea, and post stamps. As tensions increased, the Boston Massacre sparked the flames of rebellion and greatly facilitated the Revolutionary War. Freedom became the soul of the United States. Even a er the initial war, the country sacrificed countless lives to oppose tyranny in other political forms, such as the freedom for slaves and women’s suffrage. Even from an economic perspective, laborers in factories caused massive strikes against oppressive monopolies. Even during the modern era, the struggle to a ain freedom continues, yet the country remains split upon how to define freedom, especially for those standing on two complete opposites of the political spectrum. For the past 250 years, political ideology has always been a hot topic, yet there also seems to be an increase in extremism in the modern era. According to the Washington post, there has been a surge of homegrown terrorism not seen in a quarter-century, with both

far-right and far-le a acks hi ing groundbreaking levels in 2020. Since 2015, right-extremist groups have been involved in 267 plots or a acks with 91 fatalities, chiefly driven by white-supremacy, anti-Muslim, antigovernment, or other ideologies in that general area. Although the number of right-wing extremist a acks far eclipse the number of le -wing extremists, the number of 25 is nonetheless relatively high. From a empts to derail trains to hinder oil pipeline construction to targeting police departments with guns, firebombs, and graffiti, the le -wing a acks still pose a threat to the well-being of American citizens and security of the nation. Rightwing extremism had initially gained fresh momentum with the election of Barack Obama as president, capitalizing on the election of the nation’s first black president

to facilitate the spread of rightwing extremism, which. Ironically, however, this has led to generally negative sentiments towards rightwing extremism with the increase of terrorism undermining national security. On the contrary, le -wing terrorism, one such as the burning of the Minneapolis police precinct, hasn’t caused a significant decrease in le -wing support, with the difference most likely due to the discrepancy between the number of a acks, with the right far exceeding with le .

As the number of social movements from both the right and le increase in both popularity and number, the flames of conflict between the extreme freedoms burn brighter now than ever before. Yet, this debate may be necessary to find a balance between the two extremes, a definition of freedom that will benefit humanity the most.

By Austin Chung

Layout by Ellen Ryu

FREEDOMAMERICA

Rebalancing Koreans’ Values of Private Education

by Lucy Jang

layout by Sophia Park

Suneung, also known as the Korean SAT, is South Korea’s college scholastic ability test (CSAT). During the nal year of high school in Korea, Suneung is taken as a measure of the students’ academic abilities. Unlike the SAT which can be taken multiple times each year, the 9-hourlong exam consisting of subjects including Korean, Math, English, Korean History, Science/Social Studies, and Foreign Language is one of the most important exams due to the fact that it can only be taken once throughout the whole high school career.

Every subject of Suneung includes one to two “killer questions” which are infamous for being arduous and requiring a tremendous amount of time and brainwork to solve. ese questions are included to di erentiate students based on their academic level and provide a score that universities can use to determine quali ed students. Killer questions are allotted more points than others. us, being able to correctly answer them may result in a much higher grade than those who cannot. Well prepared students put in 10-14 hours of studying every day, solving hundreds of math questions, reading and analyzing Korean literary passages, and memorizing content for their science/social studies test so they don’t miss any small details during the exams. Not

only is this the reason why killer questions are a vital reward for students who worked extremely hard for many years as it allows only a minority of students to get the correct answer, but appeals to the universities that they are adequately prepared to pursue a higher level of education.

However, according to Korea Joongang Daily, the Ministry of Education under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration announced on June 26th that “killer” questions will be removed from the CSAT as a measure to reduce reliance on private academies.

“I de nitely think that a majority of Korean students including myself tend to rely on private education for school exams and Suneung,” said Raehoon Kang, a senior at Hansol High School. “It’s hard to nd students that study only using resources from school to prepare for big exams, and due to this trend, many teachers at school don’t go much in-depth during their lectures either.”

is rigorous education system again sheds light on how most South Koreans came to value private education for high performance on academic exams including Suneung. e college application process in Korea has a tilted focus on academics and test scores; it does not put a heavy weight on various extracurriculars that show the students’ true color. is is also the reason why Suneung scores are so important: the number is a pivotal contributing factor that

alters their chances of acceptance by the top universities located in Seoul.

With less than ve months le until the Suneung, the Ministry of Education’s statement has le Korean students in shock. While the Yoon administration made this decision seeking to cut overreliance on external help as killer questions assessing university level content makes them impossible to solve without private education, most students are dismissive of their years worth of training for killer questions going in vain.

Korean students are known to value and work hard for their academics, and without the killer questions in the tests, there will most likely be many students scoring high on the exams making it hard to determine who is truly the best out of the best. Students are especially frustrated over the fact that President Yoon decided to remove the killer questions with only a few months le of the exam.

e sudden switch up of the Suneung format and procedures have caused anxiety for many students, as they have been preparing for this format for many years. To truly rebalance Koreans’ high values on private education, the education ministry should prepare and study for the changes they’re going to make to the exam for at least one year, and also give time to the students to adjust to the new format as well.

道 SOCIETAL VALUES IN EAST ASIA

Written by Russell Jin

Layout by Haven Cha

e topic of societal values in di erent cultures is quite intricate. It covers a variety of subtopics, including justice, freedom, community, and more. Di erent cultures will tackle such moral ambiguities di erently.

ere are many philosophies that were and still are prevalent in East Asia. For example, Legalism was quite prominent during a certain time period, but later fell into irrelevance following the advent of Confucianism and Taoism. Developed by the philosopher Han Feizi of the Qin Dynasty, Legalism is focused on punishment; in fact, as its name suggests, it is almost entirely based on the concept of justice. Legalists hold a cynical worldview, as they believe that humans are purely motivated by self-interest. Hence, they also believe that people require a set of rules to control themselves. During the Qin Dynasty, all philosophies except for Legalism were banned, and any “writers, philosophers, and teachers of other philosophies were executed,” as detailed in the World History Encyclopedia.

However, in stark contrast to Legalism, Confucianism became more in uential a er the fall of the Qin Dynasty. Confucianism argues that people are inherently good, and thus places less importance on punishment. It suggests that punishments should be light and moderate, and should not be the main method of maintaining order in society. Furthermore, Confucianism believes culture and tradition should be enforced instead of a rigorous legal system. From these two highly contrasting ideologies, it is apparent that one particular belief cannot be attributed to a culture; rather, there exist many di erent perspectives. is clash in beliefs when it comes to justice is still apparent in East Asia. South Korea’s legal system seems to draw more inspiration from Confucianism. Currently, South Korea has an inde nite moratorium on the death penalty, which has been in place for more than 26 years. In other words, a perpetrator will be legally allowed to live no matter the crime they commit. According to Korea JoonAng Daily, the consensus is in favor of the death penalty, the majority believing that keeping criminals alive is a waste of tax money and is cruel for the families of victims; however, others rmly argue that life is an inviolable human right. In any case, the death penalty still only exists on paper in South Korea. On the other hand, China actively practices capital punishment. In fact, their use of it is not only limited to directly harmful felonies. Back in 2011, Amnesty International condemned China for using the death penalty on drug tra ckers. e article stated that “the death penalty is cruel, inhumane, ine ective and unjust”, and despite this being the opinion of many people, the death penalty continues to be legal in China. Another widely debated issue is the conduct of a ruler or ruling party. In the case of

Confucianism, the primary focus is on leading by example; Confucianists believe that the civil service should consist of the most virtuous people, so that people can follow their conduct. However, Legalism takes a directly opposing stance. Firstly, Legalism discredits Confucianism for having too much faith in people. Contrary to Confucianism valuing autonomy for the people, Legalism stresses the importance of people working to strengthen the power of the ruler and the state, which should be governed by a set of strict laws. Legalism seems too extreme in retrospect; the Qin Dynasty brutally implemented Legalist ideologies, but was ultimately overthrown due to doing so, according to Britannica. Now, in modern society, it seems like most countries in East Asia have taken a combination of these approaches. In Japan, for example, people have a moderate amount of autonomy. Before 1989, kings ruled Japan, but now they have been relegated to mere gureheads. Instead, people elect diet members to represent them; this illustrates that the citizens do have an impact on the government. However, their power is still limited in some ways. Ultimately, they are under the control of one prime minister, who is elected by diet members. erefore, while people do in uence the government, their in uence is limited and indirect.

All in all, there are many contrasting takes on societal values in East Asia. Some believe that punishment should be strict and extreme, while others want them to be light and moderate. Some believe that leaders should rule by example, while others believe they should control the people with an iron st. e topic of societal values is nebulous, and there still remain many di erences in the ways that East Asian countries choose to approach the topic.

THE ROLE OF EMPATHY IN SHAPING SOCIETAL VALUES

HOW CAN WE CULTIVATE MORE EMPATHY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND HOW MIGHT THAT IMPACT THE VALUES WE HOLD AS A SOCIETY?

By Joshua Lee Layout by Ellen Ryu Humanité Magazine Issue 17

Empathy is a crucial skill that helps us understand and share the feelings of others. It plays a significant role in shaping societal values, as it promotes a sense of connection and care for

others. In this essay, I will explore the role of empathy in shaping societal values and discuss ways in which we can cultivate more empathy in our communities, backed up by research.

Research has shown that empathy is positively associated with prosocial behaviors, such as volunteering, charitable giving, and helping others. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who score high on empathy measures are more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors (Konrath et al., 2010). Furthermore, a study published in the Journal of Personality found that empathy is positively associated with moral reasoning and ethical decisionmaking (Karniol & Grosz, 2000). These findings suggest that cultivating empathy in our communities can have a profound impact on the values we hold as a society.

One way to cultivate empathy in our communities is through education and awareness. A study by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence found that teaching empathy in schools can improve academic performance, reduce bullying, and increase prosocial behavior (Brackett et al., 2012). Similarly, a study published in the Journal of Health Communication found that public awareness campaigns can increase empathy and promote positive health behaviors (Hornik et al., 2002). By promoting empathy through education and awareness, we can help to create a more caring and compassionate society.

Another way to cultivate empathy is through mindfulness and perspectivetaking exercises. A study published in the Journal of Social Psychology found that participating in perspective-taking exercises, such as imagining oneself in someone else’s shoes, can increase empathy and reduce prejudice (Galinsky & Moskowitz, 2000). Similarly, a study

published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that practicing mindfulness, such as focusing on the present moment and non-judgmentally observing one’s thoughts and feelings, can increase empathy and reduce aggression (Wennekers & Pickett, 2019). These findings suggest that mindfulness and perspectivetaking exercises can be effective tools for cultivating empathy in our communities.

Open communication is also an essential strategy for promoting empathy. When we create spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings, we can begin to build greater understanding and empathy for one another. According to a study by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, empathy is associated with greater relationship satisfaction, less conflict, and better communication skills (Keltner, 2009). By promoting open communication, we can help to create a more empathetic and connected society.

In conclusion, empathy plays a significant role in shaping societal values, as it promotes a sense of connection and care for others. By cultivating empathy through education and awareness, mindfulness and perspective-taking exercises, and open communication, we can create a more caring and compassionate society. Research supports the positive impact of empathy on prosocial and ethical behavior, suggesting that promoting empathy in our communities can have a profound impact on the values we hold as a society.

The MisconceptionBehind America’s Accountability System

by Sean Kim

layout by Sophia Park

In the early 21st century, American and business leaders worried that ing generation was not receiving of education that other rst-world economies were. In response, President Bush’s Leave Child Behind Act (NCLB) implemented accountability system throughout the education system. is system was intended keep students, parents, and schools for maintaining a proper caliber of education, relying on measures, such as standardized scores, to gauge the performance of teachers, and students. Although several dums were introduced to the Public Accountability Act to address shortcomings the federal education’s accountability it continued to face numerous criticisms parents and school administrators alike addressing the root issue with the accountability system, which was to ensure equal support education for all students. A er two minimal progress, the American accountability systems need another serious reform.

Based on the accountability system, education standards are scored based approaches. One is a status-based system that focuses on students’ progress metrics measuring the percentage of low-performing students who improved their academic mance. is method encourages schools on lower-performing students who receive little attention in a standard system. However, this means that resources are meant to ful ll the curiosities and of higher-performing students are diverted lower-performing students. e second a growth-based system that takes into ation all students’ progression, regardless academic caliber. Any improvement dardized test, whether it is from a high-achiev ing or low-achieving student, is valued scored equally; therefore, many supporters that it focuses on equally distributing al resources. in reality, this system encourages schools to focus their attention on the vantaged students because the test scores from those students are likely to exceed

American parents that the emergreceiving the level economies

Leave No implemented the the American intended to responsible education, standardized test schools, several addenSchool’s shortcomings in accountability system, criticisms from alike for not accountability support to two decades of accountability reform. system, schools’ based on two system metrics by low-performing academic perforschools to focus normally school resources that and needs diverted to second option is into considerregardless of their improvement on a stanhigh-achievvalued and supporters claim distributing educationencourages the more adscores gained exceed those of

the less advantaged students. It is important to note that schools are ranked based on the score given based on the Accountability System’s metric, a ecting the perception of the school from the public and the amount of resources given. Furthermore, this does not adequately ful ll the ultimate goal of the NCLB, which was to ensure that schools and students with lower performance scores and resources have better access to education and assistance while adequately supporting the top students. Whether one opts for the growth or status-based system, one side of the academic success spectrum will always be at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, not only does the accountability system encourage the growth of one type of student over the other, it also fails to correctly categorize academically gi ed students. e biggest issue behind the creation of accountability systems is that they place an overemphasis and reliance on limited standardized tests. ese assessments solely cover math and reading, consequently ignoring other essential subjects such as history, art, science, and foreign languages. Schools cannot expect to measure a student’s true potential and education level if only two out of the numerous other educational subjects are being used to quantify a student’s education level.

e overemphasis on high-stakes standardized tests has led to the narrowing of the school’s curriculum. ese standardize tests, which are used to determine the amount of government funding and prestige awarded to a school, are based on these tests. Consequently, schools must prioritize test preparation over holistic and enriching learning experiences in order to receive necessary and valued funding and prestige. As a result, educators are forced to teach material speci cally geared toward the tests, leaving less time and resources for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Focusing solely on standardized test scores as the primary accountability metric has distorted the system. Instead of nurturing well-rounded individuals, schools are now prioritizing test preparation to boost their accountability ratings

and therefore compromising the goal of providing quality education.

Fortunately, policymakers have recognized that the accountability system’s overemphasis on standardized testing inherently places disadvantaged students and nancially-strained schools at a disadvantage. However, holistic changes will only come by answering the same fundamental questions about education. Should accountability measure the e ectiveness of teachers or schools, or should the focus be on measurement or growth of an individual student?” is can be done by incorporating multiple indicators for school performance, such as attendance, student growth, and student’s areas of interest. Ultimately, an accurate accountability system will allow the American education system to solve its most prevailing issue: how to promote academic growth from all students.

Unclouded

Artist: Charlotte Kim

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

This piece, a form of self-portraiture, represents the values of understanding and moving on, and how ‘unclouding’ our perspectives of hatred will lead to one truly perceiving the world beyond. When one’s view lies beneath a veil of hatred, one cannot perceive the world as is, for the veil distorts one’s view– magnifying what’s arbitrary and neglecting what’s important. The magenta swirls represent one’s emotions– volatile, unstable, and forever dynamic. The clouds quite literally represent how one’s view is clouded by such emotions, and within the artwork, the central figure pushes the clouds away in order to break free from the hatred, thus showing a willingness to move on. Whilst one’s emotions will inevitably fade and lose impact, represented by the way that the lines fade into the edges of the canvas, such an event will ultimately take time. It’s quite easy to be blinded by hate, with irrationality seeming inextricable to one’s perception of the world. Taking one’s time is a key facet of being able to move on, yet eventually, one must be able to perceive the world beyond, and thus, the blue-violet hues alongside the stars seen on the corners of the canvas represent such a world– a world that can be perceived in all its wonders as long as one remains free of hatred. Ultimately, the clouds must disperse for one to bear witness to clearer skies.

THE PAST SHAPES THE FUTURE

By: Yeonjae Kim

Layout by: Ellen Ryu

Agirl dressed in sweats and a shirt, lays down on the couch, while watching TV and eating gluttonously. This isn’t what people imagine girls to be doing. By society’s definition, girls are calm, gentle, timid, elegant, and really anything that is the opposite of what I have previously described. Women are also generally characterized as doing housework and taking care of the family while the men typically earn money and show leadership. Furthermore, although this may be untrue in modern society, due to the hierarchical structure of society, women lack the means to get

ahead like their male counterparts. All of these are stereotypes towards women that have been created overtime due to the harsh views of society.

In the past, women and men were far from becoming equal as there was a clear division between the social statuses. Men and women did not have much in common, and practically lived their lives separately. That is, except when women had to take care of the family. Nevertheless, as situations changed, women gained more opportunities to involve themselves in what men do, and vice versa.

Over time, gender equality has become more common, and that has given women more confidence to be themselves. It is undeniable that past stereotypes have implemented necessary values women should have to earn more respect in society. Most of the time, women are portrayed as kind and vulnerable. When they have these values such as being kind hearted, honest, and confident, they are considered to be more valuable. However, these values are all created by the people who view women and what they think women should generally be like.. Although the values created by society may be a woman’s own values, new values are becoming more common; these values are ones that they create for themselves based on their own standards and beliefs. For example, a woman may believe that she has to always be generous but also show leadership. Being a leader is not a conventional value for women, but if she believes in that, that is what her values become. Therefore, in order for a woman to be considered of high-value, she must do what she believes is right. However, as women

started becoming more independent and went against the norms, the line dividing men and women started to fade. This ended up allowing women to be their unique self and create their own standards, beliefs, and values. This has allowed society to become more inclusive in many aspects such as work, and have brought the global community a step closer to equality.

In order to prevent gender inequality as a whole, education and awareness is the most important. Setting up basic knowledge for everyone so that everyone is trained to believe that equality is important will allow future generations to start to take action. Creating campaigns to promote gender equality could also help in making sure a wide audience is able to know about the current situation and find ways to prevent it. Therefore, slowly eliminating gender inequality may be possible if society continues to take action.

Imbalance of rights between students and teachers in Korea

By: Aidan Hong

Layout by: Ellen Ryu

Recently, there has been a common perception that the authority of teachers in Korean schools has diminished. The Student Rights Ordinance, a law initially implemented in 2010 by a progressive superintendent of education from Gyeonggi Province and subsequently adopted by several regional educational o ces, is frequently mentioned in discussions on this issue.

Before the ordinance, teachers were highly respected, and their dignity and rights were considered sacred, as illustrated by the old saying, which translates to, ‘Do not dare to even step on your teacher’s shadow.’ However, this reverence for teachers sometimes resulted in unchecked power, leading to issues like violence and harassment. Thus, when the Student Rights Ordinance was introduced, it aimed to address these problems and promote a more balanced teacher-student dynamic. The ordinance, driven by good intentions to uphold human rights and equality, was seen as a significant step forward in Korean education, restoring a more equitable balance of power. However, its implementation left teachers feeling powerless in the face of increasing disobedience and physical assault by their students.

These types of conflicts usually occur during class time. Trying to implement some form of classroom management, the teacher addresses one or two students for disrupting the class and exhorts them to respect their learning environment while paying attention. However, students now know teachers lack the authority to keep them in check. Students begin to cause an even greater scene, yelling and attacking the teacher physically, especially when the teacher is female. This disturbing reality is exemplified by a shocking event that occurred in Busan, South

Korea. In this incident, a teacher merely asked an elementary student to refrain from particular actions while putting away musical instruments. The student reacted violently by hitting the teacher in the face and continuously kicking her. It wasn’t until other teachers intervened and separated the teacher from the child that the attack finally ceased. This tragic incident violated the teacher’s rights and infringed upon the other students’ rights to learn.

In the wake of the tragic death of a homeroom teacher at Seoul Seoyi Elementary School, true to form, angry voices are being raised from many corners of Korean society. What’s worrisome is that, as justified as they are, these voices are coalescing in the name of restoring the rights and dignity of teachers. Because the rights of students and teachers have been pitted against each other in recent years, there are concerns that the hardwon student rights will inevitably be rolled back.

Students deserve teachers who treat them with care and dignity, do not impose on their budding dreams, show restraint from corporal punishment under all circumstances, and, most importantly, embody intellectual prowess and moral values. Students’ and teachers’ voices need not confront each other, as their rights must be protected and respected for the greater good. When there was no concrete concept of student rights, problems cropped up that propelled the discourse on the well-being of students. Now that a new discourse is emerging on reinstating genuine teaching, we must start thinking about the right balance to strike - between the consequences of giving one camp preferential treatment and the ideal of raising productive, contributing members of society.

Role of education in sustaining societal values

There are two types of education that teach information on sustaining societal values. The two types are traditional and value/modern education. Whilst values education teaches the objectives of life and bridges what we learn in class with what happens outside, traditional education mostly consists of the study of social, scienti c, and humanistic knowledge, providing basic knowledge that is important in sustaining society. Traditional education promotes the development of civic skills such as improving communication skills and political knowledge. Values education also facilitates human talents and connects our lives with what we gain from education. At last, advances equity among individuals by educating di erent societal concepts. Ultimately education creates a more sustainable, positive, and safe environment in society for people to live in.

Education equips individuals with civic skills that enable them to understand

fundamental social relations and interactions and enhances political knowledge. By teaching speci c subjects that improve civic skills, education improves the ability to communicate verbally, nonverbally, or in a written form, and also develops political knowledge. The ability to communicate better and gain more knowledge in politics will let people actively participate in civil procedures such as voting and improvise people to be more communicable and able to communicate in either way. Moreover, education allows people to understand the moral duty of each individual. This is because, not only do civic skills promote a fundamental understanding of politics and communication among people, but also improve the civic lives of individuals. Civic life consists of individuals being concerned and being a part of the a airs of society and a community. This can be speci cally shown when people are concerned with the government or public, eventually communicating verbally, scripturally, or nonverbally to further improve societal problems.

Human abilities are developed through education; Education serves as the development and acknowledgment of human skills. It supports an approach to valuing individuals’ various qualities and abilities. To add on, education which assists in identifying people’s unique skills, connects our lives with what we are educated. This boosts one’s ego and does not pressure people, allowing them to work more to improve themselves or their

talents and skills. Education, in wellbeing, serves as a tool to increase the potential of individuals by one, providing people with the eagerness to give e ort on learning and further experiencing their talents, and two, allowing people to nd their interest in education, and to further study in what they see potential in. When people’s abilities and contributions are appreciated by the public, a type of meritocracy will be formed, approving individual abilities, which eventually is key in sustaining a stable society with positive societal values. And by earning credit, individuals will appreciate their knowledge and extend their knowledge and prospects. Human potential also helps in sustaining society and societal values because, with potential, it allows society to increase its reputation and future. Moreover, education encourages people to compete and identify students’ capacity and development.

Finally, Education plays a crucial role in promoting equity among individuals. By educating people on the importance of fairness, justice, and equality, education helps people to di erentiate between situations. Although the standards for equity may be altered by nation/society, it promotes inclusivity and criticizes hierarchies where justice does not exist. For example, after promoting equity in education, many things have changed such as discrimination. The United States, which had no equality between races, has now changed into a country that assists freedom and justice. Therefore, education on equity is very important because it can change the whole society and their perspective. To add on, equity, which derives from education, helps sustain society and societal values because it creates a space where people are

allowed to freely expand and share their knowledge, furthermore, equity, which is a common standard in society for a lot of countries, helps in sustaining society standards by providing a better and safer environment for people to take initiative of other standards of life.

In conclusion, education is crucial in in uencing people to make certain choices in society and encouraging people to pursue whatever they want to do. Moreover, education helps in sustaining societal values through civic skill development, fostering talents, and developing equality among people in society. Through various ways such as in value education and traditional education, education helps people to learn various things from traditional subjects to social and ethical matters. Like this, education values many things in our lives, which are not just rudimentary learning, but also values that help sustain society and people’s lives in a good manner.

By

Sources https://www.iberdrola.com/talent/value-education https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-need-for-civic-education-in21st-century-schools/ https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/bene ts-of-education-are-societal-and-personal/#:~:text=Those%20who%20get%20an%20education,overall%20health%2C%20and%20civic%20involvement. https://timeso ndia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/the-role-of-schoolsin-developing-a-childs-natural-talents/ https://www.oecd.org/stories/education-equity/

Matthew Park Layout by Ellen Ryu

RAP MUSIC CULTURE: Shaping and Challenging Social Norms

by Brian Ji layout by Sophia Park

The Metropolitan Museum collected twenty-four paintings Vincent van Gogh in the an exhibition. eir creation in notwithstanding, Gogh’s artworks still relevant today. is shows power art possesses to in uence even centuries a er its creation. like van Gogh’s artwork, rap music a signi cant cultural impact on society. e rst rap single, “King by the Fatback Band was closely by the more renowned “Rapper’s by the Sugarhill Gang produced Not even a decade later, Run DMC jingle for Adidas: “My Adidas.” rap had broken into the corporate tisement scene and began to shape and social norms.

Rap music originated in American communities in South Bronx, New City in the late 1970s. e young genre began to spread rapidly in 1980s, It was spread through movies commercials, such as Jay Z’s commercial for Rhapsody. Over time, rap evolved a platform of expression and storytell ing. As the popularity of rap increased, the impact it had on society also more powerful, with its capacity emotion, in uence behavior, and culture. e sincerity of this type allowed its culture to play a signi in shaping social norms. e key in rap is the meaning its lyrics. e message the music is what prompts changes in society. signi cant impact brought by rap perception of gender norms. Music avenue most teens take to acquire edge about relationships and gender

Museum of Art paintings by the 1800s for in the 1800s artworks are the great uence people creation. Much music has on modern “King Tim III” closely followed “Rapper’s Delight” produced in 1979.

DMC wrote a Adidas.” With that, corporate advershape culture

American New York young music in the early movies and commercial evolved into storytellincreased, also became capacity to evoke and shape type of music signi cant role

meaning behind music conveys society. One rap is the Music is the acquire knowlgender roles.

Dwayne Carter Jr., commonly known as Lil Wayne, is a good example. His sexual references and representation of women are depicted in his lyrics and music videos. His music frequently features themes objectifying women and enforcing the gender stereotype of women being inferior and existing to provide pleasure for men. e countless rappers touching upon gender stereotypes inherently a ect the thoughts and behaviors of the public listeners.

Another signi cant impact brought by rap is the perception of racial norms.

Geraldo Rivera, a Fox News Analyst, said, “ is is why I say that hip-hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years.” Many rappers, including Meek Mill, glorify violence, substance abuse, and other destructive behavior occurring in low-income black communities. is type of rap music drives listeners to believe it is acceptable to perform such actions towards African Americans.

However, rap music does not solely cause negative e ects on society. Some rappers use rap as a medium to highlight issues in black communities and criticize wrong actions, such as violence against black people.

As such, rap music plays a signi cant role in shaping social norms, gender and racial aspects in particular. ere is an ongoing debate on the impact rap music has on social norms and whether the public is at fault for listening to music that contains unhealthy in uences or the songwriters are at fault for producing music with such content.

The Radiant Mother Tongue

Artist: Chloe Park

Medium: Color Portrayal

This piece shows the diversity of the mother tongue and how it impacts society. This artwork was more focused on showing a wider variety of languages. This artpiece shows some of the human’s features: eyes, ears, hand, and mouth. I only drew these four features because these are the ways humans use language. Color also plays a huge role in this piece. Color also plays a huge role in the diversity of language and the four features. People have different colored eyes, lips, ears, and hands, showing the freedom of a variety of people speaking their own language. Language is an important part of society. Language has shaped the world and it spread many colors around the planet, making today’s earth.

Exploring the Disconnect of the Modern World Through 9/11

by Selina Son

layout by Sophia Park

Since the rise of the internet, memes overwhelm users humorous images, videos, more about any subject from daily lives to historic tragedies.

abundant Gen-Z and Millenials meme culture propel worries many who see tragedies such as“dark humor” comedy. However, tragedies that become almost malized diminishes and belittles victims and inhumane acts done mankind.

Meme-ification of Gen-Z 9/11 Oppenheimer

Call it post irony - when ironic intents blur- or nihilism - a belief that nothing in the world holds signi cance or existence - jokes made of that style oods the Internet and we, as consumers, enjoy it. laugh, like, and share it. Perhaps tinge of guilt existed the rst time we smirked at a picture of 9/11 depicted with spaghetti but when you get fed thousands more of evolution that ends up with Eminem in the background of the towers, seems like nothing of importance. is exact progression of this phenomenon unfolds with the of the movies “Barbie” and “Op penheimer.” Many Japanese citizens enraged at the tragedy of the atomic bomb portrayed almost with ence, started their own retaliation with depictions of the 9/11 tragedy in America. Someone decided photoshop the image of the tragedy

Lack of Recollection and Sensitization

Most internet users sport no conscious, clear memory at the time of the incident due to their young age. e videos and incident seem like just another plane that made contact into a skyscraper. In fact, multiple videos of plane crashes pop up with a quick Google search which turns the whole tragedy into just a video with no signi cant negative emotions attached—desensitization at its nest.

Outside of the digital world, real victims and people connected to such tragedies exist and su er. A quick laugh and like from a user propels the meme into millions of other’s pages and translates to a direct laugh at the victims both alive and dead who dealt the life-threatening experience. e cycle of likes, repost, and reproduction lies at the core of the desensitization and devaluation of the tragedy.

“Never Forget” - the phrase sprung into life a er the tragedy with citizens determined to honor the many lives lost and prevent further tragedies. Now it seems the motto contains no gravity. Not only should the gravity of the situation be preserved but also the normalization

internet, users with videos, and from their tragedies. e Millenials on worries from such as 9/11 However, almost norbelittles the acts done to Gen-Z and when ironic a belief holds jokes the Internet enjoy it. We Perhaps a rst time 9/11 but when more of the with Eminem towers, it importance. of this with the craze and “OpJapanese citizens the atomic with reverretaliation 9/11 tragedy decided to the tragedy and put the movie’s template on top of it. Another few million chose to laugh, like, and fuel the re and cycle of satirical posts of the tragedy.

of such events shouldn’t continue. Infamous events in history posted with such nonchalance treat the perpetrators and victims lightly and equal to other celebrities who receive similar jokes. Perhaps with such tragedies that scar the world and humanity, each should take a step back and recognize it with the severity it deserves.

How Confucian Idelogies

Shaped a Woman’s Role in Society

by Zoe Chang layout by Sophia Park

Filial piety, domestic, subordi nate caretakers of family bers — the image of upper-class women during the Joseon dynasty reminiscent of the aforementioned qualities. Although women of ban families are o en portrayed the media as having the simple of a homemaker while their provided for their families due Confucian beliefs, this was not the case. Rather, strict Confucian values on how an upper-class role forced women to become participants in the nancial of family life and become in the family economics.

Confucian paradigms that the center of life for Yangban were leading a life focused on ing and humility without the of materialistic luxury. erefore, majority of their lives were focused on passing the Civil Service which could take decades to for due to its overwhelming of participants and the fact that o cial one was held with a three gap between, not only to be by society as a scholar but also maintain their status as a Yangban, which depended on if they could the exam.

is consequated in the fact if men spent a majority of their

subordifamily memupper-class dynasty is aforementioned of Yangportrayed by simple duty husbands due to not always Confucian upper-class man’s become active aspects charge of that were Yangban men on learnthe pursuit erefore, the focused Exam, study number that each three year famed also to Yangban, could pass fact that their lives

studying in the capital, Hanyang, they were not able to spend time to provide nancial support for his family. erefore, it was their wives back at home who were in charge of maintaining the family’s fortunes. Wives, in charge of the nancial management, would barter, trade, and create items such as shoes or clothes to sell for money, which then they’d manage to pay the servants and take care of her parents-in-law and the children her husband had le behind.

Accordingly, one of Korea’s traditional stories account an old aristocrat who tried to nd the perfect daughter-in-law. erefore, he invited three potential candidates and put them at the task of spending a month making a living o of a bag of rice. While two of the candidates sold the rice for money, the third candidate ate all the rice to become energized, which she used to create items to sell. e latter

had accumulated signi cant wealth, and she was chosen to be the wife of the aristocrat’s son. is further supports the fact that Yangban women of the Joseon era were not mere “trophy wives,” but individuals who were able to manage the vast nances of a family.

e Confucian ideologies that revolve around women: feminine, gentle, domestic, and their ability to support their family remain relevant even in the case that women’s roles were much more than their perceived subordinate roles. ey are, in fact, the hidden factors that supported not only Joseon’s family, but the social structure and economy in the end.

BOARD

President: Eric Cho

Vice President: Jason Lee

Writing Editors: Grace Lee, Sean Kim

Layout Editors: Sophia Park, Ellen Ryu

Art Editor: Celing Yang

WRITERS

Joshua Lee

Jason Lee

Russell Jin

Yeonjae Kim

Austin Chung

Matthew Park

Sean Kim

Zoe Chang

Aidan Hong

Brian Ji

Selina Son

LAYOUT

Sophia Park

Ellen Ryu

Haven Cha

ART

Celine Yang

Charlotte Kim

Chloe Park