Comments on: Mike Breen on nationalist education in Korea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/ Korea... in Blog Format Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:14:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: baker http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33176 baker Sat, 15 Apr 2006 10:03:51 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33176 meant as a joke but so easy to believe possible. anyway, well done, ya had me hook line and sinker meant as a joke but so easy to believe possible.
anyway, well done, ya had me hook line and sinker

]]> By: Curzon http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33149 Curzon Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:54:31 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33149 Guys: Thanks for the kind words. I ain't got nothing on <a href="http://partypooper.blogs.com/" rel="nofollow">Party Pooper.</a> Guys: Thanks for the kind words. I ain’t got nothing on Party Pooper.

]]> By: michael http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33106 michael Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:33:08 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33106 Didn't the Korean War have a little to do with why the Chinese aren't a big presence here? Didn’t the Korean War have a little to do with why the Chinese aren’t a big presence here?

]]> By: Robert http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33099 Robert Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:03:10 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33099 baker: the comment was meant as a joke. baker: the comment was meant as a joke.

]]> By: baker http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33098 baker Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:00:48 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33098 anyone have more info/ confirmation about mr. breen? anyone have more info/ confirmation about mr. breen?

]]> By: shakuhachi http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33093 shakuhachi Fri, 14 Apr 2006 07:03:54 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33093 Haisan, I think that is a great definition for patriotism. Haisan, I think that is a great definition for patriotism.

]]> By: Andy Jackson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33089 Andy Jackson Fri, 14 Apr 2006 05:00:21 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33089 Mook, comprehensible Mook,

comprehensible

]]> By: Lankov http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33080 Lankov Fri, 14 Apr 2006 03:15:07 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33080 Curzon, I am ready to testify. I have grave suspicion that Mr.Breen's grandfather once was one of the first suchi eaters in England! Curzon, I am ready to testify. I have grave suspicion that Mr.Breen’s grandfather once was one of the first suchi eaters in England!

]]> By: Haisan http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33075 Haisan Fri, 14 Apr 2006 02:32:30 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33075 The Japanese government just passed a bill defining patriotism (for use in the educational system, I think) as "to cultivate a mind that respects tradition and culture, loves the nation and homeland that have fostered them and at the same time respects other countries and contributes to international peace and development." Basically the LDP wanted just to say "love the nation", but pretty much all the opposition parties thought it sounded too strong, too much like something out of the 1930s. So the wordy definition is a compromise. The Japanese government just passed a bill defining patriotism (for use in the educational system, I think) as “to cultivate a mind that respects tradition and culture, loves the nation and homeland that have fostered them and at the same time respects other countries and contributes to international peace and development.”

Basically the LDP wanted just to say “love the nation”, but pretty much all the opposition parties thought it sounded too strong, too much like something out of the 1930s. So the wordy definition is a compromise.

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/04/14/mike-breen-on-nationalist-education-in-korea/#comment-33071 R. Elgin Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:55:33 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2709#comment-33071 I really feel it is a good thing for people to openly discuss this notion of "min-jok" and what it is all about. Though I think many Koreans snicker at the thought of some people taking it so seriously, there is this notion that haunts the thoughts of many Koreans. By discussing it, perhaps there would be fewer propagandists that attempt to use this "min-jok" spirit and revisionist-style history as a trojan horse for their nasty politics. <blockquote> . . . I have no argument with patriotism. Love of country is a good thing. But the education I’m taking issue with is not patriotic. It’s nationalistic. And nationalism is not about love of country. It’s about <b>power</b>. The nationalist does not share international values (A universal sense of ethics). That’s why he can go crazy over Dokdo but be unmoved by human rights violations in North Korea.</blockquote>My hat is off to Mr. Breen for expressing just such a thought. This is precisely what worries many about the current state of affairs in Asia, not the least in Korea. Nationalism is being blind to all but one's own empowerment, no matter who gets hurt. I guess we could call this "Nolbu-ism" in Korea and this sort of thinking only hurts the country and people. I really feel it is a good thing for people to openly discuss this notion of “min-jok” and what it is all about. Though I think many Koreans snicker at the thought of some people taking it so seriously, there is this notion that haunts the thoughts of many Koreans. By discussing it, perhaps there would be fewer propagandists that attempt to use this “min-jok” spirit and revisionist-style history as a trojan horse for their nasty politics.

. . . I have no argument with patriotism. Love of country is a good thing. But the education I’m taking issue with is not patriotic. It’s nationalistic. And nationalism is not about love of country. It’s about power. The nationalist does not share international values (A universal sense of ethics). That’s why he can go crazy over Dokdo but be unmoved by human rights violations in North Korea.

My hat is off to Mr. Breen for expressing just such a thought. This is precisely what worries many about the current state of affairs in Asia, not the least in Korea. Nationalism is being blind to all but one’s own empowerment, no matter who gets hurt. I guess we could call this “Nolbu-ism” in Korea and this sort of thinking only hurts the country and people.

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