Review of the corporal punishment in schools

I've always been interested in this topic. When it comes to the issue, whether or not to give the corporal punishment for students, I would like to quote this saying: "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Across the ages and in all countries of the world, the sayings like this have been told so far, which implies that it would be safe to emphasize the effects of the corporal punishment for children with problems. I support this side and I also will not spare the rod for my lovely child if he or she did something wrong. That is not because I love him or her less, but because I love him or her so much.

In my case, I used to get a good beating many times from my parents to my teachers. My dad would warn me two times, overlooking my faults until he saw me do the same thing for the third time. When I repeated the bad thing over three times, he held the rod and never let it just go. I can remember the days that I was beaten and cried out. As a result of 'the education,' I could fix my bad habits. In schools, when I did something else which had nothing to do with the class, I was beaten by the teacher. I don't mean that I was happy with those memories. I feel sorry even now when I was reminded of those days. While I often complained about the punishments, I could not protest against them because there were some obvious rules agreed to me, and I knew I did wrong things. And it is true that those days have made me now, guiding me to choose the more right way.

Now that any kind of corporal punishment is suddenly banned in schools, with a lot of problems and side effects beginning to rise, there are many controversies and noisy discussions regarding school education. Teachers are worried about the fall of teachers' authority and students are sick of the teachers who don't even deserve to be called educators. Everything is abnormal. Schools, parents, teachers, students, and all of us are responsible for that. Actually, the corporal punishment is not a matter. What matters is communication. This issue is just a part of reflection on the absence or at least lack of the communication among us. If we are in the well-agreed state in terms of how to educate our children, there will be much less problems whether or not there is the corporal punishment because there might be some proper solutions about the problems! I strongly insist that the most urgent thing now is to unify the educational world to the maximum and make the teachers see the current situation in a new light. Education for teachers should be first. Once it is well done, I believe the rest would follow.

Review of Illegal Immgration Problem

I did not take it that serious until I heard the number of illegal immigrants is over thirty thousand in this country and about the problems resulting from this issue. I feel sorry thinking of the foreigners in economically difficult situations and how desperate they are to find jobs and earn money in this far foreign country. Even if so, however, nothing can be a reasonable reason for them to stay here working illegally. There can be no excuse in violating laws. If those cases begin to be overlooked, it would bring so many following problems that we would no longer be able to deal with them.

Instead of leaving them alone, there might be other possible solutions to treat illegal immigrants. What I think of as solutions is as follows: first, the expansion of the permanent residence for foreigners should be considered. The current process to obtain it is too complicated and difficult for foreign workers to follow. So they choose to ignore that and stay illegal. It would be better to let them abide by the regulations with easier ways. Second, it is necessary to make stronger regulations for factory owners not to employ illegal immigrants. There are lots of ways to block them such as imposing heavy fines and business suspension. Then, the owners would be reluctant to employ illegal immigrants and naturally, they also would not try to work illegally.

There are many illegal immigrants who are in severely difficult situations. The government should examine the ways to protect and help them. Not just sticking to obeying the rules and ignoring their difficulties, we have to pay attention to them because their human rights are frequently infringed and this is not only an issue of illegal immigration but also a matter of human rights. Therefore, when we try to stop more illegal immigration from outside and deal with the inner problems at the same time, I believe those problems will be solved little by little.

Review of Half Price Tuition Fee

. One of the biggest recent issues should be about university tuition fee. As the President's promise of cutting down tuition fee to half has not been kept, with the more and more social problems raised and a lot of sad cases of students broadcasted, resulting from the high tuition fee, students no longer seem to stand the current situation. They raise their voice by gathering and even protest to require goverment of putting the half tuition fee policy into practice. But would the half tuition policy be realistic? Or even if it took place, would it really work? And is it reasonable or right for students to get their demands by that kind of protest? When it comes to those questions, even though I understand them, I have to say "no."

. Though this country is democartic, it does not mean there is no social order. They carried protests too far. They were not accepted by neither goverment nor any university at all. Then should they keep protesting to accomplish their goals? No. It would be the same if they keep the same way. They should stop it and find the other possible ways instead. As long as the public opinion on a certain problem is formed, goverment can not easily ignore it no matter how difficult it is to deal with or how reluctant it is to fix it. Furthermore, this is what they promised to do and are well aware of! So what we should do is to find some point to make a compromise with goverment and university officers. Since all the different interests of goverment, university, and students are tangled on this matter, we have to solve it not by just insisting but by conversation.

. Let's take an example of USA. Universities in USA are also famous for the high tuition fee. But they have a variety of ways to give economic supports to students. They have much more different kinds of scholarship and subsidy at different levels than those in Korea. I believe we can partly take this example. When thinking about universities' current situation, they would not be glad to cut down the tuition fee suddenly because they have their own goals and objectives, and to do them, they need money. So if the half tuition fee policy took place, all the private universities would fall into great confusion. Then, it is the students who would be affected the most. University officers say if government can support for the empty space which would come from cutting down the tuition fee, they say they can put the policy into practice. However, of course the government says no because they also lack of money to spend on other countless problems. So the most possible solution is not cutting down the tuition fee, but making and improving the policies to support and give benefits for students, step by step, and one by one.

Review of Ahn Cheolsu Syndrome

. I can not remember when I heard about him for the first time. But for sure, I have heard his name and reputation for quite a long time. Now his popularity can be said to be second to none in this country. A lot of people support Mr. Ahn and some of them recommend him as the next president in spite of the absense of his political experience. In regard to this matter, I have to say I stand on a negative side, though I respect him in person, especially his passion that has made him achieve so many things in such a variety of fields.

. Ahn Cheolsu Sydrome, I believe, is an example clearly showing citizens' complaint and distrust in the government and their desire for a competent leader who would be able to clean up all this mess and solve the complicated social and political problems. The problem is, however, whether or not Mr. Ahn is really appropriate person to political world and his capability can make any difference there. Different fields require different ability and tendency. Nobody could give question about what he has achieved so far, but aren't they what he wanted to do and what he chose to do, fit to his talents and wants? Is he really going to make the same in the political arena?

. Here is where I have some doubts. We have been disappointed a lot by politicans. Neither any president nor just mayor have not succeeded in satisfying their people with some tangible results. I am afraid if I would see something simillar happen when Ahn would take a political responsibility. If experts have not succeeded, how can you sure other expert in different field is going to make it? There seems to be no way to prove his capability regarding political matters. That's why I object to his entrance to political world. It would be safe to say, even if it sounds a bit sad, that it will be better to find some other comepetent politicians and support them by gathering all the trust and efforts. It is not a certain politician who can change everything. It is people who can make it in the end.

Review of Audition Boom

. Audition programs has prospered thesedays than ever before. It seems to just start from oneday. Especially, Superstar K made a sensation in this society. From this survival audition, which is for the best musical talent, all the different audition programs in various fields began to spring up everywhere. This boom is so amazing to the extent that some say that half of all the population are applicants for auditions and the rest is their viewers.

. Then why on earth the audition programs are so popular today? They existed before, but have never made such a huge effect on our society. The reason I think is that we are, normally, a sort of thirsty for success. The concept of success here does not mean something like values or standards formed by social atmosphere or the majority of our society, but something else, looking more valuable and satisfying, like chasing one's own dream, developing his or her talent, and making it come true.

. The influence of internet might be another reason as well. The audition programs before could not have much effect on society because the access to the programs was limited only to television, so it was more difficult to secure their viewers than nowadays. People upload and share the video clips, on many websites like youtube, of their favorite applicants' singing so that they enjoy them together, sharing feelings and ideas on them. Since a place for discussion on audition programs are made on internet, it attracts more people's attention and finally, makes huge popularity.

. I worry about the side effects, however, though I sometimes watch the programs and feel good. The audition programs are too many and now their purpose looks commercial rather than their superficial goals. Furthermore, the prevalence of survival programs quietly promotes the competetive atmosphere in our society by evaluating the applicants as winners or losers. In spite that the original purpose of these programs is to discover people's talents and give them hope to use them, now it appears to evaluate them by certain measures and frustrate those who do not have the required talents.

The Review of The Presentation on Unemployment of Young People

. I see quite many of my friends around me have a difficulty finding jobs. And I hear from them how tough it is to get a good job. I remember I have once read a newspaper article saying there are few good human resources from the view of companies. What does that mean? Are there no good young men and women to work in spite that there outside is a long, long line of youngsters, ready to rush into the employment market even at this very moment? There seems to be no other answer but yes to explain this current situation. It would be safe to say that that article shows a gap between young people and companies in Korea. And the gap accounts for some of the reasons why the current job market is so terrible.

. Almost every young man and woman look forward to finding a good job, and companies, competent young men and women. But they can not easily meet each other. One of the reasons is here, just as the presenters explained in their presentation; unemployed youngsters have higher standard beyond their ability for their future companies. So they try to enter the 'good' companies which would guarantee the stable salary and comfortable work environment for them. But the problem is that the companies also require the applicants' skill and experience as much as possible and the people they want usually apply for the other 'better' companies. They have a difficulty finding a good human resource, either.

. So, we can think of some simple solution according to the logical flow. It is to narrow this gap between employers and unemployed people. Universities should focus not only on what they want from their students, but also on what the employers outside require of their future employees. And the educational organizations including universities need to offer more detailed and fresh information on real job market situation so that students might be able to have more realistic view and goal and prepare according to them. Furthermore, if the medium-sized companies advertise themselves to young people more actively that they have vision and are improving work-environment, there would be more possibility for the young competent people to apply for the companies. Plus, if the government's aid is added, the situation will get better and better.

Review of The Presentation on Saudi Arabian Women Driving

  Recently, a woman in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to ten strokes for driving. Even though the king withdrew the adjudication fortunately as the result of efforts of people to defend her and all the other domestic or abroad public opinions arisen against the judgement, I still feel bitter about the current situation the people in Saudi Arabia are in.

 

  Saudi Arabia is the only country on the earth which bans women's driving. Until Yaqoub's presentation on this issue, I had no idea of it and had not heard about it even once. After his presentation, I searched some information about this issue on the internet, and I found it is really on the rise as a global issue. What made me a bit surprised was that even a number of women living in Saudi support this conservative policy banning their driving while on the other side a lot of people or human rights organizations out of this country are raising their voice to abolish it. This shows that even the Saudi Arabian people have not yet come to an agreement between their culture and women rights, and that they have a different view on the concept of human rights from those of other cultures.

 

  So, that is why I can not dare to judge whether they are right or not, though I myself see this policy banning women's driving in Saudi with a quite negative view. It is true, however, that there is rising controversy in the country on the women rights, and they are at some point of change. No one outside would force them to change the law but they themselves can. They might put this issue on public and discuss to come to an agreement, and make the policy modified, fit to the current situation. I believe it is always good to boost human rights and welfare. But in order to avoid any kind of conflict or side effects, it would be better for them to make the process gradual by taking step by step with a long range plan such as enacting laws allowing women to drive in emergency, limiting the number of women drivers and add bit by bit, and so on.

 

Review of Professor Bapst's Presentation on Overfishing.

Can you imangine that you would be unable to find any fish on your dish from someday? Can You imagine oneday an announcer would speak on the news that a particular kind of fish that many people enjoy eating is banned for food? Even if you can not believe it, it might come true in the near future.

Professor Bapst delivered the very well summarized presentation about the current issue, “overfishing.” I had not even thought of overfishing as that serious before his presentation though I had heard about it somewhere. The concept of overfishing does not mean just fishing much. As the global population grows up rapidly, there are more and more requirements for food supply. One of the main dishes for man is ‘fish.’ So, as the natural result of the rapid growth of global population, people can not help fishing more and more.

 It is not the main reason that makes situations worse, however, though it makes a difference to some extent. It is also true that there are much more requirements for fish than ever before. But, there are still enough fish about four times more than the entire human population. What has made things worse and will do the same as well is the ways of fishing which were designed to catch fish as much as possible at once.

There are several kinds of harmful way of fishing: bycatching that fishermen throws fish away if they are not what they seek for, use of poison which will last long and makes serious effects on Ocean ecosystem, blast fishing which is also too destructive and harmful to just catch fish. Countless number of fish are just thrown away and wasted because of these.

One of the other main reasons is indiscriminate capture resulting from the preference for a certain species. For example, “Tuna” is said to be extinct within three to six years if it is captured endlessly in this pace. The problem here is this: the balance in the ocean ecosystem and the ocean food chain is threatened to be broken.

But these problems will not be solved by individual efforts. I believe they could not be solved as well by even the international organizations like NGO. What I think is that there should be stronger regulations enacted by governments on these problems by the ways such as any regulation on capture rate, regulation on the ways of fishing, and making more protected areas for certain species.

As long as the governments of each country make some agreement on this issue and put the specific policies into practice, I believe there is still hope. If they keep just watching what is going on as they have already done, however, it would be hard to say it turns out well in the end, anyway.

welcome to my blog

I hope to have a good time with you all! :)