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.