혼자 있을 때 가장 행복한 한국인들...? 대한민국은 어쩌다 관용이 제일 없는 나라 됐을까? ㅣ경쟁 교육 2부 [이게웬날리지]

0:00 Koreans love inequality the most . Michael Sandel talks about how meritocracy has terribly destroyed American society . This meritocracy has completely divided American society into elites and the masses who feel resentful at seeing those elites . It's the same in Korean society today. Don't do it to us because you don't have the ability . That's how I started to despise them . What is happening is that Korean society is now turning into a horrible hell. [Music] Why is it that we learn in school that we have to be competitive and do well? The big problem we have now is that we have the worst competitive education in the world. hmm. It

0:50 is known that the United States and China also have intense educational competition. It's notorious. But in the same survey, yes, about 40% said it was a battlefield. Korea is about twice as big as the US and China . It's overwhelmingly competitive. So a few years ago, there was a French newspaper called Le Monde. There, I conducted intensive reporting on Korean education . hmm. hmm. And then this is the conclusion I came to. Korean students are the most unfortunate children in the world. hmm. Because Korean education is the most competitive and most painful education. I did it like this. I was so surprised when I saw that

1:35 . What did our children do wrong that the world's most unfortunate children should have to work and be disciplined? Our children need to receive the kind of education that makes them suffer the most when they are told what they did wrong . It's not just children who are made to suffer like this. There is no society as sick as the Three Kingdoms society. I think it comes from competitive education . Let me give you one or two representative examples. Korea is now a very unequal society. But what breaks my heart more than the fact that this inequality is so severe is that Koreans love inequality the most among all people in the world. Can you believe it? Is that so? I don't know It's

2:22 the first time I've heard that you love complainants. So, yes, it's something that I can't even imagine . How can you love inequality ? yes. There is a very important organization called the World Value Survey. Social scientists got together and did something called the World Values Survey. Among them, the 2014 survey is shocking. I asked this. Do you think income should be distributed more equally than you ? Or do you think the gap should be wider than it is now ? Koreans' answers stand out the most here. It should be distributed more equally, but it is in last place with 24% . There needs to be more difference . This is a whopping 59%, the highest in the world

3:08 . I can't believe this. There are few countries with such severe income inequality as Korea today . hmm . Koreans need to be more discriminatory than they are now . That's a whopping 59%. The case of Germany is the exact opposite of ours. In Germany, income should be distributed more equally than ever. This is 58%. Germany's response is actually sensible. I did it again in 2020. What happened? It should be distributed more equally, but it's split in half. It's only 12%. yes. Yes, it's Korea. A whopping 65% said that there should be a difference compared to foreigners. What is more frightening

3:56 than the inequality structure that our society has is the structure that favors inequality in the consciousness of Koreans . This is almost psychotic. Comparing Germany and Korea, income inequality is not that high in Germany. There is almost no difference between large and small businesses. hmm . The difference is not more than 5%. So it doesn't really matter whether you work for a large company or a small or medium-sized company . Also, regular and irregular workers, for example. This one doesn't make much difference either. Rather, I prefer irregular jobs . Why do you write like that? Because I can use my time flexibly. yes. We have a difference of almost 10 minutes . yes. Isn't this a country dominated by enormous income inequality?

4:43 Oh, that's how it happened. That is the pathology created by education. That's not all. Korea is now the most conflict-ridden country on earth. A few years ago, there was a prestigious university in England called King's College . There, we investigated conflicts in 28 countries around the world and made a comparative report. What rank did you get? It'll be a disaster. yes. The level of conflict is 1 out of 3. We investigated 12 items. The conflict between rich and poor is number one in three. There are three conflicts between political parties . Conflict between men and women ranks first among the three. Then yes. The conflict between educational backgrounds is also

5:29 number one in the world. Of all the indicators I've seen recently, the one that's most heartbreaking is one from Seoul National University's Institute for Social Development. This is a survey to see how much tolerance there is for those weaker than oneself . But we surveyed 52 countries . I came in last, 52nd place. This means that the liver function is at its lowest level. yes. Yes. In the conclusion of this investigation, this report concluded with this: It is a national shame that South Korea, with a per capita national income of over $30,000, has a lower level of tolerance than Rwanda, with a per capita income of less than $1,800

6:17 . Conclusion: In the 90s, there was a genocide in Burundi and Rwanda, and one million people were killed. Let me just make sure you understand one more thing. You know IKEA, right? yes. IKEA is an international furniture manufacturing company. Every year, they conduct a consumer awareness survey. I did that and it really caught my eye. What makes you feel the happiest? yes. What do Koreans do there that make them feel the happiest? Surely you don't count money when you earn it. What will make you the happiest? yes. When you're home alone, what does that mean? I do n't want to meet other people. yes.

7:03 Why with other humans? Because it's a competitive situation. I think all of this shows how much this competitive education has destroyed the inner self of Koreans . This perception of competition in the classroom eventually developed into an attitude that tolerated such inequality. Then, sir, the US is also a country with a lot of competition right now. Yes. Then, the US is now in a similar state of division as Korea. That's a very good question. In the case of the United States, in fact, the so-called free market economy operates much more strongly than in our country . Yet the US says it should be distributed more equally at

7:52 32%. It's 8% higher than ours. And the gap needs to widen further. This is only 38%. We said 58% earlier. It is surprising that Koreans show a more serious attitude of tolerating inequality than the United States, which is called the paradise of the free market economy . There was an article like that in the New York Times a while ago. Yes. The extreme population decline seen in South Korea dis Korean society is unprecedented in human history . If we have to find it in history, there was only one time . What about 14th century Europe?

8:40 Test the Black Death. yes. There was the Black Death. Excluding that time, the extreme population decline seen in Korea now is unprecedented in human history. Most of our graduate students are female. I asked you once last time. Why are you guys having children? Most of them said they wouldn't give birth. So why don't you have children? Then one child said, "I don't have the confidence to put my child in this hell ." yes. I don't remember ever being happy when I was in school. The unfortunate awareness that one of the important reasons for not having children is unhappiness in education.

9:28 This has to do with what I experienced in education. Did you know that an American writer named Mark Manson came to Korea and created a YouTube channel a while ago? The diagnosis is similar there too. Competition and anxiety. This is what is making Koreans so depressed. I had a bit of an impressive verse there. The system is absolutely cruel. This is the most fundamental problem. The root of many of the problems in Korean society today is this terrible competitive education system. okay. Professor, then, at the center of all the problems

10:18 is this competition that has now become the core of education. Then, why can't we escape from this ? Right? This is a very important question. That's the most important question. The truth is, everyone knows it. It's not that I don't know. But why can't I get out? why? This is a drug. So, in some ways, it could be similar to drugs . Right? yes. What would be group addiction, so to speak? This social group addiction is academically called ideology. It's because of ideology. [Music] The dominant ideological system is called ideology . The thoughts we have about ourselves are the root cause of ourselves

11:05 . Most Koreans think this way . Competition is natural . Where is there a world without competition ? You have to compete to develop. Even if there are problems, it is inevitable . yes. There is no world without competition. You think like this. Isn't that right? If you think so, how can you escape the competition ? yes. So why is this competition such a powerful ideology in Korea? It's two other powerful ideologies supporting the competing ideologies. So what are the ideologies of the remaining two ? yes. The outcome of competition justifies the ideology of meritocracy. hmm. The process of competition is

11:56 infused with the ideology of fairness. hmm. hmm. So, the ideology of competition, the ideology of meritocracy, and the ideology of fairness form a triangle, forming a powerful ideological complex . This is what has made Korean society such a horrible, barbaric society. It is this Triangle of Savagery that has created this horrible hell, the most conflicted, the most inequality-loving, the most intolerant, the most isolated human beings in the world. Fairness is n't a bad thing. Yes, that's right. It's not just fair . Meritocracy isn't a bad thing either. Competition isn't a bad thing. Everyone

12:42 says that crying is good. Ideology is a dominant idea, and what is dominant is something that everyone thinks is good. yes. But that's not the case. So, we need to talk a little bit about ideology. Terry Eagleton's book Ideology is a really good book. The most important property of ideology is naturalization. We use expressions like naturize. yes. Every ideology presents itself as a natural phenomenon. So, how about some competition? competition. Well, competition is natural. Where is there a world without competition ? This is what it looks like . Like a natural phenomenon. Do you understand? So this is an ideology.

13:35 These are the mental infrastructures required for the operation of the new economic structure called capitalism. That's what makes them take competition for granted and even have this weird attitude of idolizing competition . This is wrong . Then the process. Let me tell you about the process you mentioned earlier. Fairness is such an obvious norm. yes. An unfair guy is a bad guy. yes. But let's look at the social function of fairness. This fairness is the most decisive ideology that justifies inequality and discrimination, especially in Korean society . We have to solve this. If you make a claim like this, what will the vested interests in Korean society say? Hey,

14:21 what's wrong with inequality? You just have to get first place . You just have to win there. It clears up inequality. In fair eyes, I won. I monopolize all power . What's wrong with this? By doing this, we are actually justifying enormous discrimination . During the last presidential election, all the candidates talked about fairness. yes. yes. At that time, candidate Yoon Seong-yeol advocated fairness and common sense, and candidate Lee Jae-myung advocated fairness and basics. hmm. Then, at that time, the president was President Moon Jae-in. President Moon Jae-in also mentioned fairness a whopping 38 times in one speech . But then

15:06 why are these people divided into different parties and fighting like this? Make one per party. So just do the process within it . yes. It's actually so funny . It's such an unequal society, yet no one talks about inequality. hmm. Why is that? yes. That's probably because the Cold War system has n't been resolved yet. I believe that there is a psychological mechanism at work that makes people afraid that if they talk about equality, they will be labeled as communists . This so- called fairness is the worst false consciousness created by neoliberalism. hmm . In a way, fairness

15:55 is the most certain ideology in which vested interests unconditionally win. Is it fair for a child who grew up in a poor family with no cultural background to stand at the same starting line and compete with a child who grew up in a wealthy family and enjoyed all the cultural benefits ? no. This is the biggest problem with fairness. hmm . Meritocracy is the same. What is meritocracy? A system in which wealth and power are rewarded according to ability and effort is called meritocracy. yes. how is it? Isn't it so good? Oh, actually I don't like it. It may not be distributed fairly from the moment it is born. Yes, that's right. yes. I just don't quite understand it . I need to do some reflecting. So, the Trump phenomenon in America right now is

16:42 a bit strange. How can someone like Trump become president of the United States ? This is a global mystery. yes. A representative figure who has provided an explanation for the Trump phenomenon is Michael Sandel. He's a professor of political science at Harvard University. Yes, it's an illusion that the book is fair. The original title was Tyranny Merit. So, the tyranny of ability. Tyranny is the politics of a tyrant. So, this is a book called The Tyranny of Ability, and it was translated into Korean with the illusion that it was fair. If I were to translate this book, I would say that meritocracy is a tyranny. That's what we're going to do

17:28 . That's what Michael Sandel argues in this book . It's a telling story of how terribly meritocracy has destroyed American society . [Music] The most representative example is the Trump phenomenon . So the first thing is that this meritocracy has completely divided American society into two groups: the arrogant elites and the masses who resent those elites . That threatens American democracy. hmm. It's the same in Korean society today. Korean society is one where meritocracy is

18:14 worshipped as if it were a sacred shrine. yes. The elite of Korean society. They are doing more than the US now. On one side, we have these elites who are incredibly arrogant . The public feels resentment when they see them . Korean society today is a typical example of that kind of society. The second problem with meritocracy is yes. It is said that American society has become a society of despair. What are you talking about? So many people commit suicide. The same goes for Korea. Why would you commit suicide? Because I'm desperate. yes. Because I'm desperate. Because the despair is too severe. [Music] Meritocracy today is a powerful ideology that seeks the

19:00 cause of all my misfortunes in my lack of ability . The argument is that you are unfortunate because you lack ability, so why do you keep blaming the social structure? Korean society is a very typical example of that kind of society. Let me tell you one more thing. Meritocracy destroys the dignity of labor. Let me say this. The dignity of labor. hmm. W We use this expression. Yes, until recently . Socially meaningful work. For example, for things like caring for a sick person, cleaning the surroundings, or building a building, even if there is

19:45 not sufficient social compensation, at least the work is recognized, evaluated, and respected. But how much of it is all? Yes, I despise and ignore such things. It means that I have no respect for people who do such things . Don't do it to me because I don't have the ability . That's how I started to despise them . yes. It's because of meritocracy. yes. So now Sandel is raising three issues. This ideology of meritocracy divides society into two: first, an arrogant elite and a resentful

20:32 mass, and second, it turns society into a society of despair. The third meritocracy destroys the dignity of labor . Let me tell you this story. Today, in this episode of Everyday Lee Jae, we looked at the problems of Korean education and discussed ways to solve this problem of competitive education . Okay, Professor, then I'd like to ask you to summarize today's chaos in one sentence . Competitive education is barbaric. Okay, thank you, professor. I'll be back next time with more juicy news. Hello. yes. Thank you. Thank you for your effort Yes. [music]