Upcoming Korean Elections, A Turning Point?
By Freshman Sung HoKyung (17th wave)
The next presidential election of the Republic of Korea is scheduled to be held on the 19th of December this year. This particular election is to be a critical turning point for Korea that stands in the line between “developing” and “developed.” It awaits a strong leader that can boost the state into a new realm of welfare and happiness, and many influential politicians are showing their interest in running for the election…
Ahn Cheol-soo, towards a new leadership?
Mr. Ahn Cheol-soo is a doctor, computer scientist, CEO, and professor born in 1962. He is currently the director of the Seoul National University Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology and the chairman of the Ahnlab board of directors. His life has been full of transitions and innovations, a feat that he could achieve only by waking up at 3 in the morning every day for several years. He earned a M.D., M.S., and Ph. D on Physiology from Seoul National University, but he was not satisfied, and he went on to create founded the famous antivirus software venture Ahnlab. He then went a step further to earn a MBA from Wharton, and he has now become a professor, traveling around the country to give out inspiring lectures to youngsters looking for hope.
The recent media has been suggesting the possibility of Ahn moving on to a fifth field of profession, namely politics. Although he has never officially declared that he has any interest in being president, media surveys always include a virtual standoff between Park Keun-hye of Saenuri with Ahn. And surprisingly, the surveys show that Ahn has a high chance of winning if he is to be the sole candidate from the opposition. Even a few months ago, he had negated any assertions about him entering politics, but on the 28th of March, he suddenly stated that he could “handle politics,” (Park, A1) bringing about another sensation in the media… Continue.
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Integration of Philosophy and Robotics
The technology of mankind is advancing in blinding speed. A few years ago, I remember myself excited about having a chocolate-sized phone in my pocket. However, I currently see myself now having a tiny computer in my pocket called a smart phone—fascinating, but also startling. “I Robot,” ” Surrogates,” and “The Matrix” are movies about mankind’s advanced technology getting the better of man. As a high school student interested in robotics, seeing the near “could be” future through these movies really gives a spark to my life. However with all this excitement of the advanced future, come the worries and problems than man is faced with.
The famous philosopher, Heidegger, once said that technology is not an act of means, but rather an act of revealing. However, he also said that the problem of modern technology is that it challenges nature too far by demanding too much. An era when technological advance goes so fast that it outruns humanitarian and philosophical studies by two folds… is truly frightening, indeed.
In my view, when humans are born into this world, we start our lives with a tiny, built-in morality core. This idea means that we are naturally born with some fundamental, basic ethics and virtue–so that all we have to do is utilize them in the right way. However, artificial intelligent robots–a creation of man–lack these properties, which means that we must devise some sort of moral and ethics algorithm for these robots. On the other hand… Continue
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Moonlight and The Soul
… Lee Hwang [ToeGye] explained… We should be able to distinguish … and clearly define the relationship between the four and the seven, the ‘li’ [Internal Principles of Metaphysical “Reality”] and the ‘ki’ [External Form of Material, Physical “Reality”].
Ki Dae Seung [GoBong] rebutted using the moon analogy. He believed the moon in the sky is like the inner core of the human mind. The reflection of the moon we see then in a pond or a river is an expression of the inner core moral values by human beings–through how they act or how they speak…
Photography by Adrian's Art
However, it is important for us not to discriminate between the moon itself and the reflection of the moon. Although the image of the moon could be wasted and distorted due to the water’s movement, the moon is still the white, bright moon and will be a moon always and forever. Whatever humans become or however they behave and whatnot, it is important to understand that the inner value of the human being is always there, pure and firm. It exists before birth and stays there strong and forever… Continue
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On Muism and the Shaman
by Freshman Kim HoJune (17th wave)
… Before I begin examining the lives of Koreans, it is important to know what Muism is. Muism is the Korean shamanism. Being a type of Shamanism, the shaman, also known as the Mudang(women), and Baksu(men), perform as spiritual specialists. They hold religious ceremonies, called Goot. Through the Goot, the Mudang may be able to tell the future, and the sick may be healed. The Mudang may call upon many different types of spirits. His/her method of healing the sick is to call upon to spirit, to let it into his/her body, and soothe it to obey him/her.
Baksu Mudang, Mr. Hyun-gak Kim
However, according to several papers, notably one by Mr. Gwansu Bag (KMLA Teacher), before the industrialization of Korea, another type of male shamans existed. These Shamans, usually called “Boksul” or “Gyung-Jang-e” utilized a more violent method of dealing with spirits. The Boksul would call upon the marauding spirit, would scold it, and if the spirit obeyed him, he would let it go. However, if the spirit disobeyed him, he would fight the spirit, lock it into a bottle, which is buried deep in the ground… Continue
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Han Bear Society
on the Budoji and The Era of Mago
On Hwanguk
(from the Hwandan Gogi)
The mythical nation of Hwan-guk (환국, 桓國) is the first state of Korea described in Hwandan-gogi, governed by Hwanin.
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Malcolm X Autobiography overview: How to live a different life?
by Sophomore Kim HyunChae (16th wave, International)
There are about 7,000,000,000 living in the world right now. People live in different ways and in different situations. But in essense, for most people, life is similar: experiencing happiness and pain, gaining things and losing things as well, and working to achieve their ow goals. But there are certain people who seem to live completely different lives. They do not make the same choices as others, they choose the narrow path, the lonely road.
Malcolm X is, in my opinion, was such a person. So what makes his life so different from others? And more importantly, how can we become such a person? The essence of a special, different life, lies in a person’s choices in life. There are millions of people living in harsh conditions. In countless harlems of urbanized countries all over the world, and in the third world countries, there are people living a life similar to, or much worse than Malcolm X’s life. But very few people make it out of their dismal conditions, and even fewer people completely turn their life around and begin a life as a new person. And in this aspect, we can see what makes Malcolm X such a different, controversial person… Continue
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Minjok Academy isConnected to Pre-History? Do we Care about KMLA’s Tomorrow?
Holy Ground on Campus / Meditate… Pray…
Consecrated Land: Add your Gi and Devotion
Back in 2004 or so, our family started the very first of the many gardens to appear on the land near the Archery course. Not only did we start a garden, but we also took some time to consecrate the pine tree here, surrounded by this intriguing formation of large stones.
Some students feel a part of history, some understand that we are making history. For those who feel that calling, and who (like founder Choi Myung-Jae) care about what KMLA should be like 300 years in the future–and what kind of global leaders should come forth out of this school–do come, sit, meditate, and pray on these rocks. Whatever your religion or philosophical orientation, your heart sincerely invested at this location–your blood, sweat, and/or tears, pour out for the hope of this nation and the world–will preserve and bring great merit to the future of our school. — Carlton Johnson and family
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A Moment near Duk-Oh San, in Sosa-Ri
Photo by TaeSeong Taisei Johnson
Recently, our third son (TaeSeong) came to visit from America. He was on his way to a 40-day International Youth Leadership and Spiritual Training workshop at a retreat on Lake CheongPyeong, in Gyeonggi-Do. While out for a ride during his stay at school, we stopped for a moment to take in this view.
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There is something I want to tell you
By Sophomore Lee SoYeon (16th wave domestic)
Everything comes from Nature, even the most synthetic materials from the tip of our fingers. The colors of the flowers, the clearness of the sky, shimmering lights of the sun, solid, calm presence of the moon, and all the other beautiful products of Nature itself gives inspiration to us, human beings. Thus, it is important to realize that the potential power of Nature can overwhelm the whole human civilization, and let us try not to conquer or harm Nature. Following the flow of Nature will bring about developments that secure peace and stability in our lives, which is a compliance to Nature, the great power herself.
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So, Clean up the office air
eco-systems mansei!
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This image and more on Mali Music at Lingk2us.Com
Ain’ t about my past, its about my future…
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