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What is a university supposed to be like? What should a university in which dazzling young people spend the most dynamic time in their lives be for the youth?
The crisis and concern of the university will be to find an answer to this question. Although it has now become a target of criticism, the modern education system of mass production of standardized knowledge was also an answer to the question of the times. It has only reached the end of its life in the era of the revolution of civilization, where individuality, IT and convergent thinking are emphasized. Standardized knowledge is everywhere once you have the access.
The symbol of the era of the revolution of civilization is the considerable growth of unlimited streaming services (OTT) which started from the countryside. OTT is dominating the pivot after driving Hollywood out, as one of them, which was the international center of video and movie distribution in the 20th century. Just like Mongolian cavalry who dominated the world as a marginal nomad, the wave of revolution of civilization is strong and rough.
What are universities supposed to be like in this era, and what should we, the members of Gachon University do? As a professor, it is a question that put pressure on me for a long time. The core of the countless concerns which my brilliant students faced in the classroom, laboratory and in private places, was eventually brought to this question. This writing is a lecture note that summarizes my rambling answers to my students' concerns.
I can’t help but insufficient and incomplete on a lecture note in terms of contents and structure.
However, I hope you to admit my effort trying to put in my love, knowledge and experience.
First, I'd like to start by saying. "University is a place where you build the foundation as a learning of the mind, a health of the body, and a place where you accomplish to complete it to some extent. I'm about to retire, but intellectually and physically, I'm not that far from the university where I spent my 20s. I wrote about our society as a newspaper reporter and continued to study, but I don't think I've deviated from the lifestyle, values, and worldview I acquired in university or achieved greater intellectual growth. It is just that I became a little more wide-minded and deeper thinker. Even back in those days, I liked to read and write something. I can tell it reading what I wrote back then and look back on my memories. University was the most important time for my intellectuality. The same goes for physical health. The physical characteristics that were lacking and weak in those days are maintained till now without much distortion. Things I liked and enjoyed in university life are still around and close to me. What you have to do is to discover and sharpen what you like, what you're good at, and what you want to do. Read a lot of books, meet with renowned professors through e-mail, and if you like traveling, use vacation period to gain experience."
After that, I emphasize on the 'power of questions'. "University is a place to ask questions. The power of the questions comes from the ability to think. And the ability to think starts from knowing how to be skeptical. There is no complete black or white in the world. If someone says something is 100% right, you have to doubt it first. If someone asks me what the color of communication is, as a professor in the Faculty of Media, I define it as 'gray' without a hesitation. It's a huge logical leap, but is the Earth's celestial body drawn with lines of latitude and longitude? Most of what we believe to be immutable in consciousness is the product of human history, which is intertwined with power and interests. You can't be free from change. I am not advising you to be a skeptic or an opportunist, but that a university is a place to develop your ability to think, a time and space for questioners who can freely ask questions. My lecture is no exception."
As a member of Gachon University, I did not forget to mention the pride. I didn't say this with the university ranking in mind or the CSAT grades of enrolled students in the entrance examination academy. "It's enough to be proud of you as a Gachon University student. I think that a prestigious university is an atmosphere of studying that surrounds the entire university. There is such an atmosphere in our Gachon University. The pace of the university's development and the passion you are showing go hand in hand.
BTS is a world-class group. I'm not a researcher on BTS, but everyone has excellent talents, and that is what brought success. It is a necessary condition, but it's not enough. I believe there is an internal competition atmosphere in which each and every member tries not to be a burden to each other in every performance. All seven of them may be genius in terms of music, but there are many geniuses in the world, and not all geniuses can be BTS. The rise and cooperation through competition have to be the driving force of BTS. Their own efforts to maintain their persistence will probably be intense. Competition is tiring, but for our growth, fair competition is inevitable. Classes and libraries being crowded, and the atmosphere of constantly challenging something without fear of failure creates a prestigious university."
What should we do in the university? It is difficult to find answers and solutions, but it is a must-see question. I was always regretting and lacking, but I think I tried to gain hope as a professor. This is because it is a university path that Gachon people can make together. This is my last lecture note with the earnestness of a professor who is about to leave from university.
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▲ Dept of. Media & Communication department
Prof. Yang seung hyun
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