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It's already been 36 years since I worked at Gachon University, and the school has changed completely from 36 years ago. Almost all traces of the early days have been erased, and when I look at the campus on the highway in front of the school, I feel magnificent.
One day in May 1980, all universities nationwide were closed due to emergency martial law. Because of this, there was an unwanted holiday, so I went on a trip with my friends. On the way by train, the old man sitting next to me asked, "How old are you guys?" At that time, we were just discharged from the military and returned to school, so we were about 25-6 years old. He smiled, saying, "You're young, but time goes by quickly."
At that time, I casually listened to this story, but now that I am 60 years old, I often tell this story while explaining the importance of time management and life strategies to students during class.
As you get older, dreams and hopes gradually disappear. It's really hard to find the dreams and hopes you want in a series of daily lives that are always repeated like a squirrel's wheel.
The job threshold, which has narrowed since the IMF crisis, has not been resolved so far, so college students are immersed in preparing for employment without being allowed to have other dreams. When you were in high school, you couldn't afford to think differently because of college entrance exams, and now you're despairing over the dark reality rather than enjoying the romance and dreams of college due to the increased employment difficulties.
Students of Gachon University also expressed their opinions on political and social issues to the extent that there were students who committed suicide against the irrationalities of authoritarian regimes and society in the past. However, the current students do not seem to pay attention at all unless it is a matter related to employment, as the composition of the student council itself has been canceled due to low turnout.
One poet said, "If you're over 40, you don't look strange even if you're listed on these crimes, such as assault, breach of trust, embezzlement, and sexual harassment," which is a very sharp point for older generations to naturally become insensitive to justice or social issues and only care about life-related issues.
A life that has become poorer and tougher than in the past makes it impossible for young people to think or design other dreams. All of this is the responsibility of the older generation. If young people fail to make dreams, the future of our society will only be bleak.
Currently, each political party is electing candidates in conjunction with the presidential election in March next year. Compared to the past years, absolute poverty seems to have been resolved to some extent, but the relative poverty problem seems to have become more solid. Relative poverty problems double social anxiety. This leads to a sense of relative deprivation, and this sense of deprivation also makes people deny the fair price of work. These things gathered and acted as anxiety in society, and because of this anxiety, there is no room for romance on campus. Therefore, I just hope that a person who can solve the problem of relative poverty and solve the problem of non-regular workers will become the president so that we can talk about various life plans.
I look forward to the dreams and hopes of Gachon University students in full bloom like cherry blossoms in the pinwheel garden next spring.
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▲ Dept of.
Business Administration
Prof. Young Kee Kim
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