Warning of ‘abnormal family photos’ (rediscovery of culture)

We introduce knowledge and culture content from experts that appeared in the pages of the newspaper over the past week.
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1. See the pain behind the fake happiness, warning of ‘abnormal family photos’

In ‘The Vegetarian’ by Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang, a woman quietly goes crazy. The novel raises the topic of why the main character is going crazy and what makes her crazy, and then unfolds the violent experiences she has gone through. Kim Young-min, a professor at Seoul National University, analyzes that the main character of ‘The Vegetarian’ was oppressed by demands for normality. The ‘need for normality’ is no exception, not only in society but also within the family, which should be the most intimate and private. Let’s listen to the thoughts of Professor Kim Young-min, who unraveled the story behind fake happiness through ‘Abnormal Family Photo’.

Click on the link below to view the full article.
https://www.donga.com/news/article/all/20241110/130398764/2

2. The power of ‘agon’, a competition that promotes mutual development beyond the dichotomy of friend or foe

Look at the people around you. Don’t you unconsciously divide yourself into those who are close to you and those who are far from you? Perhaps it is human nature to distinguish between friends and enemies. Ancient philosophers also contributed thoughts about distinguishing friends from enemies. Plato stated in ‘The Republic’ that ‘justice is excellence in doing good to friends and harm to enemies.’ But dividing everyone into enemies and friends is exhausting. It is said that the solution to breaking the long-standing dichotomy that has existed since ancient times can be found in the Greek principle of competition, agon.

Click on the link below to view the full article.
https://www.donga.com/news/article/all/20241111/130406771/2

3. JP Morgan, the ‘banker’s banker’ who sowed the seeds of the US central bank

In this US presidential election, issues related to the ‘Fed’, or the US Federal Reserve System (Fed), were also hot. This is because Donald Trump, who was elected as the 47th President of the United States, caused controversy by saying that he would directly intervene in the Federal Reserve’s decision-making and lower interest rates. The Federal Reserve, which is responsible for managing inflation, has enormous influence on the world economy. But you know what? It is said that before the establishment of the Federal Reserve, in the United States, one individual actually served as the central bank. This is John Pierpont Morgan, known as the world’s largest bank ‘JP Morgan’.

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