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Loss of school authority, random knife violence: unbelievable events unfolded in our local communities in 2023. Under the guise of one's beliefs and ideologies, more incidents are causing indelible scars and haunting memories for many. Seeing such news, it strikes me that there are indeed many people who simply cannot comprehend the happenings in our world today. In a world where unbelievable things occur, what attitude should we adopt to navigate through it?
I commute using the Suin-Bundang Line. Until recently, I thought that as long as I was on the subway, people around me wouldn't harm one another. However, random crimes have altered my usual life. Social media is filled with murder threats as routine, and armed police stand alert for incidents that might happen anytime, anywhere. The media points fingers at 'problems in the law,' 'suspects with mental issues,' questioning the justice system and personal tendencies.
As a videography major, I often take freelance filming assignments. One autumn day, while walking with a colleague to work, passing by an elementary school in Seocho-dong, Seoul, my colleague calmly said, "This is Seo-yi Elementary School." In his composed tone, I saw the desensitized face of a citizen to societal issues. Simultaneously, it hinted at how a teacher, unable to withstand malicious complaints from students’ parents, quietly took a place in our minds. Though my colleague spoke softly, his words were powerful and clear.
For him, Seo-yi Elementary School wasn't just a site of a regrettable incident; it was a fissure in daily life. The rupture he felt wasn't just someone's death; it was a death caused by someone. It was a fracture that wasn't small by any means.
The world is brimming with incomprehensible people and incidents. These are becoming increasingly closer to our lives, unavoidable even when we seek to evade them. Events that offer no joy persistently dominate the news. Repeated deaths and accidents instill unknown pressure and fear in citizens like me, my colleagues, and our friends. In the abyss of this despair, how do we mend the ruptures in our lives?
I believe that 'memory' is most crucial. Amidst the reporting of terrible crimes that are hard to witness, advocating for remembering isn't a leap. It's not about remembering the process of incidents but about remembering the pain and suffering of the victims. It's about taking interest in those affected by random crimes, being careful not to push people into the abyss of self-inflicted harm that victims of the 'random crime' face.
I think it's a way to relieve stress from the pressures of 'random crime,' a stress that fills our chaotic world and societal sections. We need an attitude of caution and attention toward others. When saying goodbye or conversing with family, friends, or colleagues, we need a moment of thoughtfulness. Let's love and cherish ourselves and others. Isn't this how we should live, even if it requires such efforts?
Interdependent Origination, a Buddhist concept stating, "All phenomena arise dependent on multiple causes and conditions," teaches us that each person is an individual with their own life, a component of my life. As we are precious and important for one another, let's cherish and love each other. The more chaotic the world becomes, let's become citizens who protect and worry about each other. Even in a world where the social section of news is brimming with crimes, if you and I become each other's support, we can withstand and move forward. Let's wish each other a good day today. < Copyright © The Gachon Herald All rights reserved > |
