Reflection#4. My Way not Right Way

     As food chain exists among the animals, power relation/chain also exists among the people. Some people consider them as powerful than the other while some people consider them as being ruled or governed. Even those powerful people that we could think of, such as president, king/queen, or CEO, are also affected or advised by other people.

     I also have experience on wielding power over some people but, at the same time, I was also ruled or governed by some others. I did not resist all the times when I found struggle on their authority over me. I, however, tried my best to resist their form of resistance and decide freely with my own beliefs. Instead of reacting violently with force, I tried my best to control my emotion and form ordinary forms of resistance such as ignorance, parody, and bricolage. What I usually utilized among these were ignorance and collective action.

MY WAY NOT RIGHT WAY!

     What most usual people mistakenly think is that taking the safe and right way would fulfill their family, society, and, of course, themselves. I consider this kind of thought as a mistake. Within a democratic society that we live in, the power of the majority could not be ignored. On the other hand, no standard or beliefs should be made due to the opinions of majority.

     Recently, new state head has been elected in South Korea. Prior to the presidential election, general election was also held on April 2012. In both election, Saenuri-dang, or conservative party, has won for the head of executive branch and majority seats in Congress. From this result, we could also assume that majority of Koreans consider themselves as conservative.

<collective action could bring bigger power>

<collective action for minority for their rights>

     Regardless of the opinions of the majority, I consider my self as progressive and liberal minded person which only forms minority in South Korea. Even though some conservatives curse at me due to political difference, I easily ignore their opinion because  what one wants can be different from others. In this regard, I do not argue with anyone because of different political or religious issues. Its one's right to choose their own beliefs. Despite of small number of liberals in South Korea, I participated online electoral campaign for liberal camp in the Philippines. Although the conservatives won the election, I do not regret what I have done for liberal camp, because I believe that our collective action to speak the opinions of minority, somehow, affected the perspective of conservatives. The experience as a campaign promoter was a valuable one for me because it allowed me to reconsider about the power of the minority on forming the resistance. Such a small step that I have took from this experience might bring bigger resistance as a collective action in the future.