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.

Reflection#3. Forms of domination and marginalization

     Since the creation of the society, people tended to form their own tribes with people who have similar ideologies and beliefs. In addition, the democratic thought of valuing majority, where disregarding the minorities, allowed people to form dominance and marginalize the minorities. As a consequence, people tended to objectify, exploit, subordinate, and oppress others who have marginalized or different thought, beliefs, and ideologies with them. These four(4) forms of domination and marginalization can normally  be observed in our daily lives. 

OBJECTIFICATION

     This form of domination and marginalization is usually observed. I have experienced objectification from my parents. Their thoughts and beliefs have not met with my beliefs and thoughts. This difference made them to consider themselves as dominant ones and myself as a marginalized one. With the different perspective of defining the term 'success', the expectation from my parents on academic performance was really high so that I felt that they consider me as a machine that could do whatever they wish. Moreover, they crammed their beliefs on me regardless of my strong dissent.

     The objectification did not only occur from my parents. Since I am also one of human beings, I have experienced objectifying the others. As a man, I tended to define the woman with her feature/appearance. I tended to objectify woman as a thin and weak ones. Once they gain weight, I never considered them as a woman. This kind of objectification of most men made most women to get liposuction and have compulsive idea on diet. 

EXPLOITATION


SUBORDINATION
     Subordination is the process where the subjects are placed below and at the disposal of other subjects. Living in a Confucianism society in Korea, I have a lot of experience being subordinated and subordinate the others. Most subordination processes, however, occur in military service.
     The person superior than me have the authority and power to rule over me. This kind of authority or power that is rendered to them allows them to think that they are superior than the subordinate. As a result, the superior tends to abuse his power for his own benefits. This kind of bad custom, however, is passed down to next superiors. As a result, the cycle starts again. Even though I experienced some bad customs and thought myself not to do to next subordinate, I tended to practice this bad custom to next subordinates.

Reflection#2. Concept map for personal politics: who exercises power over me and to whom do I exercise power?

     The chart indicates the power relation around me. Those who mostly exercise power over me were my parents. They exercise direct power over me and I respect and accept their control and power. The decisions that have been made by my parents were mostly followed. My aunts and uncles do not have direct access to exercise their power over me. On the contrary, their indirect control and exercise of power through my parents also affect me and I also follow their advice and decisions. The only family member that I have considered as having similar position was my older sister. Even though she is older than me, we have almost equal range of power toward one another. I sometimes accept the power over me from my sister but I sometimes deny it. That's the reason why several quarrel occur between me and my sister.

     Friends and vice president in my informal club were also had similar influence with one another. Most of us have similar influence and power over one another. The members of the informal group, on the other hand, have no power over me rather only accept my decision through which my power has been exercised. At all times, the members accept my decision and advice. Moreover, they have never questioned my influence over them. The last but not the least group was my subordinate during my military service. At all times, my subordinates accepted all of my decisions and blindly followed my command. Furthermore, this kind of incident also happens through the whole chain of command.

     From this activity that I have made, I was able to indicate those people who have exercised the power over me and to whom I am exercising power. By indicating this fact, I could find out that how chain of command is created in our daily lives and how our decision is affected by other people. Moreover, the activity allowed me to reconsider that we, human beings, are political animals and the society is existing to allow us to express our instincts, exercising power.

Reflection#1 Power: Self Access and Control Profile

     All people potentially have power within themselves and these powers tend to come out only in some contexts. Power can be divided into two categories; ascribed and acquired. Sex and ethnicity are ascribed power while decision on religion and political stance are acquired power.

     Two approaches to the analysis have been mentioned in the class; reputational and decisional. Since reputational analysis put more importance on the reputation of people, the person who is really exercising the power might be different from what people have recited. Therefore, the decisional approach which identifies those who have power and analyzes the conflict would be much more accurate and preferable.

     Throughout three steps of dimensions of power, three steps for exercising the power were elaborated. In first dimension, power was only implemented through the speech or conversation. In second, the threat on the process of exercising power hesitated one to implement the power. In this dimension, power along the physical threat has blocked the contestation at the very beginning. The third dimension totally changes one’s consciousness and makes them believe that is true. The person in this dimension is totally controlled without any conflict with the person implementing the power. The religious fanatics and Nazis could be the best example in third dimension.

<Movie 'Borderland' depicts religious fanatics>

<Nazis were unconscious about their vices>

                                   

Resource Access and Control Profile

Resources	Household Members
	Father	Mother	Sister	Me
Productive
1.   Company	C	A	A	A
2.   Kindergarten	A	C	A	A
3.   Farm	C	C	A	A
Reproductive
1.   Car	C	A	A	A
2.   House	C	A	A	A
3.   TV	C	C	A	A
4.   Computer	C	C	A	A
5.   Sofa	C	C	A	A
6.   Guitar	A	A	A	C
7.   Piano	A	A	C	A
8.   Mobile phone	C	C	C	C
9.   Bed	C	C	A	A
10. Closet	C	C	A	A
11. Refrigerator	C	C	A	A

     All productive resources in my household are controlled by my parents. I and my sister only have access to them. For reproductive resources, there was no big difference. Almost all listed items are controlled by my parents. I only have control over my guitar and mobile phone. I am able to access or use other items but have no control over them.

Decision-Making Access and Control Profile

Decision-Making Issues	Household Members
	Father	Mother	Sister	Me
Related to Productive Activity
1.   Where to invest the money?	C	C
2.   Which stock option to buy?	C	A
3.   Which bank to use for higher interest rate?	C	C
4.   Which land estate to acquire?	C	C
Related to Reproductive Activity
1.   Which school should the children enroll in?	C	C	A	A
2.   Where to eat for dinner?	C	C	A	A
3.   Which place to go for vacation?	C	C	A	A
4.   What movies to watch?	C	C	A	A
5.   Which hospital to go for medical examination?	C	C	A	A
Related to Community-Management
1.   Who to vote?	C	C	C	C
2.   Who will clean the neighborhood?	C	C	A	A
3.   Which social club to join?	C	C	C	C

     I and my sister have neither the ability to control or to access on decision making when it comes to productive activity. All decision-making issues are controlled by my parents and my sister and I have ability to express our thoughts on the reproductive activity matters. Since my family members are all adults, they all have the ability to control their own decision-making related to community-management such as election. 

Benefits and Burdens Access and Control Profile

Benefits and Burdens	Household Members
	Father	Mother	Sister	Me
Benefits
1.   Income	C	C	C	A
2.   Internet access	C	C	A	A
3.   Credit card	C	C	A
Burdens
1.   Paying association dues	C	C
2.   Insurance fees	C	C	A
3.   Paying credit card bills	C	C	A
4.   Paying electricity and water bills	C	C	A	A
5.   Paying tuition fees	C	C	A

     In benefits and burdens access and control profile, my parents have control over all benefits and burdens. Even my sister has a control over her own income. On the contrary, I have no ability to control any benefits or burdens. Furthermore, I have least ability to access on burdens. 

Positionality Assessment Profile

Aspect of Identity	Are you in control?
Lifestyle	Yes
Religion	No
Course	Yes
Political Ideology	Yes
Sports	Yes
Fashion	Yes
Diet	No
School	Yes

     Despite of few abilities to control among the family members, I felt that I am controlling my own aspects of identity.