tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post4123725362267150779..comments2024-02-23T23:53:54.842+09:00Comments on Gusts Of Popular Feeling: Butting inmatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296009437690229938noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-89071917162678016512008-02-17T23:26:00.000+09:002008-02-17T23:26:00.000+09:00Thanks for replying.I realize I was also a bit sna...Thanks for replying.<BR/><BR/>I realize I was also a bit snarky in my reply, and went a little too far regarding 'butting out'. As I said you were right to criticize the post, and it stands as a reminder to not just put a post together when it's late and I'm tired. It's too bad, as it could have been worthwhile, but I thought it was so strange when I saw them using an actual funeral ritual (for people) to mourn the loss of a building. The better question would have been to ask if there have been other occasions when funeral rituals have been used for something other than a person. And there's certainly something that could be written about how Namdaemun has perhaps come to 'personify' Korean history. <BR/><BR/><EM>Relatively speaking, mourning is such a noble thing, as there really isn't any tangible thing to be gained from doing it. Considering the rat race for cash and prestige that is modern South Korea, a public expression of this variety should be celebrated, not mocked.</EM><BR/><BR/>That is a really good point. I guess the same could be said for the street cheering during the World Cup (in that there's no tangible gain), but they really are coming from very different sources (perhaps nationalism (in part) for the world cup and patriotism for Namdaemun). It would be interesting to compare the two (I have a lengthy post about the world cup cheering that has been sitting unfinished for a year and a half). <BR/><BR/>As for your questioning of my "best thing to happen to Namdaemun" comment, good points. I need to be more precise. How about this:<BR/><BR/>The burning of and near-total destruction of Namdaemun is best thing that has happened to [a prominent ancient Korean building] since the dawn of the media era - as far as its place in the public imagination is concerned[, and in its potential to precipitate measures that will prevent such a thing from happening again.]<BR/><BR/>Maybe that's better? Obviously, I don't want to see anymore monuments go up in flames.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting and creating a dialogue - it's certainly helped me clarify my thoughts. And thanks for the compliments - this is one of the most encouraging comments I've received.matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10296009437690229938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-47190337752289645692008-02-17T00:03:00.000+09:002008-02-17T00:03:00.000+09:00On "butting in..."First of all, an apology for bei...On "butting in..."<BR/><BR/>First of all, an apology for being rather intemperate (And a bit drunk... and sleepy. That was wrong of me) in my first comment. I was worked up because of the nature and target of your criticism - namely, what seemed to be a rather arrogant and condescending attack on mourners. <BR/><BR/>Relatively speaking, mourning is such a noble thing, as there really isn't any tangible thing to be gained from doing it. Considering the rat race for cash and prestige that is modern South Korea, a public expression of this variety should be celebrated, not mocked.<BR/><BR/>That said, there is certainly room for critique in such a spectacle, especially if the media does their ridiculous thing and/or politicians use the mourning site as a means of extracting gain. Looking back, I see that it was the media you were trying to skewer, but with out the proper precision, it sure did look like you were taking potshots at common folk who had the temerity to feel deeply for something that you had judged was not worthy of deep feeling. That's mean... and coming from someone who is otherwise so intelligent and humane, it came off as very elitist. So, I guess I was both angry and disappointed.<BR/><BR/>Finally, as to the questions of "butting out." I think you grasped too tightly to that point and tried to turn a specific admonishment into a general one, because it allowed you to avoid the real critique of being elitist and lacking in "fellow feeling." <BR/><BR/>I meant for you to butt out of their mourning. You were sticking your nose in between their bows and Sungnyemun, into that sacred, charged space, and basically laughing and blowing raspberries. It was the butting into their intimate space that I took issue with... not the foreign/korean thing - basic human rudeness, not foreign rudeness. I raised the foreign issue only to try and press upon you the fact of maintaining some sense of common politeness in understanding where the mourners where coming from, since yours was obviously a different context than theirs. This isn't to negate your right to criticize in total.<BR/><BR/>Anyways, sorry to be the nastiest comment ever, but your post was the nastiest post I've ever seen on an otherwise fantastic and <I>caring</I> blog. The care you've shown to catalogue and document the destruction of Korea's past is proof that you have a sensitivity towards space and place. The sudden lack thereof was shocking, and in my drunken righteousness, I felt the need to lash out, touched as I had been by the sincerity of the mourners. <BR/><BR/>Thanks as always for your blogging and for replying with such gusto to my original nasty-gram.<BR/><BR/>p.s. if this is really the "best thing" to have happened to SN-mun, by that logic, would random arson of ancient works be the best course of action for someone who cares about inspiring greater recognition/appreciation of korea's traditional art/architecture? or was this a one-off, and the next act of destruction will indeed be a "bad thing" for the edifice in question?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com