Headline May 29, 2017/ ''' *SOUTH* KOREA'S SUNTAN* '''

''' *SOUTH* KOREA'S SUNTAN* '''

ON SAM DAILY TIMES : ''THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS ''  The great students of South Korea honor the  *world of readership and support*  to !WOW!...... by being........ 29th? 

Somewhat   -terribly frustrated, at many recent happenings. And they are now looking for change to a better set of opportunities and future. Elsewhere, the world over-

The great students of America, India, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany, Argentina, Canada, Philippines, Russia, Poland, Holland, Turkey, Bangladesh, Siri Lanka, Singapore, Taiwan, Afghanistan, Iran-  hold their breath and watch-

The great students of *Proud Pakistan* squirm in defiance in this  *Age Of Rage*   and go sit on the fence.  What we do know from past wisdom is that striking poses gets no-one,  no-where. *You have to join the struggle*.   

*In Age of Anger : A History of the Present*   Pankaj Mishra asserts, to a paradoxical upsurge in demagogues spouting to the masses of those easy answers that they craved.

Just as the  18th century Rationalism was soon overlaid by Romanticism's passion or Barrack Obama's prevarication on Syria was succeeded by Donald Trump's impulsive pugilism-

The cold certainties of  global capital are being superseded by a rejection of experts in favour of  ''feelings and hunches''.

According to Mishra, not withstanding the enlightenment's optimism about the  'progress'  and the man perfectibility, modernisation has amounted merely to capitalism and freedom to little more than free markets.

In such a ruthlessly materialistic climate, anger has a terrible ''incendiary appeal''.

Mishra asseverates that the fury of our age cuts across culture and finds more purchase amongst the middle-classes than those at the bottom of the terrible pile.

Social media allows anger to be amplified still further, as demonstrated by the emerging analyses of fake news and the development of self-reinforcing echo chambers.

Befitting a highly stratified society, there are three levels in the South Korean version     -wealthy  ''gold spoons''   born to rich families,  ''silver spoons''  who enjoy the support of  comfortably-off parents.-

And  ''dirt spoons''  from low-income families with no hope of social advancement, whatsoever.

The mounting economic and social frustrations were underlying drivers of the giant  anti-corruption protests last year, when  millions of  South Koreans took to the streets to demand President Park GeunHye's removal.

She was sacked by the country's top court in March, triggering some Tuesdays ago to vote, and now those in their 20s and 30s   -who made the largest slice of the demonstrators   -want their votes to bring about tangible change.

''The presidential election was brought on by the people so it is more meaningful,'' said I Gyeong-Eun a  22 year-old student at Hanyang University.

''Voting is essential but it doesn't stop there. It will only be the very beginning.''

Under 30s normally have the lowest votes turnout of any South Korean age group, but Gallop Korea survey shows an astonishing 93 per cent saying they will ''definitely vote''.

NO SOLUTION :   *Students/Youth were at the core* of the anti-Park protests, said Koo Jeong Woo, a  sociology professor at SungKyunkwan University, and had  ''an underlying yearning for change in society's unjust systems''.

At the time, Frontrunner Moon Jae-in of the centre left Democratic Party. who held an overwhelming lead in opinion polls. has promised a ''people-centered economy'' and vowed to create 810,000 new jobs-

Mostly in the public sector, with about a third allotted to younger applicants.

His rival  Ahn Cheol Soo has promised to hand out monthly subsidies of around  500,000  won  [US$ 440]  to young employees of small and medium sized companies in an effort to match the wages of larger firms.

But some are skeptical that the election will provide any remedies to the underlying issues.

''The problem is that none of the candidates has laid out  a clear solution to their problems,'' said Hahn Kyu-Sup, a Communications Professor at Seoul National University.

Student I Gyeong-Eun   has organized debates at her school to dissect candidates pledges in an effort to determine who best serves their interests without success.

''It seems the candidates are more focused on bringing each other down,'' she said.''I get the feeling that policies on youth haven't been discussed in depth.''

Days before the vote she had still not decided who to back.

    

President Moon Jae-in, 64, Democratic Party. Former Human Rights Lawyer, left leaning won the elections:

.- He was narrowly beaten in 2012 presidential election.

.

- He supports continued sanctions on North Korea.

.- As President he would be willing to visit to Pyongyang to defuse tensions.

.- Opposes any first strike by the US.

  

To sum up on  Anger and Rage,  one finds it, ..... banal, world destroying effect, which erases the Other and prolongs the present.  The stark reality is 'The modern West cannot be distinguished from its apparent enemies.''

Many thanks, Pankaj Mishra, for his splendid reasoning and to Professor Claire Chambers/ York University.

With respectful dedication to the Leaders, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world. See Ya all on !WOW!   -the World Students Society and Twitter-!E-WOW!   -the Ecosystem 2011:

''' !Sam Daily Times! '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless