총 28페이지

HUFSan?s Voice
society adapt to change, the rules and traditions of
expected,ifnotexactlyideal.However,evenrelatively
relationships that once held strong have begun to lose
liberal institutions like universities partially showcase
their omnipotence in the social realm of order. This
theirreluctancetochangeduetotheirunwillingnessto
holds especially true in educational environments,
strayfromtradition.ThisbringsmebacktotheDept.
namely colleges, as these institutions are among the
of Vietnamese. Opposition towards a hierarchy based
most liberal and are greatly influenced by the young
ontheyearofentranceishighamongHUFSans.Most
generations of students. Though it would be wrong
universities,includingourveryown,haveimplemented
to fully deny the legitimacy of vertical hierarchy in
an age-based system for years. And many more agree
Korean relationships, many believe that the basis
that students want a system where they do not have
should be age, rather than one’s position in a certain
to be oppressed by the pillars of tradition, a system
group or society in general. For one, the concept of
wheretheirrighttolivefreefromneedlesshierarchyis
ageholdsaspecialplaceinKoreansociety.Duetothe
protected.Andyet,despitethefactthattheoddsseem
honorific nature of our society, a vertical relationship
to be stacked against them, the Dept. of Vietnamese
based on age is universally accepted and honored
insistsonmaintainingitscurrentstatusquo.Therefore,
among all Koreans. Furthermore, an arrangement
thebestconclusionthatIcancomeupwithisthatthis
based on position has great potential to threaten the
decision was made based on the belief that tradition
social fabric that holds a group together. While age is
is more important than actual effectiveness and
considered to be a justifiable standard of respect, the
efficiency.
position that one holds in a group usually takes much
Of course, the Dept. of Vietnamese may have a
less standing, and many consider it to be demeaning
very convincing argument in favor of their system
and insensitive. Such a system also has the potential
that I am not currently aware of. If this is the case,
to create an excessively strict environment, where
I will admit that I have used the wrong example for
a needlessly powerful hierarchy infringes upon the
this article. And even if I may be right to question
rightsofthegroupmembers.Forexample,Wonkwang
the purpose of insisting on the continuation of what
University’s Dept. of Physical Education, which
seemstobeaflawedsystem,Ihavenorightorpower
implementsahierarchybasedontheyearofentrance,
toforcechange.Norisituptothemanyoutsidevoices
was under fire a few years ago for excessively
showing support or contempt for the system. Rather,
infringing on the basic human rights of its students.
it is up to the students of the Dept. of Vietnamese to
Of course, the cause and effect relationship of ‘a
make a decision, as it is ultimately a matter that only
position-based hierarchy’ and ‘rights infringement’ is
concerns their own future, and they will know what’s
unclear. But the fact of the matter is that when such
bestforthemselves.Butresistingchangeisnotthebest
infringementsoccur,aposition-basedsystemisusually
option when it is hard to justify. Though preserving
itsaccomplice.
tradition is honorable and is no doubt valuable, it
That is being said, many institutions still resist such
must not be done so to such an extent that the risk
change. One of the most common reasons behind
of stagnation will be high. After all, there is little
this is the need to maintain tradition. Not only is
valueinmaintainingalegacythathaslostitsoriginal
breaking from tradition considered a taboo in many
purpose.Fromthis,Icanseethatkeepingtraditionfor
social institutions, but maintaining tradition usually
tradition’ssakeissomethingthatlosesitstruepurpose
correlates to the prestige of an institution. Therefore,
overtime,butironicallygainsextrinsicvalueoverthe
institutions that have always stuck to a position-
same period. Though the value that it seems to bring
based hierarchy would be reluctant to change their
may look great from the outside, the actual value that
system unless an extreme form of justification or
it brings may be much smaller than initially thought.
outsidepressureforcesthemtodootherwise.Usually,
Therefore,itismyhopethattheDept.ofVietnamese,
conservative institutions like large companies or
and other institutions implementing similar systems,
political bodies are the ones that value such tradition
reevaluate the value and merit of making position,
the most. Due to the large size and business-oriented
ratherthanage,thedeciderofthings.
nature of these groups, such an attitude may be
brskh184@hufs.ac.kr
23
APRIL 2017

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