For South Korea specifically, I've found the motivation of my 80 year old Korean grandparents to return back very interesting. Personally not knowing an adequate amount of history surrounding Korea, I would've figured that they would feel an intense detachment from what "modern" Korea is -- an internationally prosperous, highly American-influenced nation. However, this section highlights how the pre-existing, strong identity felt within Korea has allowed it to remain culturally consistent/constant, and therefor comfortable.

The described struggle between the "inner self" and "outer world" was frequently the subject of my recent GSEM course "What is Black Art?" Specifically, we discussed the photographer Lorna Simpson, who's work was interpreted/critiqued very simplistically due to her being a black woman. The intentions of the artist, and her inner self/artistic identity were at odds with the social "rules and norms" surrounding how black female artists (and non-artists alike) are allowed to express themselves.

I've considered this idea of "cultural empathy" a lot in my personal life, having grown up with grandparents from Korea. They carry with them, through their trauma from growing up, many (superficially irrational) prejudices and hatred. I've had to rationalize their views through empathy, through understanding how emotions and trauma factor into their worldview.

I agree very deeply with this idea. I have been critical of patriotism and nationalism for this very reason -- why have an influx of pride (and a corresponding prejudice against others) based on uncontrollable aspects of identity?

The ability to produce echo-chambers through use of modern mass media forms (social media) has redefined the manners which people approach acquiring "'the examined life.'" I believe a course just as valuable as "'education for citizenship'" would be some form of social media awareness topic taught (though perhaps sooner than university) in schools.

I agree with this argument. I believe this agreement was influenced by my own educational history, being that I've studied Spanish in school since kindergarten and how extraordinarily liberal my area in Seattle was. I believe through an education in "the humanities," a greater (albeit oftentimes superficial) understanding of the complexity, contrasts, and variability of cultures are attained.

Upon completing the reading, I understand how prominently language plays into the capitalistic economies described. Appealing to consumers plays a definitive role in maximizing sales, and in turn, "profit." In order to maximize an audience, the seller must have the ability to cater to multiple, differing, groups. In the realm of literature, language plays the most immediate and recognizable role in deciding what the consumer can consume.

This quote reminds me of the reading "An Introduction to Globalization" from last Thursday's class, in which they describe how "mass media" was able to "radically compress time and space." (Campbell, p. 9) It seems that Protestantism, enabled by the non-traditional use of the German language, was able to strike a mass market of consumers. This mass appeal and accessibility shortened the time expected for the scope of the spread of Protestant messaging.