YEOJUNG

Keywords: Immersive art/ multisensory experience/ positive mode change & relaxation.

Background:

[Outline: Mood in the digital age – challenges, the influence of digital environment; how can we improve mood; exploring immersive art as a potential intervention modality; therefore, this study will explore whether an immersive art piece providing a multisensory experience can enhance mood.]

Digital world → affects our mood.

The modern media environment exposes us to so many stimuli that it’s hard for us to connect with a plot easily. This is supported by research on dopamine. Dr Anna Lemki of Stanford University suggests a dopamine fast, arguing that any behavioural addiction we have has consequences for our brains and that the plasticity of the brain allows us to recover to some extent.

The potential of immersive art.

Over the last decade, immersive art has been developing and evolving, with many emerging exhibition spaces and experiences. However, at present, the applications of immersive art have been limited, for example to providing beautiful backdrops for selfies, being viewed much like traditional art, or being accessible only to those who can afford to pay.

However, recent literature points to the potential of immersive art as an intervention to influence emotions and well-being outcomes. Therefore, it may be possible to apply the digital environment of immersive art to enhance mood and provide a relaxing experience, rather than the overstimulating experience of most digital media.

The current research will therefore employ an immersive art exhibition as an intervention to enhance mood. Specifically, through this exhibition, I would like to explore the theme of communication through immersive art and explore the elements that allow us to communicate with ourselves, with the artwork, and with society.

Aim: Exploring the possibility of improving mood through an immersive art experience.

Final product?: Immersive art piece using multi-sensory experiences.

Method: Testing with the target audience; participants will complete a questionnaire before and after entering the installation space; the experience will last 10-15 minutes; prior to viewing the art, participants will be asked to undergo dopamine detox. 

In the first intervention, the audience will be presented with individual experiences and installations to centrally understand how our sensory experiences bring about emotional changes.

After getting participants’ feedback from the first intervention, the second phase of the exhibition will include experiential 3D mapping of everyday spaces and an attempt to seed fond memories of systems that trigger emotions in us through participation in new experiences.

Questionnaire/interview/focus groups: Mood, emotions, how they feel before and after the experiences (phase 1 and phase 2), feedback on art pieces (phase 1). 

State measures – immediate responses to an intervention.

Trait measures – dispositional/general measures of how a person usually is/long-term/over time.

Measures of emotion: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756702/

Other ideas:

Creativity is crucial in finding solutions to many daily problems. Creativity stems from a positive mood and a balanced state of mind.

However, for the majority of people, it seems difficult to break out of the mechanistic mindset of Descartes’ “I think; therefore, I am” that remains in our consciousness. In other words, critical thinking, rather than feeling, is prioritised in the existing literature. 

In contrast, neuroscientist Damasio argues that body-based emotions are the essence of consciousness. Therefore, I am me because I feel. Emotions play a role beyond what has been identified, and the power of art, which has not been easy to prove scientifically, is also attributed to the visual stimuli that create emotions.

The behaviours that transform us come from our emotions, not from our disciplined and controlled thoughts. If you think that discipline and control work, it’s probably because you’re using the emotion of fear in a confused way.

Our senses feel the way our brain interprets reasoning. The same phenomenon is remembered by each individual with their own internal narrative system, and all memories are stored using language. This is why we can look at the same artwork, yet have different interpretations and feel different emotions.

1. How can advertising promote mental well-being while adhering to ethical guidelines and commercial objectives?
2. How can advertising campaigns be designed to foster positive body image across diverse cultures and social groups?
3. How can the effectiveness of advertising in promoting healthy narratives be accurately measured and evaluated?
4. How can advertising balance the commercial interests of companies with the need to present responsible and healthy messages to consumers?
5. How can advertising agencies collaborate with health and educational institutions to create campaigns that align with societal values and public health goals?
6. How can the advertising industry develop universal standards for planting healthy narratives that respect various cultural perceptions?
7. How can advertising strategies integrate with other social factors, such as education and community initiatives, to create a holistic approach to promoting healthy narratives?
8. How can advertisers ensure that promoting healthy narratives does not lead to unintentional manipulation or coercion of the audience?
9. How can interdisciplinary research in advertising, psychology, and ethics be structured to develop a cohesive methodology for promoting healthy narratives?
10. How can advertising be used to specifically address and improve mental health stigma while considering cultural nuances and individual differences?
11. How can advertising campaigns be tailored to different age groups to promote healthy lifestyles and self-perception, recognizing each demographic’s unique needs and perceptions?
12. How can the impact of advertising on promoting healthy narratives be continuously monitored and adjusted to align with evolving societal norms and values?
13. How can the advertising industry foster collaboration and transparency with regulators, academics, and the public to ensure alignment with the goal of planting healthy narratives?
14. How can advertising campaigns incorporate scientific evidence and expert insights to create well-informed messages that promote healthy behaviours and attitudes?
15. How can technology and social media be leveraged within advertising to create personalized and meaningful engagements that promote healthy narratives?
16. How can advertising strategies be developed to empower individuals to make informed decisions rather than merely influencing them towards specific behaviours or attitudes?
17. How can advertising for food and wellness products be standardized to ensure that messages align with scientifically backed health guidelines?
18. How can gender-sensitive advertising be designed to promote healthy narratives without reinforcing stereotypes or biases?
19. How can advertising that targets vulnerable populations, such as children or those with health conditions, be regulated to ensure that it supports overall well-being?
20. How can case studies and best practices in advertising for healthy narratives be documented, shared, and utilized for continuous improvement in the field?
21. How can digital platforms and social media be responsibly used to foster positive community engagement and mood enhancement?
22. How can multi-sensory art experiences be designed to positively influence people’s mood and emotional well-being?
23. How can music therapy be utilized to facilitate positive mood changes in individuals with stress or anxiety disorders?
24. How can urban planning and architecture incorporate natural elements to promote positive mood changes among city residents?
25. How can schools and workplaces implement mindfulness practices to improve mood and increase productivity?
26. How can community-based social activities be designed to enhance interpersonal connections and lead to positive mood changes?
27. How can personalized healthcare interventions be developed to target and improve mood disorders using a holistic approach?
28. How can nutrition and dietary guidelines be optimized to support mental health and promote positive mood changes?
29. How can advertising and media promote positive mental attitudes and mood shifts without contributing to unrealistic expectations or stress?
30. How can public transportation and city infrastructure be reimagined to reduce daily stressors and contribute to positive mood changes?

Throughout my life, I never thought of myself as an Asian woman. This may sound very strange, but I was born and raised in a mono-ethnic country. As such, I didn’t have a strong concept of race and didn’t perceive other people through the filter of race. It is also possible that my “I am what I am” attitude arose from the mentality of my generation – we refuse to be divided and defined or put in a singular box. Instead, I find it easier to simply be myself and accept myself as different from others. Indeed, through my experiences of meeting people from all over the world, I came to realise that we are all different and have our unique peculiarities in how we speak and behave. Despite my experiences of living and working abroad in the US and France, it wasn’t until I came to this school that I suddenly felt categorised as a middle-aged Asian woman. This was somewhat of a shock to me and felt like a new, uncomfortable identity that I now had to live with. In the past, I have never introduced myself in this way and I still don’t think that it matters because I’m here as a student to learn, just like any other student. Part of the student experience is also learning something new, that is not necessarily defined by my previous experiences of being a creative director at an advertising company, my film major from many years ago, my role as a wife and mother, or, indeed, my identity as an Asian woman. Although my past experiences and choices have contributed to who I am today, I am looking to learn new skills and develop other identities along this journey.

So why can’t I find a research topic?

I think there are three main reasons for this. First, my previous project dealt with the idea that self-discovery is fundamental to any relationship and that we should take a little time each day to understand and get to know ourselves first. I believe that many problems arise because we don’t know ourselves well enough or because we don’t accept the real us. If we can recognise and express ourselves correctly, many conflicts and problems can be solved. Although this is a complicated and complex topic, this is still something I am very interested in.

Second, in recent years, the digital media environment has become of outmost significance and has sparked my interest. The current digital media environment has a critical impact and will create conflicts in the long run for children, especially those who are exposed to it through digital devices before their identity is established and before they learn the basics of logical thinking through media literacy. Much like my previous research project on self-discovery, this area is of interest to me given its importance in forming the identity of children from a young age. Although I tried to think of ways to bring about a change in perceptions of digital media use among parents and childminders, the improbability of achieving this in the limited time frame of seven months kept me thinking of other project ideas.

Third, I think my 15+ years of experience in the cultural and creative industries has created a mindset that we have to sell something. If a client doesn’t pick up my pitch or if I don’t prove good sales in the marketplace, I feel like I’m stuck with the idea that it’s all worthless. However, the fundamental problems of human beings cannot be easily solved, in particular through increasing sales in the marketplace. This presents a big challenge, whereby I need to align my goal of providing a solution for a human struggle with the need of the advertising agency to sell and make profit. So how can I help people in a way that is both compassionate, effective, and sustainable?

Am I procrastinating?

Am I lacking confidence?

Overall, I feel confused and overwhelmed about finding a research topic that is both useful and concrete, as well as manageable to complete within our limited time period. Further, my language limitations exacerbate this issue, as I find it more challenging to convey my thoughts accurately, which only pushed me further into the WTF zone. However, I decided to wake up, accept my limitations, and think about what I could do.

To do this, I needed a break or a getaway. As this is not something we are afforded on a weekly basis, I started thinking about how we can get a break or a getaway in our daily life, without having to go on holiday. Especially, with so much digital input every minute, we need time to switch off and block the constant stream of input we receive. How can we have self-determination in the current media environment and love the life of pursuing our own joy? We need to change our perspective on life by pursuing joy, not unachievable happiness.

After the first tutoring session, I gave myself some time to specify stakeholders and narrow down my changes in a more tangible way. I always knew I preferred abstract expressions because I think it’s beautiful to leave so much room for interpretation in everything. But when writing, I find myself off in the distance, describing something so abstractly. I need to be more articulate and I need to figure out a way to describe it accurately while still maintaining the abstract beauty I want.

Self-awareness for healthy identity formation for children

 I’d like to see people value the importance of self-awareness for healthy identity formation in children, especially in today’s digital world. The traditional education system’s focus on academic achievement has often overlooked children’s emotional and social development, which requires the transformation of the education system – integrating self-awareness and emotional intelligence programmes into the curriculum from the earliest stages of education.

Every stage of life is essential, but I think it’s critical for children to find healthy ways to discover who they are before the age of twelve, when their self-identity is established. The world in which children and adolescents now live is new in many ways; they live in a world that is entirely different from what older generations experienced growing up. They live in a world in which they are actively connected to an ever-mutating digital realm, and though the internet’s innovations may seem attractive, it poses a number of threats both to children’s physical safety and their sense of self. With this in mind, I started to reflect on whether we had given up on trying to understand our children, or guide them as they try to navigate a reality so different from our own.

With the development of digital media, children are facing new challenges that require a different kind of self-awareness education. Children are exposed to smartphones and digital devices from an early age, making them vulnerable to information overload, quick judgment without critical thinking, and addiction. Studies have shown that these digital natives have different ways of communicating amongst themselves, perceptions of themselves in relation to the world, and even brain structures, compared to older generations.

To respond to these challenges, we need to focus on self-awareness education that teaches children how to use digital media positively and develop healthy self-awareness.

These proposed changes will involve the challenge of working with various stakeholders and implementing new programmes within the education system. We need to conduct further background research on: the impact of both digital literacy and self-awareness education, the people and organisations involved in the success of educational processes (parents, teachers, governments) and how everyone will be affected by the changes. As it stands, we are responsible for under-preparing our children for a new world, which they face with very few safety instructions.

By embracing these changes and implementing self-awareness education programmes, including digital media literacy, we can equip children with the skills they need to navigate their lives independently with self-efficacy. This will lead to a more holistic education system that focuses on the child’s overall development, which will positively impact their lives and society as a whole. We need to start taking small steps towards ensuring that our children don’t get trapped in a mirror maze of small screens, unable to get out, or grow up convinced that the desires of others are what they want, watching and imitating before finding out who they are.

This is similar to the way adults used to look up to mass media stars in the past, but they were able to keep their distance by remaining content consumers and audiences. However, the participatory nature of the current digital culture has created an environment where young people can exist as both consumers and producers. They often struggle to replicate the edited temporariness of the digital world in their real lives. While on the outside, it may look like harmless star-struck fandom and adults may think to themselves “we’ve all been there, and grew out of it”, ultimately older generations underestimate the possible threats of young people’s current environment.

Finally, while it is essential to recognise the importance of self-awareness education in the digital age and strive for its successful implementation, it is also vital to consider the possibility that the concept of health we have been conditioned to accept needs to change. We need to remain open to the possibility that the definition of a healthy mind and being may evolve over time.

There are a lot of changes I want to see in the world, but when I thought about it further, I realised that the only thing I can change is myself. 

At first, I thought that it would be really nice if I found a way for everyone to live in harmony between the digital world and the real world. As I have experienced life both with and without smartphones, I’m somewhat biased about extended screen time. However, this world, particularly related to technological and digital developments, is natural to the young generations called digital natives, and one thing that has remained constant is our need to communicate and form relationships within and across generations. Our self-awareness and potential for self-discovery arguably impact our communications. I have researched self-discovery and digital media literacy regarding technological advances that have significantly impacted our self-awareness and how we perceive and present ourselves to others compared with the mass media era in the cultural setting.

However, the more I explored, the more I felt as if I had missed something important. So I decided to go back to explore the more fundamental aspects. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson once proclaimed, “A man should learn to detect and watch the gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought because it is his.” I sense that people are not sufficiently engaging in introspection or reflection about their true needs and desires.

It can be seen that society discourages “personal trust” and encourages conformity, so we’re fooled into believing we are happy because other people tell us we are. Furthermore, through the education of our family and friends, we are conditioned to want what we want, and our lives are directed by the glitter of others rather than the light of our own hearts.

Bombarded by many images, our current culture stimulates us and our desires, but I wonder if it is also a process of seeing other people’s desires and believing that they are ours. It looks like the nature of digital media these days can accelerate this process and make us lose sight of who we really are.

The change I want to see is that we can see the gleam of light within ourselves. We should live by the light in our hearts. In order to believe in ourselves, we can channel the courage to be who we truly are. Engaging in self-reflection is of critical importance.

I want to see us trying to avoid looking for ourselves outside of ourselves, and I hope we can create moments where we can truly connect with ourselves from within. Reflecting on oneself is more important rather than just looking at oneself. We also need to be true to ourselves and do what we believe is right, not what others say.

During the intervention on my last project, I encountered many people trying to look beyond their relationships for reasons why they were unhappy. I’ve seen people blame their unhappiness on countless sources, including lack of communication, inadequate time, excessive consumerism, and even the instantaneity of digital media, which many have suggested leads to overstimulated desires that undermine our relationships.

I believe that if we seek to coexist in harmony with everything in the world – whether it be our relationships to ourselves and one another; our real lives and our digitised lives; and our projected self-images and our true selves then we must unlock our true selves and live according to the light that emanates from within. This process of self-discovery is intrinsically connected to our happiness. Some people perceive happiness in terms of Hedonism, whereas others regard happiness as central to the process of realising our life’s purpose, which may lead us to experience a variety of fulfilling emotions.

We can find our happiness through periods of self-reflection. We must dedicate time to look within ourselves beyond the things that do not reflect our interior light. This process can enable us to linger in the present moment and facilitate self-discovery.

Self-discovery is the process of exploring their inner worlds and discovering their values, capabilities, interests, and goals. This exploration can then be used to inform how individuals authentically lead their lives. Media literacy is the ability to understand, analyse, critically approach, and utilise media. This skill is essential in the modern world and is closely related to self-discovery because media greatly impacts our values, perceptions, behaviours, choices, and more. Increasing media literacy paves the way for richer self-discovery.

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Changes in perception due to digital devices

 The world has experienced rapid and significant advancements over the last few decades, in particular related to technological and digital developments. One thing that has remained constant is our need to communicate and form relationships within and across generations. Our self-awareness and potential for self-discovery arguably impact our ability to communicate. In my previous work, I explored whether self-discovery improves relationships, and my findings showed that many people were unhappy and lived busy lives without giving much thought to themselves. In their relationships, most people felt that there was an absence of communication. Notably, this pattern can be seen across generations. We do not have enough self-awareness to have an authentic conversation with others, so we spend time discussing superficial matters. Among digital native generations, technology further hinders communication: we spend too much time on our digital appliances to have meaningful conversations in real life. The so-called digital natives live in a different era from the one experienced by their predecessors, leading to a disconnect between generations.

 On the other hand, digital technology can also enhance communication. Therefore, I want to see a change in how we live in harmony between the digital world and real life. Furthermore, technological advancements have greatly impacted our self-awareness and how we perceive and present ourselves to others. Some believe that the discovery of the mirror changed how we see and perceive ourselves. As mass media has shown us, we perceive the world and find ourselves in it through our surroundings. Still, in the mass media era, we were able to separate ourselves from our environment as viewers.

I want to see a change in how we live in harmony between the digital world and real life.

 However, in the digital media era, we see and perceive ourselves through our own eyes in the reflection of the small screen and through the eyes of others who respond to us online, for example, through likes and comments on social media. Moreover, we can modify how we present ourselves in the digital media space, which further has an impact on our self-awareness and perception. Within the various platforms that allow us to create, we create and reproduce our own opinions and feelings and live in a cycle of consumption and production.

 Other digital media elements include exposure to other representations and images, such as adverts. These images can influence how we perceive ourselves and further impact our self-awareness. In the past, adverts were longer and were built on a narrative, allowing the viewer more time to view and reflect on the content. Nowadays, however, as a result of fewer resources and the need to cater to the public’s shortening attention span, adverts are focused on being as impactful as possible in the shortest amount of time. This means that viewers have less time to reflect and critically analyse the content they are being exposed to. Furthermore, due to the prevalence of advertising across social media platforms that are predicated on short videos (e.g., TikTok), viewers are sometimes exposed to hundreds of adverts and explicit and implicit messages daily.

Although young adults are often taught media literacy at school, they live in the digital media age. Little is known about the impact of media literacy education in these modern times and whether users can effectively apply the skills that they learned in the digital age.

The internet age’s connectivity and openness have pushed us into a labyrinth of digital mirrors.

Workplace for the Future of Work

In The Future of Work, I define the future as the time when change has occurred, when the paradigm and values of our society have shifted, and we are no longer a society that emphasizes productivity and efficiency but a society that values individual happiness and the community system of humanity.

Work has different values for different people, and its importance will vary. However, the important thing is that we humans have obtained what we need through labour, and nowadays, work and business happen in the space of factories and offices called companies. We cannot transcend space. We already know the physical and physical effects of space on us.

For the average person, the one resource that is equally available is time. Some of us are lucky enough to have the added benefit of good health. Unfortunately, we have to exchange our only resource, time, by bundling it with the act of labour. I have faith that in the future, there will be a level of work that does not extort the individual’s resources of time and health.

Co-work communities are basically government-led, business-sponsored, and community-based facilities. Employees work remotely from the village centre where they live without the time and expense of travelling to the city. Workers spend their free time on personal development or volunteering to help others in the community.

The space is not only a place to work but also a place for people in the village to gather and interact, and it is open to everyone regardless of age or profession. This place is open to office workers, freelancers, and volunteers. It is a new type of community that combines the concept of community with the workplace, which is attempted by modern local libraries, churches, etc.

It is a more evolved form of community that provides a place not only for individual fulfilment and development but also for enriching the community and providing education to the next generation directly or indirectly. 

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker.

In my version of the future, the world of work has undergone a significant transformation. Gone are the days of long hours, gruelling commutes, and hierarchical structures. In their place is a new paradigm where the value of work is measured not just by productivity but also by the happiness and well-being of workers and the communities in which they live.

In this new world of work, companies prioritize employee happiness and fulfilment, recognizing that happy and engaged workers are more productive and creative. Employers offer flexible schedules, remote work options, and generous vacation time to help workers achieve a healthy work-life balance. They also invest in employee development and well-being programs, including mental health support and financial planning resources.

At the same time, companies have also become more socially responsible, recognizing their role in building stronger communities. They partner with local organizations to address social and environmental challenges and incorporate sustainability and ethical practices into their operations. In doing so, they attract workers who are motivated not just by a paycheck but also by a sense of purpose and impact.

As a result of these changes, workers are more fulfilled and engaged in their work, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. They are also more connected to their communities and feel a sense of pride in the work they do and the impact it has on others.

In this new world of work, the line between work and life has become blurred as people find joy and meaning in both. Work is no longer just a means to an end but a source of personal fulfilment and social impact.

A pre-interview with a questionnaire was conducted prior to the main interview.

To summarize the pre-interview, the designer I interviewed is a 35-year-old post-graduate woman who currently works for a large global company in Korea, and her major is fine arts, but she is working as a UX designer in a design lab that designs spaces through post-production. She works 8 to 10 hours a day at her job and volunteers using her talents for less than 8 hours per week.

She said that her company is very hierarchical, and she is not satisfied that her work is not fully recognized. However, she said she is neutral about her employment situation and would continue to work but work less if a universal basic income were available.

In this interview, I asked a UX designer a series of questions. The designer highlights the role of technology in her current work, describing it as all about data and the process of adjusting hypotheses and designs to solve problems. However, she also acknowledges that there are limits to predicting the future and improving reality based on past data.

She prefers working remotely from home and has maintained their work-life balance during the pandemic by creating checklists and working in other places, such as cafes and libraries. She is open to moving to a smaller company with a more flexible organization where she can demonstrate her capabilities in various fields. If she could save time from commuting, she would spend her time volunteering rather than investing it in personal development.

She shares her perspective on the biggest trends in the future of work, emphasizing the importance of the ability to re-edit information and creatively use knowledge to gain new insights from a lot of information.

<Below is an English translation of the interview.>

Hi. Thank you for your time. Please note that this interview is for research purposes only for the CSM MA program and can be anonymized upon request.

I would like to ask you a few additional questions based on the questionnaire I sent you earlier.

1. As a UX designer, what do you think is the role of technology in your current work?

As a UX designer, technology is all about data. I think technology is all the data that we have about the user’s behaviour patterns and reactions, and all the process of adjusting the hypothesis and design to solve it is related to technology. However, since the data we collect is from the past, I think there is a limit to predicting the future and improving reality.

What do you think the role of technology will be in your future work?

It will be an essential element like food, clothing and shelter. Without technology, you will live a very uncomfortable life and be unable to do anything. 

2. If you had a choice, would you choose to work remotely or commute? 

Work from home

How many days a week would you ideally work?

4 days a week

How have you maintained your work-life balance while working remotely during the pandemic?

 I made a checklist of what I had to do each day and what I had to do each week.

How did you stay productive and focused?

I got away from home and worked in other places (cafés, libraries) where I could focus on my work.

3. You work for a large global company with the same income and benefits. Would you be willing to move to a smaller company with a more flexible organization where you can excel? 

Yes

Please explain your reasons.

What I do in a large organization is a minimal area. So as time goes by, things get used to and get boring. If I work in a small organization, I think I will be able to demonstrate my capabilities in various fields with the experience I have accumulated so far.

4. If you are doing volunteer work that doesn’t pay, and you could spend less time commuting to work, would you use that time to volunteer more, or would you invest it in personal development? 

I will spend my time volunteering. I think it is necessary to help others with my expertise.

5. How many days could you go without an internet connection if it wasn’t work-related?

I can’t stand a single day. Get information and enjoy content on the Internet

6 What do you think are the biggest trends in the future of work?

Ability to re-edit information

Expert knowledge is easy to obtain, and it seems important to use knowledge creatively. It seems that the ability to create insights from a new perspective is needed from a lot of information.

When I saw this project’s title, I thought it would be nice if there were no works in the future. Honestly, I didn’t even want to think about anything related to work. For me, work is labour, and labouring is painful.

To Koreans, work is not simply about achieving personal satisfaction or pursuing one’s passions. Work and the workplace are also means of expressing their social status. It is not always about income. Recently, some people who fear the prevalence of materialism say that capitalism is causing problems in our society. However, I think each individual’s desire to succeed and climb higher makes us absorbed in our work.

The idea that it is important to balance work and daily life, where did it come from? Who was the subject who emphasized the importance of working hard before? Could it be the same subject?

Many say the pandemic has enabled new forms of work. It was nice that there was no time to commute to work, but life and work were not efficiently separated, and the working hours felt longer. When the company bought me an ergonomic chair, I felt something was wrong.

South Korea did not close companies during the pandemic, which may be the effect of government subsidies, but many companies remained in the black.

It is clear that the world has changed. But one thing is for sure: we have to live in a world created by generations before us with them. They have created the institution and system of the board of directors as they believe is right and will continue to make efforts to keep it.

My boss often said, “your generation is weak. “

What do you think this is?

It looks like all the people are evacuating because of the flood, but they’re actually heading to work.

1990 Seoul

Our fathers’ generation dedicated their lives to rebuilding society after the war. Because it was the only way to eat and live.

I think the movie “국제시장” depicts the fierce life of that generation by capturing the significant events of Korean history after the war. There is a bit of a pro-conservative slant to it, but I think it helps to understand their lives.

I know I am not qualified to say anything about their lives. I am grateful for their dedicated lives. But sometimes I think it’s too much. We learned the diligence they showed us at home and had to practice it at work.

The problem is that they’ve become our bosses, forcing us to that same standard. Still, we’ve tried to live up to their standards, and we’ve fallen into burnout very often, and it’s been challenging and exhausting, but we’ve done it because we believe we have to. As the generation caught in the middle, as we learned from the previous generation, we must work through the night and watch the MZ generation leave work on time.

We say to ourselves, we’re the last generation to be loyal to the company. And we have to get the job done.

In the article Nationalism, Confucianism, work ethic and industrialization in South Korea. The author concludes that South Korea’s unique blend of nationalism, Confucianism, and work ethic has significantly impacted its economic success. These cultural factors continue to shape the country’s economic and social development. We were taught that work was for us, our families, and our country, and to help society, so we worked hard.

However, the world has changed, and it says that hard work is the problem.

But what’s wrong with being diligent?

The problem in Korean society is that its definition goes beyond working hard with a high work ethic. It is a more inhumane social atmosphere where companies and work must be prioritized over families and individuals.

“Koreans are diligent and sincere”… In the US, this word is not a compliment but racism.

“Koreans are diligent and sincere.” Are these words praising Koreans or belittling them? In the United States, controversy over racial discrimination erupted over a congratulatory remark from a Republican member of Congress to a Korean-American judge nominee.

The Washington Post interpreted that the prejudice that Asian Americans are hardworking is undergoing more and more verification in line with the recent discussion of racial discrimination in American society. The problem of the concept of ‘model minority’ was also pointed out. The model minority is Asian Americans and African Latino Americans; it refers to the perception that they enjoy more professional success than other groups, such as Native Americans.

It sounds like a compliment at first glance, but the prevailing opinion is that there is a problem that causes the division between people of colour while justifying discrimination against non-Asians.

Working hard has become a virtue and our direction at work and everywhere. Sadly, our society has extended these standards to students.

References.

Kim, A. E., & Park, G. (2003). Nationalism, Confucianism, work ethic and industrialization in South Korea. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 33(3), 331-346.

Speculative Thinking and Design

I read somewhere that reflective writing is not a time for confession, but I should clarify that I am not optimistic about the future of work. I personally believe that many of the problems in the world and the challenges that individuals face in the workplace could be solved if the powerful decision-makers in the world wanted to, but I don’t think they’re going to make the changes to make it happen. I don’t have the courage to go into the wood like Thoreau’s Walden, but I wonder what it would be like to design our work in the forest of the future.

Therefore, I decided to design this future of work project in a particularly utopian way for everyone, as much as my team members would allow. Perhaps I’m just dreaming for myself about a future where there are no restrictions or sacrifices for everyone to enjoy happiness and fulfilment through the work they do, but I believe that.

Work is everywhere in our lives. Working at a company to earn money, working to fulfil personal goals, volunteering to help others, and many other tasks that may be visible or invisible at home are all examples of work.

All of these make and tell us who we are. For me, work was, at first, an opportunity. It was a new experience and even fun when I didn’t associate earning money with labour. I didn’t realize that participating in economic life was a sad thing to have to exchange for the only resource I have: time.

As time passed, the job demanded more knowledge and experience from me, and I had to juggle educating myself to keep working. There were some expenses that I had to pay, but in a way, I felt it was worth it because it was less than the cost of getting the degree I needed to get a job. The learning was meaningful, but I did not choose it; It was forced to do because my job demanded it. I had to juggle a hectic daily routine with less time to see friends and family. I started to feel sick.

I couldn’t stop working because it was fun and rewarding, and I believed that everything would be fine if I tried harder and found a more efficient way. But I now realize that when companies hold efficient time management seminars for their employees, it’s not about helping them to work efficiently; it’s about instilling the idea that if you’re not getting things done, you’re not efficient.

The problem with this efficiency is that we don’t all have the same abilities. The abilities I’m talking about are the circumstances and opportunities randomly given to each individual. Someone may have been born into poverty, had to do a lot of housework as a child, and may even have to care for family members. In general, a person’s resources are time and health, and it is easy to find people who lack both.

Despite my ambivalence about my work, I refuse to give up on a better future. Because I have faith in our humanity and our power for good. I’m hoping that by redesigning the future of work, I can also change the way I think about work to be more positive so I can find a better version of work.