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I'd be curious to see a Slate Star Codex piece on this. One of his classic pieces was "Meditations on Moloch" https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-

by vbtemp 5y ago

I'd be curious to see a Slate Star Codex piece on this. One of his classic pieces was "Meditations on Moloch" https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ ( and related: https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/12/17/the-toxoplasma-of-rage/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/12/17/the-toxoplasma-of-rage... ) It seems like the similar thing here - literally everyone sees how agonizing, exhausting, detrimental, and counterproductive the current system is. No one likes it. But yet, despite that, there's some gradient it goes against that prevents clearly better alternatives from emerging. I wonder what that case is in Korea, the subject OP, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries.

mathverse 5y ago
It's very simple actually.Koreans hate the working culture and long working hours but at the same time require convenience that can only be achieved by maintaining this hellish working culture.
- JohnWhigham 5y ago
  at the same time require convenience that can only be achieved by maintaining this hellish working culture. That's a core problem for every industrialized country. We've become addicted to the cheap goods that NAFTA has allowed us. And it may end up eating societies alive.
- simmanian 5y ago
  With all due respect, this analysis is grossly reductive and only touching the surface of a complex phenomenon. Long working hours can be found in many East Asian countries not limited to just Korea. Sure, love of convenience is partly to blame, but let's not ignore the history and cultural elements behind it. It goes without saying, but without the long working hours, Korea would not have become the "middle power" that it is today either. The "hell joseon" article you linked is an interesting phenomenon especially because no other East Asian country is so critical of its own culture and conditions. S. Korea is unique in that its people are almost always looking to criticize and change their ways to compete on the world stage.

by vbtemp 5y ago

mathverse 5y ago

It's very simple actually.Koreans hate the working culture and long working hours but at the same time require convenience that can only be achieved by maintaining this hellish working culture.

JohnWhigham 5y ago
at the same time require convenience that can only be achieved by maintaining this hellish working culture. That's a core problem for every industrialized country. We've become addicted to the cheap goods that NAFTA has allowed us. And it may end up eating societies alive.
simmanian 5y ago
With all due respect, this analysis is grossly reductive and only touching the surface of a complex phenomenon. Long working hours can be found in many East Asian countries not limited to just Korea. Sure, love of convenience is partly to blame, but let's not ignore the history and cultural elements behind it. It goes without saying, but without the long working hours, Korea would not have become the "middle power" that it is today either. The "hell joseon" article you linked is an interesting phenomenon especially because no other East Asian country is so critical of its own culture and conditions. S. Korea is unique in that its people are almost always looking to criticize and change their ways to compete on the world stage.