Courtesy of Sebastien Gabriel
What does it mean to be progressive? Does progressive mean supporting or criticizing North Korea? Does it mean recognizing women as different from men or as the same as men? Does it mean championing the striking doctors or wanting more of them back in work to care for the people of the country?
One idea might say that being progressive means believing in hope. It embraces a vision of world not yet realized but nevertheless achievable. It is a dream of a better tomorrow. But it then takes this dream and goes one step further. It seeks action. It is not content to merely let things unfold to a dice-playing god or idea of providence. Instead, those with the vision are given a responsibility to give birth to the reality.
The vision itself, often conceived in abstract or literary terms, is not just a refinement or adjustment of an existing order. It is not tinkering or optimization. Instead, it is a complete and utter transformation. A change in the way things change. In such a framework, the person’s responsibility is Gandhian: to actually be the change we hope to see in the world.
Park No-hae
I’ve recently read a lot of poems written by the Korean poet Park No-hae. You can find a lot of content created by him on Instagram or Twitter: aphorisms and daily doses on wisdom delivered in Korean and English, accompanied by beautiful photos he took himself. Yet, his online presence notwithstanding, Park doesn’t seek attention. Despite being one of the country’s most important poets, he is not trying to capitalize on the buzz and hype surrounding anything with a K. He is unlike Hwang Seok-young and Han Kang; you won’t find his name mentioned in the Guardian or in western press. Instead, Park has chosen to live a very quiet and simple life in the Korean countryside. He has shunned interviews for the longest time.
Born in 1957 in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, his original name was Park Gi-pyeong. The pen-name he adopted and later became known by is symbolic: “No” means labor and “Hae” means liberation. For those living in Korea, it’s the same “hae” found in the first character of the........