[Kim Seong-kon] We keep waiting for 'another world'

Everybody fantasizes about another world. We do so especially when we are disillusioned with our present reality. It is no wonder that amusement parks have places like Fantasyland, Dreamland or Tomorrowland.

In his stunning 1962 novel, “Another Country,” African American writer James Baldwin dreamed about another world where the taboos of contemporary society were absent, such as those prohibiting or condemning interracial marriage, homosexuality or bisexuality. He envisioned a country where racial, sexual and political biases do not exist.

The problem is that there is no guarantee that the alternate world we fantasize about will turn out to be better than the present one. Although we now live in a world where the prejudices of Baldwin's time have themselves become taboo, our society is still far from paradise.

Communism is a good example. When rich capitalists exploited destitute workers ruthlessly, Karl Marx dreamed about a paradise of equal distribution of wealth. Unfortunately, his dream, when made actual, turned out to be a nightmare of equal distribution of poverty instead.

Still, however, we cannot help seeking another world where we can be happier and wealthier. When and if we are disappointed in “another country,” we might begin to explore yet another “another world.” Although our quest for a better world will continue, it cannot be forever satisfied.

The same goes for the presidential election.

We cast a vote for our future leader, expecting “another world.” We hope that our new president will change the world for the better, so we can live happily and comfortably in economic stability and rock-solid national security.

To our disappointment, however, all the previous presidents in our country have made us unhappy and miserable in one way or another, despite their merits. When we complain about the pain-inflicting president we have wrongly chosen, those who did not vote for him deride us, muttering, “You deserve it.”

In the past, some of our presidents wrecked our internationally coveted economy with their imprudent populism and misguided real estate policies. Others jeopardized our already precarious national security by steering the country in the wrong direction. Some of them used our country for the experimentation of their outdated socialist ideology and others were so myopic and parochial that they could not wrap their heads around radical and rapid worldwide changes. Some of them were so clumsy in diplomacy that they irrevocably ruined good relations with other countries, still others embarrassed us by their obsequious attitude toward the arrogant leaders of big, bullying countries.

When we are disappointed in our current leader, we vote for another candidate at the next presidential election. Yet, the outcome is always the same. No matter whom we elect, he cannot meet our expectations. That means we will not be able to live in paradise for good.

Of course, our political leader could make us live in a completely different “another country.” For example, he may turn our country into a totalitarian socialist country that defies liberal democracy. Or he can turn our country into an authoritarian country where he, as a tyrant, dictates everything as he wishes and oppresses his people with secret police. Either would be a nightmare to us, far from a utopia or paradise.

That is why we must think twice before casting a vote. A wrong choice will mar not only our beloved country, but also our precious lives. If we really want to live in an ideal society, we must choose a leader who exhibits decency, integrity and nobility. He should be honest, credible and reliable as well. That means he should know the weight of his words because we cannot trust anyone who keeps telling lies or changes promises whimsically. He should be law-abiding, too. Moreover, we need a leader who knows the world quite well and will steer us on the right path in the whirlwind of international crises.

Some people do not want to vote because they are disillusioned with hopelessly low-level political skirmishes. Others do not vote because they are not interested in politics. Instead of lining up at the election site, therefore, they choose to go on a hike or fishing. At a crucial time like these days, however, we cannot give up the opportunity to choose the right leader who knows where to turn at the crossroads and how to avoid the crossfire between our neighboring countries.

Some people may think that they have nothing to do with politics or ideological brawls. But they are wrong. In the American TV series, “Into the Badlands,” a woman named Odessa says, “I thought we could just sit back and let everyone else fight for a better world. But the fight came for me anyway.”

We want a better world. We strongly hope that our future leader is a respectable, competent one who can build the utopian “another world” we so desperately need.

Kim Seong-kon

Kim Seong-kon is a professor emeritus of English at Seoul National University and a visiting scholar at Dartmouth College. The views expressed here are the writer's own. -- Ed.