[Kim Seong-kon] Cultural differences make our eyes open

Despite many striking similarities, there are a myriad of cultural differences between the East and the West. Living in Korea and the US, I can attest to the plethora of such differences. Those differences reflect how Koreans and Americans perceive things differently.

The way of disciplining a child is a good example. For instance, American parents usually “ground” a badly behaving boy by confining him in his room, probably with no TV or computer. On the other hand, Korean parents punish a bad boy by casting him out of the house temporarily. Recently, someone came up with an intriguing interpretation; the American way of punishment is taking away the child’s “freedom,” and the Korean way of punishment is depriving the child of his “sense of stability and comfort.” It is true that Americans value “individual freedom,” whereas Koreans attach importance to “a sense of stability and comfort,” both physical and psychological.

Another intriguing cultural difference between America and Korea is the perception of diversity. Traditionally, Koreans prefer the idea of “unity” to diversity, and homogeneity to heterogeneity. Perhaps the Korean people worry that diversity might hamper unity and thus cause division and chaos. However, since South Korea has recently decided to welcome foreign immigrants, Koreans should embrace “diversity” from now on.

On the other hand, as a country of immigration, Americans prefer cultural and ethnic diversity. Of course, the conservatives do not like diversity. For example, Texas, which is a conservative state, does not approve of DEI, that is, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” at workplaces. In the eyes of conservative administrators in Texas, it is not fair if the decision to hire someone considers their background as an ethnic minority. They argue that competence and ability are more important than one’s ethnicity.

Still, however, diversity is the essence of America. Indeed, it is an outstanding characteristic and a virtue of the US. In the American movie “Divergent,” for example, the leader of the outside world says, “We created factions to ensure peace. But we believe there will be those among you who will transcend these factions. These will be the Divergent. They are vital to humanity’s survival.” Indeed, diversity can make a monochromatic world colorful, which is vital to human lives.

“Returning the favor,” too, is another example of cultural differences between America and Korea. Americans frequently say, “Thank you!” or “I appreciate it.” When they receive a big favor, Americans say, “I owe you,” or “I owe you one” and try to return the favor. On the contrary, I have observed that Koreans often tend to take a favor from someone as granted and do not particularly seem to feel obliged to return it. Perhaps Koreans think that being grateful is different from being indebted.

The friendship between the two celebrated American poets, Robert Frost and Ezra Pound, provides a good example of “returning the favor.” Dartmouth College Library’s Robert Frost Collection possesses important documents about Frost, including the corresponding letters between him and Ezra Pound.

In the early 20th century, Ezra Pound, who led the Imagism literary movement in Europe, helped Robert Frost make a literary debut in the UK. In 1913, Frost, then a nameless aspiring poet, met Pound at a bookstore party in London. Pound took him under his wing even though Frost’s poems were radically different from his own poetic style and taste. Pound recommended Frost to a publisher so that Frost could publish his first book of poems.

Frost never forgot the favor he had received from Pound, even when Pound became an embarrassment to his fellow writers after he had expressed his support for Mussolini’s fascism and Hitler’s Nazism. When Pound was on trial for treason after World War II, Frost pleaded insanity on behalf of Pound and thereby saved him from death row. Thanks to Frost, Pound was incarcerated at St. Elizabeth's Psychiatric Hospital in Washington and released in 1958. Frost “returned the favor” he received from Pound.

As a Godfather-like figure among younger writers, Pound helped not only Robert Frost, but also T.S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. Joyce was a foreigner whose help was limited, but Eliot and Hemingway returned the favor by eagerly offering help when Pound’s life was at stake.

Last Saturday was the 71st anniversary of the Korean War armistice. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, US President Harry Truman immediately sent US troops to South Korea to help us. Since declaring war required the approval of the US Congress, which was a time-consuming procedure, Truman swiftly dispatched the US troops to South Korea in the name of “police action.” If he had not sent the US troops in time, South Korea would surely have become a communist country. Still, however, few Koreans seem to be grateful or try to return the favor to him.

Cultural differences enable us to open our minds and eyes to the world.

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.

By Korea Herald(khnews@heraldcorp.com)