Kim Ae-ran’s ‘My Brilliant Life’ explores the meaning of communication through Areum, a boy with progeria. This blog post examines communication and understanding within his story. Introducing Areum The parents of Areum, the protagonist of the Korean novel ‘My Brilliant Life’, started their family in a somewhat unconventional way. They became parents to a child while still in high...
This blog post examines Arnold J. Toynbee’s theory of civilization and discusses how his ‘Challenge and Response’ theory can be applied in modern society. British historian Arnold J. Toynbee, in publishing ‘A Study of History’, established civilization—not the nation-state—as the fundamental unit of historical inquiry. He argued that even though Britain was geographically separated...
This blog post explores the metaphors of the unconscious and desire in Kafka’s literature through a psychoanalytic lens, focusing on ‘A Country Doctor’. Beginning with the line “He was extremely perplexed,” this story is actually more perplexing for readers. Its dreamlike, surreal narrative unfolds in a way that defies comprehension. Imaginary beings suddenly appear, and strange...
This blog post examines the ethics and feasibility of designing children through biotechnology, presenting a critical perspective. Biotechnology is advancing rapidly, and humanity will eventually reach the point of designing children. ‘The Case Against Perfection’ argues that the problem lies in “parents’ arrogant attempt to conquer the mystery of birth.” It opposes designing...
This blog post examines Lu Xun’s melancholy and enlightenment consciousness revealed through ‘A Madman’s Diary’, revisiting its meaning from today’s perspective. Melancholy is the product of knowledge. The more we know, the more we suffer. For we come to know the good, the bad, and even the wrong. For those who seek to change what they know for the better, that suffering...
This blog post explores the question of whether genes drive evolution, focusing on the debate between Dawkins and Gould. ‘Darwin’s Table’ is a book capturing the fierce debate between Richard Dawkins and Stephen J. Gould, two giants of evolutionary theory. Evolutionary theory, once mocked by creationists, has now spread as the accepted scientific consensus among people over the past...
Hemingway’s ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ is a masterpiece depicting human endurance and challenge. This review explores its depth. Hemingway’s Greatest Masterpiece “The Old Man and the Sea” is considered Hemingway’s finest work, earning him the Pulitzer Prize (1953) and the Nobel Prize in Literature (1954) in his later years. The Swedish Academy specifically cited this work...
Exploring Franz Kafka’s masterpieces ‘The Metamorphosis’ and ‘The Trial’, we delve deeply into human existence, alienation, and an absurd world. The opening lines of Franz Kafka’s (1883–1924) ‘The Metamorphosis’ are shocking to anyone who reads them, no matter when. Long ago, in my youth, I too was shocked. One morning, after a troubled sleep, Gregor Samsa woke to find himself...
In this blog post, we explore the meaning of innovation and freedom demanded by modern society through the characters in ‘Perfume’. Published in 1985, Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume was translated and exported to 49 countries within a year of its release, selling over 20 million copies. Perfume is regarded as one of the greatest German novels of the 20th century, achieving...
In this blog post, I compare the evolutionary perspectives of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins through ‘Full House’. Are evolution and progress the same thing? Many people are familiar with Charles Robert Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, it is common to unconsciously equate evolution with progress within evolutionary theory. Stephen Jay Gould, author of Full House, sought...