Applicable?
“We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship, for to undertake to wound offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him. ”
Michel de Montaigne quotes (French Philosopher and Writer. 1533-1592)
Debatable.
You may have noticed the sudden spate of apoplectic K-Bloggers hating on Jon Huer's "out-of-touch" top ten list of things Foreigners like about Korea: a list which, admittedly, seems like it should have been titled, "The Top Ten Things THIS Foreigner Likes About Korea"
An Expat in Korea, Brian in Jeollanamdo, and Hub of Sparkle's own Stafford have added their ire to the pile-on so far, and doubtless there are more. In fact, Expat in Korea even sent Mr. Huer an e-mail, to which Jon Huer indignantly (and probably unadvisably) replied.
I don't really care to reprint the whole train-wreck here, ere Stafford's head explodes... but how about this.
If you don't like Jon Huer's list, let's do him one better. What are the top ten things actual foreigners, really living in Korea, like best about Korea? Instead of hating on Jon Huer, let's talk about the good stuff about Korea-- it feels better than smearing some old guy, anyway.
Here's Jon Huer's list.
- Safe streets
- The sweetness and charitable disposition of Korean women over 60.
- Korea's countryside people's unique attitude to foreigners.
- The famous Korean fighting spirit
- Spontaneity
- A group of songs called ``Lyrical Songs of Korea.''
- Sense of humor and gaiety.
- Pansori
- Koreans are extraordinarily forgiving toward those less-fortunate than themselves.
- Konglish
Now, if that list deserves the deluge of disdain it's been dished so far, let's write a better one. Post it on your blog and link it in the comments, or post your list in the comments for this post. If we have a strong enough response, I might even make it into a survey or something.
There's the gauntlet, folks. Now whatcha gonna do about it?
I've turned off comments for this post, so that you can leave your comments at the version of this article at The Hub of Sparkle. Head over there and say your piece!