中央日报
2015年 4月 4日
贝一明
目前智囊团（think tank）在全世界范围成为政策讨论的核心空间，智囊团是专家、政府和民间部门代表以及市民讨论社会、经济问题的平台。位于华盛顿的布鲁金斯学会以及传统基金会以一直以来讨论政策的传统而引以为豪。最近在首尔，峨山政策研究院、东亚研究院、外国人设立的智囊团等大大小小的智囊团正在日益凸显。
越来越多的发展中国家借鉴韩国的基础设施、制造业技术、电子政务等作为标杆进行学习，那么首尔的智囊团群体能否成为管理（governance）革命的核心呢？特别是鉴于韩国世界一流的商业、教育作用，这点十分明确。但若想实现这一计划，需要迈出重要的几步。
第一，需要包容年轻人。如果去参加智囊团活动会发现没有40岁以下的年轻人。发言人一般是60~70岁。活动中的年轻人均为实习生，对讨论不起任何作用。忽略年轻人的需求是十分严重的错误。
中央日报
“统一不是选择的问题”
2014年 12月 13日
贝一明
之前曾在课堂上对韩国的未来和统一进行过讨论。当笔者问道前往统一的正确之路是什么时，一位学生似乎充满自信地回答称“考虑到巨额统一费用，我们这一代不会选择统一”。
下了课后，笔者一直在反复思考学生所说的话。是否很多韩国人都像这个学生这样认为历史会让我们进行这种选择呢？但是有一点明确的是,即便是我们对命运的选择有好几个,但是统一最终不是选择的问题。
关于统一的不朽名言可以在中国的《三国演义》序文中找到。该著名历史小说是在国家危殆的汉朝末期写成的，其序文中有这一句话，“分久必合, 合久必分”。
这句话暗含着国家的统一和分裂是本质上无法避免的趋势。那么，只是有成功的统一和失败的统一之分，统一本身并不是可选择的对象。
JoongAng Daily
“Can Seoul be a Mecca for think tanks?”
Emanuel Pastreich
April 09, 2015
Think tanks have emerged as a critical space for the discussion of policy around the world. Think tanks allow experts, representatives of government and the private sector and ordinary citizens to discuss recent social and economic developments and to formulate effective responses. Think tanks in Washington, D.C., such as Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation have a long tradition of playing a role in the policy debate. But it is only recently that Seoul has developed several major think tanks such as the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and the East Asia Institute, as well as a variety of smaller think tanks – including some established by foreigners.
Granted that Korea is increasingly being benchmarked by developing nations for its outstanding infrastructure, its manufacturing know-how, its capacity in e-government, and its world-class research institutes, could it be that cluster of think tanks in Seoul will eventually make the city a center for policy and innovation in governance? Certainly the potential is there, especially in light of Korea’s global role in business and education. Nevertheless, there are a few important steps that would have to be taken first to realize such a vision.
贝一明
2015年 3月 5日
政府想要解决跌至谷底的出生率问题，而令人痛心的现实是，政府的努力每次都会最终变成泡沫。如何解决这一问题，如今韩国陷入了思考。政府自2006年以来，推进了100多种的政策，过去两年投资了多达10万亿韩元的预算，而生育率（一名女性一生中可以生育的平均子女数）仍然停滞在1.19人。去年韩国的生育率排世界第220位，属于经合组织（OECD）国家中的最低水平。
计划提高生育率的政策彻底失败，原因很简单。是由于韩国人不知道危机的严重性，所以未能在政策上做出合理的应对。失败于政策上没有适当的予以应对。如果继续维持这一水平的生育率，100年内，韩国这一民族自身可能会消失。说不定韩语也会像满族语言那样，成为在历史书上才可以看到的语言。
韩国人在讨论着朝鲜攻打首尔这一可能性极其渺茫的事情，却在生育率低下或其他严重威胁面前完全沉默不语，真是令人费解。生育率低下是比半导体或智能手机的竞争能力下降更为严峻的威胁。
中央日报
贝一明
2014年 8月 30日
出现在韩国各种媒体上的女性的面貌，在过去5年内一直是被歪曲的，很多人对此表示担忧。杂志、广告牌、海报、地铁以及电视广告中，到处都是摆着风情万种姿态的女性。也就20年前，这些现象还被认为是“软色情”。虽然偶尔也会打出男模特的广告，而广告界想要利用女性身体特征的试图，几乎是无休无止。他们呼吁人类隐藏的欲望，模糊消费者的判断，让人类与生俱来的魅力变得低级庸俗，一心忙着吸引人类眼前的满足并刺激冲动消费，这正是女性的商品化时代。
试图把女性商品化的战略，对女性尤其是年轻女性，将会影响深远。越是年轻，越比较容易被各种媒体打出的隐秘信息所迷惑，会导致她们认为“肉体上的魅力是我人生中最重要的问题”。尤其是年轻女性不加批判地吸纳这些隐藏信息，认为“成为商业化的性”才是表达自我或获得社会认可的必需因素。近来在就业面试中，比起业务能力，整体氛围上越来越重视外貌，这也在煽动这种外貌主义的气势。现在比较流行的是，花费大量金钱特地拍摄面试用的照片，甚至剪一个与想要进入的公司相符合的面试用发型。
有魅力的外貌与现代意义上的女性解放是一脉相通的，这种给人误导的广告，与践踏女性潜能的行为无异。如果不是这种倾向的广告泛滥，将自己的创意用于帮助视觉艺术文学、公共服务或者社会发展等绰绰有余的女性们，却被迫用化妆品或具有性欲暗示的服装、整形手术、庸俗的态度等来表现自我。因此，对外貌的过度执着，也伴随着巨大的社会费用。这会强制女性不管使用什么方法都得让自己具有完美的外貌。不仅如此，在追求外貌主义的过程中，对身边的亲友或家人的关心和照顾也会丧失等，副作用非常严重。时尚杂志上经常亮相的那些好像来自外星似的摆出一副高冷表情的女性模特们，看到她们，可以充分理解这种问题的严重性。
중앙일보
“서울을 싱크탱크의 메카로 만들자”
2015년 4월 4일
임마뉴엘 페스트라이쉬
전 세계적으로 싱크탱크(think tank)는 정책 토론의 핵심 공간으로 부상했다. 전문가, 정부와 민간 부문의 대표, 시민이 사회·경제 현안을 토론하는 무대가 싱크탱크다. 워싱턴에 있는 브루킹스·헤리티지 재단은 정책 토론의 오랜 전통을 자랑한다. 최근 서울에서도 아산정책연구원, 동아시아연구원, 외국인이 설립한 싱크탱크 등 크고 작은 싱크탱크들이 부각되고 있다.
점점 더 많은 개발도상국이 한국의 인프라, 제조업 노하우, 전자정부 등을 벤치마킹하고 있다는 사실을 감안하면 서울의 싱크탱크 클러스터가 거버넌스 혁신의 센터가 될 수 있지 않을까. 특히 한국의 세계적인 비즈니스·교육 역할을 고려하면 확실하다. 그럼에도 그러한 비전을 실현하려면 몇 가지 중요한 발걸음을 내디뎌야 한다.
첫째, 젊은이를 포용해야 한다. 싱크탱크 행사에 가보면 40세 이하 참가자가 없다. 발표자는 많은 경우 60~70대다. 행사에서 볼 수 있는 젊은이는 인턴이다. 토론에는 아무런 역할을 하지 않는다. 젊은이들의 니즈(needs)를 간과하는 것은 심각한 잘못이다.
또한 한국의 싱크탱크는 국제적·세계적이어야 한다. 영어로 세미나를 진행한다고 글로벌화되는 것은 아니다. 연구팀에는 외국인, 여성, ‘다문화 코리아’의 대표들이 포함돼야 한다. 해외 싱크탱크처럼 외국인을 선임연구원으로 채용해야 한다. 베트남·몽골 사람을 부모로 둔 연구원을 채용한 한국의 싱크탱크가 내가 알기로는 아직 없다.
차세대 싱크탱크는 기후변화 같은 핵심 과제를 정면으로 다뤄야 한다. 그리고 두려운 생각이 들 정도로 정직한 발언이 오가야 한다. 기술변화가 사회에 미치는 역할도 중요한 토픽이다. 우리가 잘 인지하고 있지 못하지만 기술은 사회를 분화시키고 있다. 사회 문제에 집중할 능력을 약화시키고 있다. 싱크탱크의 역할은 보통 사람들에게 보이지 않는 심각한 문제들에 우리가 주목하게 만드는 것이다. 마치 의식을 거행하는 것처럼 진부한 이야기를 청중에게 늘어놓는 것은 싱크탱크를 실패로 이끈다.
또한 한국의 싱크탱크는 여러 언어를 포괄해야 한다. 영어 외에 중국어·일본어·아랍어 보고서도 가끔 발행할 필요가 있다. 미래에는 인도네시아어·베트남어 문헌도 발간해야 할지도 모른다. 그래야 세계 각국에서 한국의 싱크탱크 보고서와 정책 제안을 효과적으로 채택할 수 있다.
궁극적으로 서울이 세계 싱크탱크의 중심이 되려면 혁신 능력이 핵심이다. 모방에는 한계가 있다. 국내외 연구와 토론을 통합하는 네트워크가 필요하다. 기후변화나 ‘사이버 공간의 미래’ 같은 지극히 복합적인 문제들에 대해 세계 각국의 새로운 정책을 조율하고 거대 프로젝트 수행을 위한 역할을 분담하기 위해서다.
JoongAng Daily
“Creating a Republic of Cyberspace”
March 23, 2015
Emanuel Pastreich
Many people in Asia spend a good part of their day in a territory that is not their own country, but rather in the constantly expanding realm called cyberspace. Although they access it at the local level through computers and smartphones, they are sharing this territory with a community that stretches across Asia, and the world.
The modern world began in the 17th century when Spain, Portugal, England and other nations in Europe started to explore and to exploit the resources of the Americas, Africa and Asia. The global networks for production and distribution that they formed then gave those nations an absolute advantage and also served as a blueprint for the global manufacturing and distribution system we use today. But we have reached the limits of the physical Earth. We cannot exploit natural resources as we did before without grave consequences for the environment. And, as the population approaches 9 billion, we will have to scramble in the future just to assure access to food and water.
But cyberspace offers us a new frontier for expansion, exploration and self-realization, a territory that is in its earliest stages and that cries out to us to define and systematize it. The virtual space being generated on the Internet can store a near infinite amount of information and it offers links to sources of information on the Internet, and intranet networks, that greatly expand the potential of any individual.
Moreover, increases in the capacity of technology over the next few years will make cyberspace a place that can be inhabited literally. Already our children are navigating buildings, scaling mountains and flying airplanes that exist solely in that shared cyberspace. That space they are exploring is the stone age of cyberspace. The growing community of people with similar interests and concerns from around the world online are making cyberspace the most valuable real estate around. How the creative class in cyberspace collaborates to establish new systems and services may be the determining factor for the future of our economy.
“Under the Dome”
Remarkable Chinese documentary released about the air pollution crisis
The journalist and filmmaker Chai Jing 柴静 left her position at CNTV in 2014 to devote herself to producing a detailed documentary about air pollution in China at her own expense. This remarkable film, “Under the Dome: We Breath together and share a common fate” (Qiongding zhi xia: Tong huxi gong mingyun 穹顶之下 同呼吸共命运) presents a blunt and brutal assessment of the tremendous impact of air pollution on China today and its far-reaching implications for health and for society and culture as a whole.
When I watched the documentary, I was struck by the careful explanation of scientific and geological aspects of air pollution and the discussion of the impact of coal and other pollutants on the atmosphere.
The comparisons with other nations were also striking, suggesting a truly new sense of China’s role in the world.
The film opens with Chai Jing showing an ultrasound picture of her daughter before she was born and relating her expectations. Her daughter was born with a lung tumor. The film closes with a view of the earth from outer space suggesting just how small this globe it. Chai Jing imagines that although she might die and leave this world, her child would still be there on earth. The implication being that we cannot assume that just because we may avoid climate change, that our children will. Or more importantly, that we share our earth with future generations we have not met.
Video Link:
My friend from YAP (Young Ambassadors Program) Gao Jingyu has worked closely with the Asia Institute. He wrote from Beijing:
“Yesterday the hottest news on Chinese media was an documentary on the environment made and sponsored independently by a well-known woman journalist. She conducted remarkable in-depth research about the smog that is engulfing China.
Some of the issues touched on such as governance and inefficiency in the energy industry were previously considered so sensitive that noone would dare to expose them. But with Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign in full swing these days the whole story has come out. The video has been re-tweeted over 30 million times, and more, and it is being discussed everywhere in the country. This is the first time I came to feel a strong civic common sense—such as I’ve never experienced before, at least in China. I expect this film can have as much impact as the Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” did for the United States now in my country.
All I can say is
“STOP POLLUTING AND MAKE THE BLUE SKY RETURN”
Hope the English translation of this documentary will be released shortly on YouTube.”
It is a very exciting moment to see such enthusiasm, but not a moment too soon. I have seen such devotion among the members of Future Forest 未来林 in the past and it has inspired me. For me it feels like this might be the first step towards China playing a true leadership role.
And in an odd sense, I think this marks the end of the Cultural Revolution legacy.
What do I miss most about old Seoul? Frugality. Seoul was a city once whose success was measured in its savings rate, not its consumption rate, a city in which you made a simple lunch at home and took it to work in a little lunch box. Those metallic lunchboxes were beautifully designed and produced absolutely no waste. The chopsticks and the box (often containing boxes within it) were wrapped up in a cloth and simply taken home.
JoongAng Daily
“Korea’s greatest threat”
January 26, 2015
Emanuel Pastreich
Koreans are scratching their heads, asking themselves why efforts to address Korea’s dwindling birthrate have been so ineffective.
Although the government has implemented over 100 different policies since 2006 and has allocated a budget of 10 trillion won ($9.3 billion) for the last two years, the number of annual births per 1,000 members of the population is stuck at 1.19. That ranks Korea at No. 220 among nations for its birthrate in 2014. No other major country is even close to that rate.
The reason for the complete failure is simple. Koreans have completely failed to recognize the seriousness of the crisis and have not responded with an appropriate level of commitment in terms of policy or, more importantly, a shift in habits.
A birth rate like this could mean Korea itself will disappear as a culture in 100 years. The Korean language could join Manchu as a dead language that people learn about in history books.
It strikes me as bizarre that Koreans talk about the highly unlikely possibility of North Korea shelling Seoul, but they avoid this far more serious danger completely. Such a low birthrate is certainly a far greater threat than a lack of competitiveness in semiconductors or smartphones.