President And His Books
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One of the many interesting things about our new president, Mr. Kim Dae-jung, is his particular love for books. It was reported in the newspaper, a few months ago, that his staffs who were arranging his move to the Blue House from his private house at Ilsan had confronted an unusually large moving item that was quite unique to the new president-elect: Not less than 15,000 volumes of books. They complained, with happiness and pride, that the Blue House did not have such a large space to accommodate all these books, and that they had to vacate some office rooms already occupied, or build a new library. It was quite unlikely, judging from the undertone of the news report, that he would ever leave them behind. Wherever he goes, the books must go with him, because he loves them so much.
The news intrigued me a lot, who, by profession, have something to do with books, and consequently have some experience and knowledge in the business of buying, collecting, reading, and moving books. For some known and unknown reasons and motives, once I was an avid collector of books myself, and at the peak of my passion I came to possess in the neighborhood of 1,000 volumes, mostly in English on the subject of literature. The total number has been reduced to more or less than 600 by now, mainly because I had to throw away some of them every time I made a move from one place to another.
Books pose a special problem and difficulty in moving. They look docile and even beautiful so long as they are neatly arranged on the shelves of the bookcase, but once disarranged or piled on the floor, each of them turns into a recalcitrant and ugly monster all of a sudden, and refuse easy handling. Every time you make a move you will find again and anew that they are heavier and bulkier than any thing. Either you have to tie them up by fives or sixes with a strong nylon string, or put them in so many cardboard boxes, before they are carried to the waiting moving van. Moving 15,000 copies of books is, whether it is a presidential moving or a private one, I should say, no small job for anyone.
The more intriguing aspect of the news concerning the new president and his books was the timing of its advent. It came along when our people were deeply frustrated and disappointed with the former president, Mr. Kim Young-sam, and greatly worried about our future. And interestingly enough, the resounding failure of Mr. Kim Young-sam as president was generally ascribed to his poor intelligence and lack or absence of the basic knowledge that was indispensable for running a state. It was certain that the news was made public by his loyal as well as clever followers to promote a better image of the new president by emphasizing the contrasting as well as different point.
The message is as clear as the summer sky after a spell of shower. The new president was born, unlike his predecessor, with unusually high intelligence and intellectual capacity and curiosity for learning, and although circumstances did not allow him to go to college, he read more books than any college graduates, or even some professors at the university, and by reading so many books at home and even at prison he has accumulated all the useful and knowledge necessary for a president. In short, with his sharp intelligence and abundant knowledge Mr. Kim Dae-jung will make a far better president than his predecessor.
I feel quite daunted and powerless before him. Like many of the intellectuals in this country, I have lived in the happy contempt of the politicians until now. Probably the main reason that I could look down upon them was the simple assumption that I have read, and most probably possessed more books than they. Gladly giving away all the mundane power, glory, and wealth to them, I lived happily and arrogantly in the kingdom of books like a king. But now I find that the independence of this sacred kingdom is in hazard and jeopardy. Intelligence and knowledge that have been solely possessed and enjoyed by the poor but very proud intellectuals for so long in this country came to be shared with, deprived of, or taken away by the new president. He is not simply a freedom-fighter turned president like his predecessor. He is smart. He knows. He is bookish. He is also an author of more than 15 books. He is an expert on economy. A scholar. A philosopher.
To be bookish is no doubt a virtue for anyone at any time, and to have a bookish president is undoubtedly a boon for the country, especially when the country is in deep financial or economic trouble. But to use and display the fact too much by anyone is affectation, a childish act. The failure of the former president originated in many and various causes and reasons, and one of the most conspicuous of them all was, I think, his obsessive as well as childish rivalry with his political opponent, Mr. Kim Dae-jung. Even after he became president defeating his arch-rival, and during his five-year presidency, he tried desperately to outwit and outrun him physically as well as mentally. Now I suspect that the new president and his loyal followers are following suit by being just happy to take advantage of the relative weakness of the former president. How sweet is the smack of revenge!
But beware ! There is no guarantee that more bookish president will become a better or more successful leader of people. If he has become or proved to be so, it has nothing much to do with the habit of reading books and the knowledge acquired from them. Leadership, especially a democratic leadership, is a rare ability and quality in man the components of which do not allow easy and simple analysis, detection or definition. What is certain is it stands far above and beyond the bookish learning.
On the contrary, it can be dangerous for any man, especially for a leader of a country, if he thinks he knows all and better. We have suffered from the arrogance of the former president who must have been deeply convinced of his own integrity, of his outstanding political ability and great leadership, until he came to the end of his road. If that man's arrogance originated in his ignorance of the bookish learning, this man's boasting of his bookish knowledge may also well intoxicate his brain and breed another kind of arrogance. I sincerely hope, with his high intelligence, this man has learned more honesty and humility from books than knowledge.
(May 6, 1998)
The news intrigued me a lot, who, by profession, have something to do with books, and consequently have some experience and knowledge in the business of buying, collecting, reading, and moving books. For some known and unknown reasons and motives, once I was an avid collector of books myself, and at the peak of my passion I came to possess in the neighborhood of 1,000 volumes, mostly in English on the subject of literature. The total number has been reduced to more or less than 600 by now, mainly because I had to throw away some of them every time I made a move from one place to another.
Books pose a special problem and difficulty in moving. They look docile and even beautiful so long as they are neatly arranged on the shelves of the bookcase, but once disarranged or piled on the floor, each of them turns into a recalcitrant and ugly monster all of a sudden, and refuse easy handling. Every time you make a move you will find again and anew that they are heavier and bulkier than any thing. Either you have to tie them up by fives or sixes with a strong nylon string, or put them in so many cardboard boxes, before they are carried to the waiting moving van. Moving 15,000 copies of books is, whether it is a presidential moving or a private one, I should say, no small job for anyone.
The more intriguing aspect of the news concerning the new president and his books was the timing of its advent. It came along when our people were deeply frustrated and disappointed with the former president, Mr. Kim Young-sam, and greatly worried about our future. And interestingly enough, the resounding failure of Mr. Kim Young-sam as president was generally ascribed to his poor intelligence and lack or absence of the basic knowledge that was indispensable for running a state. It was certain that the news was made public by his loyal as well as clever followers to promote a better image of the new president by emphasizing the contrasting as well as different point.
The message is as clear as the summer sky after a spell of shower. The new president was born, unlike his predecessor, with unusually high intelligence and intellectual capacity and curiosity for learning, and although circumstances did not allow him to go to college, he read more books than any college graduates, or even some professors at the university, and by reading so many books at home and even at prison he has accumulated all the useful and knowledge necessary for a president. In short, with his sharp intelligence and abundant knowledge Mr. Kim Dae-jung will make a far better president than his predecessor.
I feel quite daunted and powerless before him. Like many of the intellectuals in this country, I have lived in the happy contempt of the politicians until now. Probably the main reason that I could look down upon them was the simple assumption that I have read, and most probably possessed more books than they. Gladly giving away all the mundane power, glory, and wealth to them, I lived happily and arrogantly in the kingdom of books like a king. But now I find that the independence of this sacred kingdom is in hazard and jeopardy. Intelligence and knowledge that have been solely possessed and enjoyed by the poor but very proud intellectuals for so long in this country came to be shared with, deprived of, or taken away by the new president. He is not simply a freedom-fighter turned president like his predecessor. He is smart. He knows. He is bookish. He is also an author of more than 15 books. He is an expert on economy. A scholar. A philosopher.
To be bookish is no doubt a virtue for anyone at any time, and to have a bookish president is undoubtedly a boon for the country, especially when the country is in deep financial or economic trouble. But to use and display the fact too much by anyone is affectation, a childish act. The failure of the former president originated in many and various causes and reasons, and one of the most conspicuous of them all was, I think, his obsessive as well as childish rivalry with his political opponent, Mr. Kim Dae-jung. Even after he became president defeating his arch-rival, and during his five-year presidency, he tried desperately to outwit and outrun him physically as well as mentally. Now I suspect that the new president and his loyal followers are following suit by being just happy to take advantage of the relative weakness of the former president. How sweet is the smack of revenge!
But beware ! There is no guarantee that more bookish president will become a better or more successful leader of people. If he has become or proved to be so, it has nothing much to do with the habit of reading books and the knowledge acquired from them. Leadership, especially a democratic leadership, is a rare ability and quality in man the components of which do not allow easy and simple analysis, detection or definition. What is certain is it stands far above and beyond the bookish learning.
On the contrary, it can be dangerous for any man, especially for a leader of a country, if he thinks he knows all and better. We have suffered from the arrogance of the former president who must have been deeply convinced of his own integrity, of his outstanding political ability and great leadership, until he came to the end of his road. If that man's arrogance originated in his ignorance of the bookish learning, this man's boasting of his bookish knowledge may also well intoxicate his brain and breed another kind of arrogance. I sincerely hope, with his high intelligence, this man has learned more honesty and humility from books than knowledge.
(May 6, 1998)
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