[Chaekdam] Wounded Humanity... Don't Just Click 'Like', Engage in Communication

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] “Today’s humanity produces more than ever before, yet more people than ever are hungry and marginalized. We must ask ourselves whether we are truly happy and whether our humanity has been wounded.”

The author, a nun and scholar, serves as a professor of spirituality at the University of the Holy Names in the United States, focusing on spirituality alongside issues of migration, marginalization, poverty, and women. Although Tolstoy said, “Man lives by love,” she contemplates why people in this era are dying without love. Through her book To the Wounded Humanity (HanbitBiz), she organizes twelve questions we must ask in the face of poverty, marginalization, violence, and disease. The main themes of these questions are “What do humans live by?” and “What is humanity?”

The author explains that ‘Ingan (人間)’ means the space between individuals and poses questions from a humanities perspective to find answers on how to fill that space. She emphasizes, “If we realize that people are more beautiful than any flower and more precious than any treasure, we will recognize each person’s preciousness and treat (ourselves and others) with care.” We had a conversation with Professor Park Jeongeun, who emphasizes the community of ‘we,’ on the 20th.

- The book is rich with reflections on humanity. What kind of being does the author consider ‘human,’ and what is ‘humanity’?

▲To me, a human is essentially a being who lives connected with others. Within time and space, a human is also a being who seeks the meaning of life with unique feelings and textures. The relationships with people we meet throughout life shape who we are. In today’s globalized world, when we face others with open eyes, I believe the realm of our humanity broadens and deepens.

- The title is To the Wounded Humanity. What do you think is the biggest problem damaging humanity in the present era?

▲I think neoliberalism is the biggest problem. Everything is calculated by the logic of capital, and the value of life is disregarded. Marketability becomes the measure of value, and people who do not fit into this vast mechanism lose their place. The most heartbreaking thing is the loss of communities that embrace each other. Religion fails to speak the truth, governments do not take responsibility, and many people living in loneliness and marginalization have disappeared from sight.

- The book offers insights into problems from the perspective of the humanities. Can the humanities provide answers to the issues and conflicts of our times? What efforts do you think people should make?

▲Looking at humanists, they analyze the times and insist on how our era should be. It is not important who said what or “I read this book.” What matters is accurately recognizing the problems of life we face. Only then can we find hints in the humanities, which are like treasure troves. First, think and reflect, then communicate with various authors?whether it’s Kant, Marx, or Confucius...

- I heard that in the U.S., there are priests who specifically support the faith life of sexual minorities within the Catholic Church. How does Catholicism view sexual minorities? Are there differences between American and Korean Catholicism?

▲The stance on sexual minorities in the U.S. is very friendly. Official Catholic documents recommend accepting sexual minorities as brothers and sisters of the Church. In the 1980s, there were parishes specifically for sexual minorities, but nowadays that stage has been surpassed. Although there are conservative areas in the U.S., generally they are accepting. Korean Catholicism is relatively exclusive, but I believe it will change soon. I think it is more due to discomfort in Korean society than doctrinal issues. Young people nowadays want to be called by the gender they identify with. We need training to see sexual minorities not as a frame but as beings to be loved.

- There is a section mentioning feminism. As a nun, how do you assess the current wave of feminism?

▲To me, feminism is a way of deeply understanding humans and living together. However, people’s impressions and feelings about feminism vary. Some say they are tired of women who only assert their claims and do not compromise, while others say women suffer from being treated as sexual objects or as insufficient beings needing help. What is needed now is dialogue. Each side should deeply consider their claims and engage in honest discourse. I hope we can calmly discuss issues of gender, capital, and marginalization. It doesn’t have to be called feminism; I just hope the conversation continues.

- You emphasized the attitude of viewing things with a long gaze. Why is that necessary, and how can one do that?

▲In the age of images, everything is a fleeting moment. It is hard to distinguish what is real. Like composite photos, very different feelings can be created. In such cut and edited images, the world loses empathy. Behind the edited images are poor people who have lost their faces. A long gaze is discovering the people hidden behind these images. Prayer is the same. It is keeping one’s gaze long and steady with the eyes of the Absolute. When someone says they are struggling on social media, instead of just clicking ‘like,’ a small act of directly contacting them connects people.

- You emphasized a dense network for coexistence and a relaxed day.

▲So far, coexistence is understood as a network, which causes much marginalization. Reaching out to someone is often just advertising that encourages consumption. A network should be a space where people meet people. Trying too hard to show an overly packaged self on social media can alienate oneself and others. My actions can trigger others’ sense of comparison and cause wounds. Creativity is needed here. In that sense, the ‘relaxed day’ I advocate is about shifting the mind’s direction from ‘showing’ to ‘seeing.’ When I see others first, they look at me, and then we connect through a dense network.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.