Humanities & Society

The Dignity of the Fighting

Ahn Gunmo
Pages
248
Dimensions
145*210
ISBN
978-89-98079-30-7 03810
Price
15,000KRW
Date
January 2020
Contents
Humanities & Society
*2020 Arco Literature Sharing Selection

A collection of interviews documenting the lives of people who fight with dignity and live accordingly.


In the book, there appear people who live or have lived fiercely fighting for the sake of individual self-esteem and social justice in their fields, such as human rights as a laborer, women, the poor. 

The interviewees include Ryu Mi-rye, an independent film director who honestly captures the lives of women today, Park Sang-gyu, a free journalist who covers only for justice, Choi In-ki, a senior vice chairman of the National Federation of Democratic Vendors who has been working for street vendors for a long time. We can also hear voices from the civic activists couple, Ban Ki-suk & Kim Seong-su, who confront the establishment, Su-jeong Koo a director of the Hanbe Peace Foundation who first reported the Vietnamese present after the War and argued the responsibility of Korea, and Park Gyeong-seok, a headmaster of the NODEUL Popular School for Disabled People, who struggles for the disabled’s right to move freely. Moreover, Aejin Seon is a life movement farmer, who argues the protection of native seedstocks and Hyunjong Goh is the secretary of the Senior Union, who dreams of happiness in the elderly and finally Hyeok Jang, an educational activist, has not refused various tasks for students. These people all show us what values to keep and what paths to progress through the lives we have walked so far.


Becoming the subject of life without compromising with capital and power

These passionate fighters have no way to compromise. There are no commonly used words like 'moderately' or 'unconsciously'. When feeling unfair, people are used to conform rather than fight. In a society where the power is too strong and logical, most of the people become weak considering compliance as the only way to protect themselves. 

On the other hand, the interviewees choose to fight for the weak in the lower places. If you read the stories of each person, you will understand the reason of their struggles. Listening to their own stories more confident of their decision than anyone else, you will find personal comfort and reflect on our lowered voices. Hoping the society where everyone can live well together, you may want to support those who are struggling with one heart.


People who sing for tomorrow instead of despair

“Another time is waiting”

Director Ryu Mi-rye filmed a documentary about the frustrating experiences and how we overcome the difficulties as a woman and a mother. Before its production, she was worried of how people around her would look at her, but after the screening, she was told from her family, “You have been as tough as I was.”. That was the moment she really got comforted and sympathized. 

The principal of NODEUL Popular School for Disabled People, Park Gyeong-seok was paralyzed after the hang-gliding accident, "I was walking in a wheelchair over an uneven sidewalk and my whole body shook (…) despair trampled on me recklessly." Despite the hard times of frustration, he went out of the world and started fights for the mobility of the disabled.

Apart from that, all the people interviewed here experienced moments of frustration, but together, they struggled against the world. They try to make their dreams come true, and sing for tomorrow instead of despair. Through their stories, the interviewer Gunmo Ahn tells us the hope that turns different today from yesterday and will turn different tomorrow from, facing to the fierce reality.