[Essay In My Heart]

Openness and Diversity

There are two interrelated topics that I have been thinking about a lot lately. It is a matter of ‘openness’ and ‘diversity.' I think these two themes are getting more and more important these days when the world is living day by day amidst confusion and anxiety.

First, let us look at the issue of openness. The opposite concept of openness is ‘closing.’ Even if we look at the history of mankind, we are all too familiar with the many history lessons from the opening and closing of doors in each country.

These days, toward internationalization, there is a lot of discussion about policies and practices that open or close doors to immigrants in countries around the world. Many countries are closing their doors to protect their own industries and jobs, but on the other hand, they tend to ignore the many contributions immigrants have made to their countries.

For example, if we look at the United States, which is made up of diverse immigrants, we can clearly see the consequences of the openness and closedness of such immigration policies. If you look at American science, technology, and culture, the spectrum is very diverse. In particular, these fields can be seen as the fields in which the blood and sweat of immigrants who migrated from countries around the world according to the open immigration policy of the United States have been remarkable. As an example, there is a saying that if all American technologists from immigrants returned to their respective countries, science and technology in the United States would come to a standstill overnight.

Next, consider the issue of diversity. One of the opposites of diversity is ‘uniformity.’ Even if we only look at the arbors and trees planted in the garden, what would the garden be like if we planted only the same types of flowers and trees in the garden? If we could say that white and black were the only colors we could use to paint, and the piano was the only musical instrument on which we could play beautiful music, how emotionally bleak would the world be?

In terms of academics, these days, rather than developing each major independently, the trend of multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary academic research is emerging significantly according to complex social phenomena or the trend of internationalization. Regardless, it is very dominant. For example, if you look only at areas such as the resolution of global environmental problems and COVID-19, these academic research trends are very clear.

It has become a world in which researchers from various fields of study first think deeply about solutions to a problem from their various perspectives, and collaborate with researchers in other fields to propose an integrated and comprehensive international solution. It has now become an academic research environment in which all countries, like it or not, must recognize these solutions globally and systematically implement them.

One final issue to consider from the point of view of openness and diversity is the issue of proper 'control.’ “Closedness” and “uniformity” are also problems, but the opposite, too much “openness” and “diversity” will also be a big problem. In any case, in order to solve any problem or phenomenon, we will have to balance these two conditions and harmonize them, that is, openness and diversity, like reasonably tasty Bibimbap, so that they work properly for the purpose.

Isn't there a saying Gwa-Yu-Bul-Geup (과유불급: 過猶不及) which is 'Excessiveness is worse than insufficiency?'

June 29, 2021

Solti