[Editorial]
The new 21st Century has tragically begun with the old barbarism. This old barbarism, however, seems much different from the past ones, particularly in the scale of brazenness, destructiveness, deceitfulness, hypocrisy, and madness.
Most differently AND absurdly, it always calls for “democracy, freedom and human rights,” while it deliberately, purposefully, viciously destroys others’ genuine state of “democracy, freedom, human rights” all around the world including its own peoples’.
Most disgustingly, this newly-resurrected mad barbarism always talks about LIFE, just like the name of its one of the most famous and oldest magazines, as if it genuinely cares, upholds and values the LIFE. However, the history says, “No!”
In reality, it’s absolutely not! It instead viciously and indiscriminately destroys the LIFE everywhere including its own people, particularly the people who are poor and “colored” thereby much more marginalized, vulnerable and weak.
Then in what ways is the forcefully-imposed 21st Century barbarism different from the old ones? Here are some of the thoughts on this new one which seems to have been accompanied with the following characteristics whose levels seem extreme:
1) Level of (white) racism;
2) Level of (white) supremacism (the “superman” cartoon mentality);
3) Level of inferior complex;
4) Level of (unbearable sense of) guilt;
5) Level of forgetfulness;
6) Level of imputation (buck-passing);
7) Level of self-righteousness;
8) Level of hypocrisy;
9) Level of greed;
10) Level of cowardice;
11) Level of (sense of) insecurity;
12) Level of (sense of) fear;
13) Level of confusion;
14) Level of illusion;
15) Level of hallucination;
16) Level of deception;
17) Level of lie;
18) Level of brazenness;
19) Level of shamelessness;
20) Level of viciousness;
21) Level of inhumanness;
22) Level of destructiveness;
23) Particularly the level of NUMBNESS to the DESTRUCTION of LIFE;
24) All together, the level of evilness.
The 21st Century was supposed to begin with a full of hopes, dreams, joys for a symbiotically, harmoniously cooperative new future where those (supposed-to-be) universally-upheld principles of mutual-respect, co-prosperity and international justice are celebrated and honored.
However, it began with outright military invasions which are preceded AND accompanied by outright lies, deceptions, fabrications, manipulations.
This barbarism with the sheep’s face brought outright HOLOCAUSTS to this new century in the form of destruction, massacre, and most importantly the death of HOPE and JUSTICE.
Hope for a much different future in this new century seemed to be vanishing away with the arrival of the OLD BARBARISM.
Today the world seems to stand at the most crucial historic juncture which might have never been precedent or existed throughout the entire human history.
Dr. Kiyul Chung who is Editor in chief at the 4th Media is also a Visiting Professor at School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University.