Rules? Decency? What?

It’s difficult living in modernized Korea. It’s a supposed civilized society full of hypocrites. Rules are to be followed, yet broken if you deem yourself to be able to break them. The quick examples are with contracts, red lights, bus seating, and standing in lines.

I love how Koreans justify their actions. They Use the “it’s how everyone else does it” excuse. Their ignorance is inexcusable. I would equate it to the mindless persecution of the Jews. Point out that their supposed to follow the rule in the contract that says:

2. To do lesson planning and develop teaching materials with a Korean co-teacher.

2. 한국인협력교사와 함께 영어수업을 설계하고 교수학습자료를 제작한다.

Not to mention it’s the second actual rule in the contract, yes, number 2. They’ll act like it’s not a valid complaint adding that it would be too difficult… This, I also find funny. Tell a native speaking teacher to sign a contract, tell them that their job is based on the contract, let them come to Korea, do not follow said contract.

This “do as I say, not as I do” concept continues to frustrate and demean native speakers continually. Why do native speakers hate their employers and co-workers? It is because Koreans don’t know how to follow basic rules of conduct. They’ve grown too accustomed to their power and abuse.

Then, there's bus seating. Bus seating is assigned when you buy a ticket if the buses are going to be filled or if they’re express buses (just better looking than regular busses). More than I care to remember, people will ignore the seating numbers… while I can understand if there are extra seats available after people have taken the assigned ones, Koreans have a tendency to take whatever seat they feel they deserve instantly; that seat would oftentimes happen to be mine. It’s strange to be on a bus, with your companion, just wanting to sit together and relax on the way to your destination, when some idiot has taken your seat and you find yourself staring at them until they leave your seat and go sit where they’re supposed to.

Standing in lines is something that is learned by school children. The ability to queue is not complex at all. Guarding your spot in line should not be a competitive game, yet here in Korea it is. Protecting your spot in line is done by making sure you have only ½ inch from the person next to you or the counter at all times. You must also do the same with your items on the conveyor belt. Any failure to follow the rules results in some idiot seeing an opening and cutting in front of you.

From a certain standpoint, Koreans will take advantage of outsiders. They will do so without hesitation. While, in a certain way, I can understand a bit of competitiveness on their side, what I can’t understand is being an asshole to people that can’t speak your language well. I, for one, don’t go out of my way to piss off people that can’t defend themselves in any language that isn’t my own. Nor do I act the ass when they do speak my language, why? Because, I was brought up to be well-mannered, a trait I fail to see in many Koreans.

China has a different way of dealing with people from outside their country. They supposedly treat them better than the people of China. I think this is not the greatest concept, I believe it should be equal, but, when you consider the fact that people are struggling to adjust to your society, a friendly act now and again reinforces the positives of a society. It’s not a bad thing necessarily. It sure as hell beats being treated like crap, left and right, in Korea.

It’s one thing to be taken advantage of, which can happen in any society. But when you’ve been jabbed one too many times, it will piss you off like no other. It’s like being at the butt of a bad joke that repeated over and over. Immediately, you’ll fail to see the humor. Like Darwinism at its worst, the Koreans deem themselves fittest due to their superiority complex.