Freedom, rather than Equality of Opportunity
By chance, I recently made some headway in putting my ideal world into words, so I’d like to write it down here. The updated version is:
“To create a world where everyone can live freely.”
People who have read my media interviews probably know that up to now I’ve consistently used the term “equality of opportunity.”
While that phrase is accurate in meaning, its sound has always felt slightly off to me. “Pursuing equality of opportunity” carries a certain earnest, morally upright ring to it—as if a dramatic boom of drums should follow whenever I say the words.
The truth is, I don’t think about things the way most people do, and I don’t pay much attention to social rules or conventions. I still get scolded on the street (today was no exception), and close friends often tease, “Taejun, you’re so sloppy!” (I’d give examples, but they’d probably cause trouble, so I’ll refrain.)
Given that, using “equality of opportunity” in every interview has always felt a bit awkward.
On the other hand, “living freely” is almost exactly my ideal. I’ve always believed the best life is to do what you want—as long as you don’t infringe on anyone else’s freedom. My nature is close to that of a hippie or bohemian, with a dash of business and activism mixed in.
Back in high school, my top “career” choice, as I told close friends, was to become Snufkin: no fixed home, owning nothing unnecessary, living self‑sufficiently, creating things, playing music. Yet if most people can’t live that carefree life, I thought I’d shelve the Snufkin dream and work on changing society first. (I wonder how the friend I spoke with about this at a cafe is doing—I haven’t seen him lately.)
No matter where someone is born, what family they grow up in, what hobbies they have, what gender identity they hold, what ethnicity or race they belong to, or what religion they practice—so long as they harm no one else—I deeply believe society should let everyone live freely. I detest any society that, directly or indirectly, oppresses someone because their parents are terrorists, because they’re gay, because they’re poor, or for similar reasons. Having found it hard myself to live as I please, I know firsthand how vital freedom is.
For people to live freely, we must eradicate poverty—meaning the lack of resources or capabilities that keeps people from fully participating in society—and we must end discrimination. What I’m doing now already aligns with that principle, so I don’t plan to change my work or other activities. Still, I’m glad I could re‑articulate my goal with freedom at its core. And because it would be wrong to let these activities restrict my own freedom, I intend to keep writing, playing instruments, designing, and taking photos.