Now, This Sentence

This piece from the Hankyoreh delves into the fluidity of identity, drawing inspiration from Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's "A Thousand Plateaus." It posits that individuals are not defined by inherent characteristics but by their interactions with and adaptations to various environments. The author uses vivid, almost unsettling, examples: a person who spends their life performing a 'worm' act for tourists might, in that moment and through the audience's perception, truly become a worm, transcending their human classification. Similarly, someone dedicating their life to pulling a rickshaw might develop the physique and be treated like an ox, blurring the lines of their species. This perspective challenges the Western notion of a fixed, essential self, suggesting instead that existence is a continuous, often painful, process of becoming. The article highlights a contemporary Korean reality where many young people are desperately seeking any form of employment, willing to adopt roles that might seem to diminish their humanity, simply to make a living. It's a poignant commentary on the pressures of modern society and the existential compromises individuals make to survive.