Lectures by Lee O-young

Author Lee O-young · Publisher Yolimwon · Published 2024-02-22 · ISBN 9791170402541

About the Book

The value of youth, the conditions of youth, the qualifications of youth…

Lee O-young’s message to the youth of this era
A story about the essence of youth

“The times are changing rapidly. Last spring is different from this spring, and next spring will be distinctly different from this spring. (...) I am someone with no vested interests. If such people speak with passion, at least it's not for their own benefit, but because they want to leave something behind for our grandchildren, for the generations yet to be born.” - From “The Emergent Creativity of University Students and New Paths”

In commemoration of the second anniversary of the passing of the intellectual of our time, the late Professor Lee O-young, 『Lee O-young’s Lectures』 has been published. Two years have passed since his death, but we still seek his wisdom through his writings. He spent his entire life “looking at the world with curious eyes,” never ceasing his free intellectual explorations. Until the very end, he generously shared his wisdom and advice with those who would remain in the world. He taught us how we and this society could survive in rapidly changing times by presenting concepts like bio-capitalism and digilog.
『Lee O-young’s Lectures』 is a book that encapsulates his teachings. It compiles 10 of his many lectures specifically aimed at "young people." From his congratulatory address at Seoul National University's entrance ceremony (2008), still remembered for "Tteotda Tteotda Bihaenggi" (Fly, Fly, Airplane), to the monthly discussion session of the Korea Advanced Forum (2010) where he discussed 'bio-capitalism', and his congratulatory address at the Seoul National University graduate commencement ceremony (2021), held non-face-to-face in front of a "black camera lens" – this book contains messages from Professor Lee O-young to young people who "bear the contradictions and problems of the previous century" and have "begun a new paradigm."

“Fly, fly, airplane, soar, soar”
The joy of learning and creation for a higher world

Professor Lee, who never stopped learning even at the forefront of knowledge, urged continuous study not merely to accumulate knowledge, but to “create one’s own life.” He called for a return to the essence of academia, which is "gathering what has been learned and asking questions," and to "look at the world with curious eyes and ask endless questions" like a child. He stated, "This questioning can be seen as a seed of creation," and through it, we should "change the existing paradigm" to allow our lives, which have only "floated," to "fly higher." However, he also expressed regret over the reality where "wisdom dies within knowledge, and knowledge within information."

In fact, all of you were geniuses when you were young. Why? You asked endlessly. You asked your mother, your father, and others, but who killed those questions? Adults killed them all.
(...) As you get older and go to school, you forget how to ask questions. When children ask why birds sing, adults can't answer but think it's a useless question. But all human creation comes from questions. - From "A Space for Creation Opening a New Era"

Alongside this, the professor reveals the secret to creation that can help our young people excel in a new era where "the power of culture, the power of language, and the power of art dominate the world." It is 'tears' and 'loneliness.' He explains that great inventions were possible for King Sejong, Einstein, and Marie Curie because they experienced cries and wounds. He suggests that if we confront the pain and loneliness within us, overcome them, and use them as a driving force for creation, we too can extend our reach to the world.

Looking at King Sejong, we consider how many Einsteins, Leonardo da Vincis, Marie Curies, and other geniuses we have killed. It's not that we lacked creative people. It's because we ostracized creative people and treated them as incompetent or strange, leaving only similar people, which ultimately prevents creative thinking. - From "The Heart-Pounding Power of Creation, Sejong"

“The generation that connects through ‘ecological exchange’
is today’s youth.”

While conveying the essence and value of youth through learning and creation, 'life' ultimately forms the foundation. He posits that even if one learns diligently and creates diligently, if "the flowers of life" do not exist within it, it is all meaningless. Professor Lee O-young describes the youth of this generation as "a species that connects through 'ecological exchange'." They use iPhones and Wiis developed using bodily senses and, watching the movie Avatar, they side with "the Na'vi rather than the Earthlings." Professor Lee also left a message that the day is not far off when this generation will question how machines and industry will "change the process of the current civilization, which has been taken for granted," into a life-centric one.

Unbeknownst to us, they are hungry for life. They are living, but not truly alive. (...) To feel that they are alive, they commit crimes and kill people. They feel the presence of their own life in the situation where blood bursts forth. Their ego is completely absent in their daily lives. This is the ill effect caused by analog deficiency. - From "The Life Consciousness of Young People"

Lee O-young dreamt of a world filled with life. He wished to change "living to life" and to transform "the paradigm of industrial technology or machine technology, the paradigm of financial capitalism, into a life system." Therefore, he added, "Love the vitality of ordinary life, and create technologies centered on the vividness of crying and cheering." Just as Einstein said that not everything is calculable, he emphasized that we should not rely "under the name of computers or science" but learn from the wisdom of nature "accumulated over 3.8 billion years" and integrate it with human technology to lead a new era.

Those who blindly believe in science think that humans can create living beings with their own wisdom. And when they do, the result is a monster. How absurd is that? The living beings created by nature possess beauty and harmony, but the living beings created by humans were merely monsters. Can life created by human science and technology, which is only 100 or 200 years old, be compared to life created by God, which has been developed over at least 3.8 billion years? - From "The Digilog World of Closing, Opening, and Transcending"

“We are wonderful people who will live
wonderful lives. Live wonderfully today.”

Through COVID-19, we “learned earlier than expected how important the digital world is, and at the same time, how precious the offline analog world, filled with the scent of human skin, is.” While learning, creation, and life are all important for living in this world, the professor states that 'autonomy' is paramount. It's not about choosing from what is given, but about expanding “the scope of one's own choices.” This, he argues, is what enables learning and creation based on the value of life, and allows one to live a visionary life.
Professor Lee O-young, who until the very end wished for young people to live lives where they write their own stories, rather than "following others without knowing where they are going." It is hoped that through 『Lee O-young's Lectures』, his sincere wish for young people to live well will be conveyed.

Perhaps 10 or 20 years from now, I may no longer exist on this earth, but at that time, I believe you will, like Philoctetes, achieve the ultimate glorious victory, leading the Trojan War to triumph with your wounds, blossoming with the hidden talent of the bow. Hoping for that day, believing it will come to pass, I conclude my story here today. - From "A Space for Creation Opening a New Era"

Table of Contents

1. A Single Mask
First Graduation Ceremony in a Hundred Years / This is My Congratulatory Message

2. From ‘Floating’ to ‘Flying’
Fly, Fly, Airplane - Icarus's Dream / The Meaning of Floating and Flying / University, Fly High / Becoming, Not Being / Live Beautifully Today

3. Here, a Joyful University is Born
Swimming in the Sea of Knowledge / Return to the Origin of Academia / The Life of Zhi-Ho-Rak and the DIKW Model / A Factory Producing Zhi Zhi Ja (Knowers) / Embodied Knowledge and Life Information / Education and Scholarship of Ho Ji Ja (Lovers of Knowledge) / School of Nak Ji Ja (Enjoyers of Knowledge) / Self-realization and Creative Activity / Are We Happy Now? / The Academy is the Cradle of Nak Ji Ja

4. The Source of Academia is Drying Up
STEP or PEST / Changing World Universities / Humanities as the Source of Change / Commodity Value and Life Value

5. The Emergent Creativity of University Students, and New Paths
The Role of New Employees / World History Was Moved by Those in Their 20s / The Future is Created as Designed / Create Shared Cognition / The Material is Infinite / Unleash Your Creativity / Butterfly Effect / A Society Without Disparity is an Advanced Society / Content, Not Form, is Important / Must Create Intellectual Works / Who Uncovered the Fact That "Hillary is Tone-Deaf"? / Listen to the Elderly / The Power of Free-Spiritedness / Monthly Discussion Forums are Excellent Learning Grounds / Must Advance the Internet World First

6. The Life Consciousness of Young People
Clouds on the Hill / Steve Jobs and Bio-Capitalism / 'Sense of Life' and 'Embodied Wisdom' / Ecological Exchange and Life Codes in 'Avatar' / 'Ecological Exchange' and 'Paradigm Shift' / The New Cultural Code of Youth, 'Sense of Life' / Commercialization of 'Sense of Life' Technology, the Potential of Biomimicry / New Capitalism Overcoming the Old Capitalist Paradigm / Biomimicry and Analog Cycles / The Infinite Possibilities of Biomimicry, Korea / Our Competitiveness Keyword, Now 'Biomimicry' / Bio-Capitalism, Korea is Now the Center

7. The Heart-Pounding Power of Creation, Sejong
The Best Brand Name in Korea / The Lantern's Light Does Not Reach Its Own Base / All Creation Begins at the End of Crying / The Basis of Creation is Language / Silence and Emotion within the Emptiness / The Power of Culture that Governs Human Hearts / The Idea of Reversal that Turns Negative into Positive / The Importance of the Four Virtues Emphasized by King Sejong / The Spirit of Hangeul, Samjae Sasang (Three Powers Thought) / King Sejong's Positive Spirit / An Immense Source of Creation

8. A Space for Creation Opening a New Era
A New Era Ruled by Art / From ‘Number One’ to ‘Only One’ / A World Where Those Who Inspire Are Heroes / Great Creation Always Arises from Wounds / An Isolated Space to Seek the Driving Force of Creation / Questions Are the Seeds of Creation / Think for Yourself / Everything Begins by Throwing / How to Be the Only One: Interest, Observation, Relationships / The One Who Holds Philoctetes’ Bow

9. The Laws of Computing and Embodiment Guiding Life
A Living Body, The Joy of Being Alive / Paradigm Shift According to Object and Subject / Conquer the World by Understanding Computing and Embodiment / The Relationship Between Computers and Ballistic Calculators / Mathematical Perspective and Humanistic Thinking / A Person Who Thinks About the Human Body / Numerical Mind and Mathematical Thinking / Happiness Related to Human Beings, Not Science and Technology / Digital Chewed by Molars / Bio-Capitalism and Embodiment

10. The Digilog World of Closing, Opening, and Transcending
A Long Journey Towards Convergence Science / A Wingless Chicken / Homunculus and Frankenstein / Difference and Division Save Us / The Core of Convergence Science, a Pencil with an Eraser / Turning Negative into Positive / The Combination of Digital and Analog / Imitate the Forms of Nature / The Happy Encounter of Two Worlds' Frequencies