Ignoring the Oblivious!
Incomplete Map of Korea
"Let's put Dokdo and Gypsy Scholar on the map!"
(Image from Wikipedia)
In yesterday's "Expat Living" section of the Korea Herald appeared a full-page article, "You don't understand Korean culture," by Bart Schaneman on six expat blogs here in Korea that focus largely on Korean issues, and of these six blogs, my very own Gypsy Scholar was not even mentioned.
Naturally, I have written a reasonable letter of protest to the Korean Herald and posted it at The Marmot's Hole:
I can't understand why my blog Gypsy Scholar was ignored in this article.As you see, not only have I written this courageous letter of protest, but I have also bravely added my own name to my posting of this protest at the The Marmot's Hole. Yet, why -- you may ask -- did I post my letter at a blog rather than send it to the newspaper that had ignored me? Why didn't I complain directly to the Korea Herald? Yeah, riiiiight. Complain to those who ignored me that they've ignored me and thereby give them just another opportunity to ignore me?
I'm incessently defending the Korean belief in fan death -- and lately discovering, to my chagrin, that I'm 'right' -- as well as commenting on other Korean topics . . . such as St. Augustine's critique of curiosity in the early Middle Ages or the use of such Middle English words as "quaille" in Ozark dialect.
Well . . . okay, those last couple of topics aren't directly related to Korean issues, but this country is currently globalizing, so expats -- of all people -- should be broadminded as to what constitutes Korean topics.
Besides, my tendency to blog about 'non-Korean' issues is usually taken as an attitude of studied indifference on my part to things Korean -- and thus understood as my intended commentary upon those same things Korean.
In short, I am always Korea-blogging about Korea on my very famous Korea-blog, thereby deserving full expat-in-Korea recognition, and therefore cannot quite grasp why my Korea-blog was ignored in an article dedicated to expats blogging on Korea.
Obviously, my blog's focus -- both by commission and omission -- upon a plethora of Korea topics has alienated most expats, who are therefore intentionally ignoring my blog. This constitutes a well-orchestrated case of anti-Koreanism!
Maybe I should do something truly Korea-oriented, like demonstrating before the American Embassy to protest being ignored!
Jeffery Hodges
I'd rather be ignored.
Labels: Humor
posted by Horace Jeffery Hodges @ 4:23 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Well, at least you are assimilated to the point of protesting in outrage. Even though you have many fans, you have a legitimate beef.
Right, so I ought to be given my due . . . instead of this 'fan deaf' ignorance.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
Jeffery,
Do something that gets you almost fired, angers a large group of Nazizens (my new favorite word) and/or write a lot about writing about Koreans and I'm all over it.
Gee, I dunno, Bart . . . get myself fired? Well, I did once lose my tenure-track position for political reasons -- the personal being political -- back in 2004, but that's now a lot a blood under the bridge.
I actually like living in Korea . . . but would like it better if I could have a permanent job.
As for angering the Netizens/Nazizens, that's too easy -- or would be, except that none of them can decipher my blog. Hell, sometimes I can't decipher my own writing. Do I really believe in fan death? Sometimes, I'm not sure myself. The layers of self-irony obscure my fundamental meaning . . . and my true identity, even from my own prying eyes.
But writing more about Korea? Hell, I'm still stuck in the Ozarks. Korea is several countries down the list.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
demonstrating before the American Embassy to protest
Not this week Jeffrey! Aren't the Bushes coming to town? You could be trampled by (their) fans--giving a new meaning to the Korean 'fan death' phenon.
Kiko
Kiko, thanks for the visit and for your concern that I not perish of fan death at the feet of the Bushes' twenty- or thirty-thousand fans.
I think that the Bushes have already passed on . . . though not by fan death . . . so the streets are probably once again safe for my one-man protest at being ignored.
Speaking of being ignored, I must protest at being conflated with all of those individuals bearing the all-too-common name of "Jeffrey" and thereby having my uniqueness ignored.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
testing
testing
testing
testing this
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