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Interview by author Nam Han

This new technology has brought about a world where everyone is rich. But what could satisfy people in such a society? Would people find new dissatisfactions? This story started from those questions. When we buy designer clothes or luxury cars, we are not buying them for convenience or utility, but for respect and envy from other people. So, when everyone is rich in the future, the fight to win other’s approval or respect would begin. 

We are seeking something abstract, something that we wouldn’t care about at all if we were living in the 21st century. 

Respect. Eternal respect paid to gods. 

Respect, which has become everyone’s dream. If most of mankind had devoted their lives to gain wealth and fame 500 years ago, now people here devote their lives to win “respect.” 

 

우리들은 21세기 인류라면 전혀 관심을 갖지 않았을 추상적인 

그 무언가를 추구하고 있지요.

리스펙트,

신처럼 영원한 리스펙트.

이 세상 모든 사람들의 꿈이 되어버린 리스펙트....

500년전 대다수의 인류가 부귀영화를 얻기 위해 일생을 바쳤다면

이제 이곳 사람들은 ‘리스펙트’를 얻기 위해 일생을 바칩니다.

                  

People gain respect in their sleep. What really happened is that a few scientists controlled someone else’s brain to raise the level of respect that person feels. People can win respect in virtual reality if they can’t do so in real life. But is this the utopia we all dreamed about? 

 

The number of the creative few who are respected in real life continues to dwindle even now. Yesterday, two of my co-workers gave up the competition to win respect and chose to receive virtual respect. 

One by one, people will give up their fight to win respect in this world. In the end, the world is certain to reach that state in which only one best person among humanity remains awake. 

This is the truth I’m telling you.

현실에서 리스펙트를 누리는 창조적 소수의 숫자는 

바로 이 순간에도 줄어들고 있습니다.

어제는 저의 직장 동료 두 명이 리스펙트를 향한 경쟁을 포기하고

가상의 리스펙트를 선택했답니다.

앞으로도 한 사람 한 사람 현실의 리스펙트를 포기하게 될 것이고,

종국에는 인류 가운데 가장 뛰어난 한 사람만 깨어 있는 상태에 도달할 것이 틀림없지요.

바로 이것이 여러분에게 전하고 있는 진실입니다.

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Nam Han: Born in 1965 in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do Prov. 

Debuted with “Prelude of Happiness” in 2006

Published his first collection of short stories “Judas and Third Mankind” in 2008