Prologue Do you see discrimination?

Part 1: The Birth of a Benevolent Discriminationist

Chapter 1: When you change where you stand, the scenery changes too.
Chapter 2 We Are Not Standing in One Place
Chapter 3: The Bird Cannot See the Cage

Part 2: How Discrimination Is Erased

Chapter 4: Why People Attack with Death for a Joke
Chapter 5: The idea that some discrimination is fair
Chapter 6: The Outcasts
Chapter 7: "I Wish I Couldn't See You"

Our stance against discrimination in the third part

Chapter 8: Equality Comes Overcoming the Fear of Change
Chapter 9 Equality for All
Chapter 10: On the Anti-Discrimination Act

Epilogue Us
Acknowledgements
main
References

Author's Note on the 300,000-Copy Commemorative Edition

We're all different, so how can we be equal? ​​Fighting discrimination is a truly difficult task.
It's often difficult to determine what constitutes discrimination, and we sometimes question whether an equal society is truly possible.
Only by looking at reality coolly and dreaming of an ideal world can the world change little by little.
The simple declaration that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights" seems meaningless, and the path to realizing it seems arduous.
Still, I believe this process of moving toward equality makes our lives meaningful and gives us hope for the future.
That expectation will eventually become reality.
I hope this book is one of the seeds that will sow that hope.
My heart swells when I think of 300,000 seeds scattered everywhere, meeting readers and growing.
Thank you for warmly embracing and nurturing this book.
- Author Kim Ji-hye

Sometimes you have to fight back with a deadly punch to a joke you made to make a joke!

Hatred and discrimination grow like weeds.
If we are not careful, it will spread throughout society.
People sometimes say that even very small discriminations can be ignored, that discrimination that benefits the majority is a reasonable discrimination, and attack any attempt to raise issues or take corrective action against discrimination as reverse discrimination.
People who say things like this are not serious misogynists or racists.
It could be me, you, or us.
The provocative book, "The Benevolent Discriminationist," suggests that all of us ordinary people can be "good discriminators," sharply capturing the "moments of discrimination and hatred" that we, the "good" people, miss in the secret, trivial, everyday, and natural events that occur.
Equality cannot be achieved with good intentions alone. Professor Kim Ji-hye, the author of this book, suggests that we imagine a world beyond the familiar order and organize a world where everyone is equal.
From those who have suffered discrimination but have been unable to raise even the smallest issue to so-called "pro-inconvenience" people, this is a must-read for modern people tired of the age of discrimination and hatred.

We are all 'good racists'

“If a disabled person takes more time to ride the bus, shouldn’t they pay more?” said a student during a class discussion about disabled people’s access to intercity buses.
I don't think that was said intentionally to discriminate against people with disabilities.
So how did we come to believe that it's fair for people with disabilities to pay more? From a perspective built around non-disabled people, not being able to climb the steps on a bus is seen as a defect on the part of the disabled person and a burden on others.
They simply failed to recognize that setting speed and efficiency as the standard for non-disabled people was already biased.


In Part 1, the author focuses on why we become “good discriminators” who cannot see discrimination.
First, it is pointed out that since everyone has different circumstances, no matter how fair one tries to judge from one's own position, there is bound to be bias.
He says it's important to discover your own privileges, especially to recognize discrimination we might otherwise overlook.
That privilege can be found when a structure or system that does not cause any inconvenience to me becomes a barrier to someone else.
Few people would sit on an intercity bus and think they are enjoying some sort of privilege.
However, since intercity buses do not have wheelchair lifts, people who use wheelchairs cannot ride the bus even if they buy a ticket.
Something I have that others don't, the opportunity to use the intercity bus here is a privilege.


Additionally, the author points out that we are sometimes part of a privileged majority and sometimes a discriminated minority.
The point is that just because an individual is a minority in some way does not mean that they will always be discriminated against.
This intersectionality makes discussing discrimination more difficult and complex.
When the controversy over accepting Yemeni refugees arose recently, it was women, a "minority," who were more vehement in their opposition to accepting refugees, citing Yemen's gender-discriminatory culture as an example, and suggesting that discussions about discrimination should be reviewed from more diverse perspectives.
Furthermore, it points out that, ironically, even those who are discriminated against maintain inequality by thinking and acting in accordance with the discriminatory order, and thus discrimination becomes entrenched and becomes part of the structure.
As we follow the author's sharp and multifaceted approach to raising issues, we come to realize that even the most virtuous citizens are unlikely to avoid discrimination altogether.


How Discrimination Is Erased

It is true that our society's sensitivity to discrimination has increased remarkably compared to 10 to 20 years ago.
The majority of people, at least in theory, support equality and oppose discrimination.
In reality, most good citizens do not want to be discriminators and accept the principle of equality as morally right and just.
But when asked about specific cases, some discrimination is considered reasonable and some is not.
Part 2 examines the mechanisms by which discrimination is erased or disguised as “fairness” through various examples.


Let's take an example.
When a 'fool' character in a comedy show raises the issue of belittling the disabled, he asks why they are rushing to kill him when he is trying to make people laugh.
Many people believe that providing education tailored to each student's level is ideal, and that dividing classes into high and low groups is good for students.
Regarding the 'no kids zone' controversy, some people say that business owners have the right to turn away customers.


The author meticulously dissects these controversies about discrimination, poses questions in return, and introduces various studies and theories on human psychology and social phenomena, allowing readers to naturally explore equality and discrimination.
In the first place, it asks why the 'fool' character is funny and whether derogatory jokes have any impact on society.
The principle of "meritocracy," which treats "different things differently," like the system of ranking classes, may seem objective at first glance, but it raises the question of whether it actually results in "winners" monopolizing all opportunities and leaving losers to endure deprivation and exclusion through uniform evaluation criteria.
If "no-kids zones" are a legitimate right of business owners, are "senior and disabled zones" also acceptable? Just because a business can demand courtesy from customers, does that mean it's okay to reject an entire group of customers simply because one customer doesn't? As we follow the lively questions and answers, as if participating in a discussion class, we gradually realize that we harbored discriminatory thoughts we hadn't even realized existed within us.


Shouting for equality in a tilted world!

If Part 1 examined why benevolent discriminators are created, and Part 2 examined the operating principles that hide discrimination, Part 3 examines our stance on responding to such discrimination and hatred.
It presents a wealth of arguments and experiments, exploring everything from immediate solutions to the direction we should take.
By addressing the conflict and tension that arise when efforts to challenge discrimination, such as rallies, protests, and civil disobedience, are perceived as threats to the existing social order, we consider how our society should listen to the voices of minorities.
Moving forward, we will discuss whether a universal yet diverse principle of equality that encompasses all people is possible, starting with the "toilet for all" debate, and how we can reach agreement on such a principle.
Finally, we examine the significance of the debate surrounding the anti-discrimination law as one of the solutions to achieving equality.


Do you see discrimination? In the era of slavery, slavery was considered natural, and in a time when women didn't have the right to vote, it seemed natural.
Our thoughts are confined to our field of vision.
So, doubt is necessary.
Is the world truly equal? ​​Is my life truly free from discrimination? Reflection to broaden our perspectives is necessary for everyone.
Without that time for reflection, we will unconsciously follow the social order that seems natural and become complicit in discrimination.
"The Benevolent Discriminationist" provides an opportunity to discover blind spots that my vision has not reached.


Everyone wants equality, but equality cannot be achieved with good intentions alone.
We, who are in different positions, can detect and combat the inequalities that are hidden or become invisible through habit by sharing and listening to each other's experiences of discrimination.
As with all things, equality does not come automatically.
The message this book leaves us with is that, in order to avoid becoming a "good discriminator" in an unequal world, we must imagine a world beyond the order we are familiar with.