The answer may be wrong, but
“The question is not wrong!”

To those who have lost the power of questioning
A powerful message from the origins of civilization, Greece and Rome!

Awakening the sensitivity and creativity of Seoul National University students
Professor Kim Heon of Seoul National University's renowned lectures on humanities

“Are you living a life of inquiry?” This is the question Professor Kim Heon always asks his students when teaching humanities classes, one of the most popular classes among Seoul National University students.
The author, who has been introducing the world of Western classics to the general public whenever he has the chance, asks the same question to his students.
The funny thing is that the reaction is exactly the same.
The students and attendees just smiled awkwardly.
Why have we become so awkward and uncomfortable with questioning, wondering, and inquiring about ourselves and the world around us?

“To stop asking questions is to let go of the oars in the sea of ​​life,” the author says.
People who know how to ask and think for themselves can find their own answers and build their own world no matter what crisis or change they face.
Even if we live in the same environment and daily life, those who ask questions appropriately and well can see, feel, and absorb more throughout their lives, and navigate the sea of ​​life more broadly and deeply.


The author emphasizes that answers can be found in Western classics, which vividly portray human nature and desires, to awaken the power of lost questions.
The author, who teaches Greek and Roman mythology, Greek tragedy, history, and philosophy to students at Seoul National University, selected nine major themes in life, such as existence and death, self-esteem and happiness, and relationships with others, from Western classics, the foundation of civilization, and asked questions about them. Then, through "A Thousand Years of Lessons," he imparted deep wisdom and insight so that we, living today, can grasp the key to life.


This book is structured to help you reach new discoveries and enlightenment in your daily life by passing through nine great doors, such as “Who am I?”, “What does it mean to live well as a human being?”, “What on earth are we living so fiercely for?”, and “How can I live a satisfying and happy life?”
Having given numerous lectures, he has selected the most pressing questions in life that students and trainees have been thirsting for, and guided them through the vast world of Western classics, allowing them to find their own answers through fascinating stories.

Learning about the world was an enlightening experience, and each day was special, exciting, and fun.
But as I grew older and entered society, I began to have fewer and fewer questions to ask.
There are cases where people go through their entire lives believing that the answer they get is the right one and never ask again.


“I’ve already done it, been there, eaten it, there’s nothing new for me.” “Asking means I don’t know.
“I don’t want my ignorance to be exposed.” “There’s nothing new.
That's it, and the daily routine that passes by is just natural." "It's safe to follow the given answer.
"What if I fail at something new? Wouldn't that just be a waste of time?" Perhaps these thoughts are filling and weighing down your mind more than the fresh curiosity that's bubbling up.


South Korea is a society that does not encourage questions.
Especially when I was in school, the atmosphere was more rigid, so there were teachers who would scold me if I asked a question.
If a student asked me something, I would just scold them and tell them to just memorize it.
So, I was so shy that I couldn't ask questions even when I had questions.

--- p.6~7

Okay, now we've reached an important stage.
Once you've established the facts and understood the context, the next step is to determine what this means to me and how I should act.
The previous two steps were about examining objective facts and causal relationships.
There is little or no room for subjective judgment to intervene.
This final step involves accepting and interpreting the given information based on one's personal values.
This is the stage of active value judgment.


The way the ancient Greeks judged values ​​and determined actions offers us beautiful wisdom today.
This method was proposed by Aristotle in his Rhetoric and Ethics, and was also mentioned in the works of Plato before that.
This method, represented by two wise philosophers, gives us an idea of ​​what standards the Greeks of the time used to make value judgments when faced with a certain situation.

--- p.29~30

The act of asking who I am leads to the question, 'What kind of person do I want to be?' and 'How should I live?'
This is a very important question to ask yourself in order to become the person you want to be and live the life you want.
Moreover, the scope of these questions tends to expand.
The question, 'What do I like?' leads to the question, 'What should a person like?'


Asking yourself, "Should I go to college?" can lead to questions like, "Should everyone go to college? Is college the only way to succeed? What do people mean by success? Is success simply achieving a dream? Is a dream necessarily about becoming something? What does it mean to have a dream?" As you search for answers, your thoughts can branch out in various directions, reaching multiple levels.


Reflection on myself ultimately seems to be connected to the question of what it means to be human and how to live a human life.
The reason the question, “Who am I?” is important is because it is the starting point of questions about what it means to be human.
--- p.52~53

There are many cruel scenes in Greco-Roman mythology and tragedy.
As you read, you will find betrayal, death, and despair running rampant.
I once gave a lecture to parents about tragedy, and one of them asked, "Should students read such a brutal story? Is it educationally beneficial?"
Even though I'm not giving lectures to parents or students, I get asked that question sometimes.
Every time, I tell them that this is human nature and the true face of life.
In Greco-Roman mythology, humans are just as evil and wicked as the gods.
The heroes appearing in Homer's epic poems are far from the image of a hero that we usually think of.
Instead of being a hero who is righteous, intolerant of injustice, and on the side of the good and the weak, he is ill-tempered, stubborn, greedy, and prone to violence due to his emotions.
Will their stories help educate children?
--- p.89~90

No one's life is always smooth.
I, too, have faced difficult times at times.
I was running hard, dreaming of a rosy future, but no matter how far I went, I would feel heartbroken when I couldn't see a single ray of light.
I suddenly became afraid that my efforts and my family's hardships would go down the drain.
At times like that, I would take out 『Oddissey』.
Odysseus gave up an eternal and smooth life and threw himself into a human life filled with pain, suffering, and constant worry.
He does not deny but accepts even death, which is what humans most want to avoid.
I knew that because I would die someday, the present moment, no matter how painful, was all the more valuable.
Likewise, joy is sweeter because there is sorrow, and the reward of achievement is greater because there is pain.
Isn't the key to overcoming difficult times right here?
--- p.132~133

I wish adults would talk to children a little differently.
For example, instead of saying, “Just study,” we need to show new possibilities that studying isn’t the only answer.
Many people know that a society where everyone takes the same path and runs to the same finish line is wrong.
You have doubts about that way of life.
In a way, the older generation is probably the one who knows that fact well.
You experienced it firsthand.


'Life isn't over just because you can't get into a good university or a good company.
You can create a company yourself.
"The important thing is to believe in yourself, take on challenges, and take responsibility for your choices." Wouldn't these words truly boost a child's self-esteem and creative spirit of challenge? Perhaps the role of the older generation is more important than simply providing a perfect framework for the new generation: to instill in them a spirit of challenge, to stimulate their yearning for freedom, to encourage them to fly high without fear.

--- p.239~240