Recommendation of 'Why We Take Sides'
"Moderates, the Ones Who Anchor Society"
Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon attended a book club gathering composed of people in their 20s and 30s, where he recommended a book that analyzes political and social polarization.
On the 24th, at Boramae Park in Seoul, Mayor Oh participated in the 'Hipdog Club' Nomad Reading event and recommended "Why We Take Sides" by Dutch philosopher Bart Brandsma. Mayor Oh said, "This book addresses integration and coexistence from a centrist perspective, and it is worth reading for anyone who wishes to be active in the public sphere."
Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon met with members of the Hipdog Club at Boramae Park, where the Seoul International Garden Expo is underway on the 24th. Photo by Seoul City
The Hipdog Club is the nation's first public book club created by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and its 10,000-member capacity was filled within just two hours of opening registration. The Nomad Reading event that Mayor Oh attended is an activity that encourages reading at famous locations across the country, and on this day, it was held at Boramae Park to mark the opening of the Seoul International Garden Expo.
At the gathering, Mayor Oh remarked, "When people become overly immersed in politics, the presence of the political center may seem diminished, but in reality, these are the people who anchor society." He emphasized, "Thanks to the centrist group, the seeds of integration can be sown."
He went on to introduce that Brandsma, the author of "Why We Take Sides," classifies the main actors in polarization into five types: instigators, followers, bystanders, mediators, and scapegoats. Referring to the instigators, Mayor Oh explained the author's view, saying, "They are people who see things in black and white and are characterized by 'moral self-righteousness'?the belief that only they are right. When such people become the mainstream, integration becomes difficult."
Regarding mediators, he said, "They are the ones who take action against polarization. I often use the language of a mediator. To those who only emphasize growth, I say that a community can only survive if we accompany the vulnerable. To those who focus solely on welfare, I say that unless we fill the coffers through growth, we will end up with a society where people only pay lip service to 'accompanying the vulnerable.'"
Mayor Oh assessed, "Today's politics has become dominated by extreme instigators who fuel hatred and serve as hosts for intense conflict." He added, "Although there is a vicious cycle in which the middle ground keeps shrinking, we cannot give up the path of integration and solidarity. The role of politics should be that of a mediator."
Mayor Oh's remarks are interpreted as delivering a message of national unity in response to the intensifying factional confrontation ahead of the presidential election. A city official stated, "The main point of the book precisely matches Mayor Oh's usual concerns. He simply wanted to convey an important message to the younger generation, and there is no political motive at all."
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