More than a Korean Susan Boyle
If you have not seen Sung-Bong Choi’s story, please take a moment NOW to watch this Korea’s Got Talent clip:
I don’t have too many words to say except this: Wow.
We should know by now that the way a person looks has very little to do with the talents that they possess.
Even if you don’t believe in God, this has to be one of the few times you feel compelled to believe in a Divine Justice.
Unfortunately, the world does not operate under a perfect justice–
The rich get richer. The poor get poorer.
Good things happen to evil people. Horrible things happen to great people.
The Yankees win the World Series.
Heidi Montague and Spencer Pratt have fans.
Etc. Etc.
The story and voice of Sung Bong Choi grab me because I am seeing someone who is walking proof that Grace exists. Yes, he has lived an unbelievably heart-wrenching life up to this point, but he has also been given a gift from the Hand of God Himself.
And he is making sure he doesn’t waste it. This Grace is meant to be shared.
Keep singing, Sung Bong Choi. You are obviously loved and you deserve every bit of the Divine Justice bestowed upon you.
What intrigues you about his story and voice?
the funny thing about compassion
We see it all over the place. It bombards us seemingly every time we surf the web, log onto facebook, glance at our tweets (or just the @-replies for you popular folk), check our email, turn on the TV, or walk to class. We just can’t escape it!
What am I talking about?
You: “Sex, of course”
Yes that applies too, but right now I’m talking about things like COMPASSION, CAUSE, JUSTICE, CARE, ADVOCACY and any other buzz word you can throw into the mix.
I guess you can say that caring for people has suddenly become… TRENDY?
These days, we even see it in the clothes people wear. You’re rockin’ a TWLOHA t-shirt, wrist lookin’ fly with a ONE campaign bracelet, and your feet look and feel sexy with the latest pair of TOMS shoes. Your illuminant Apple logo is eclipsed by the One Days Wages sticker on your Macbook Pro (sorry Mr. Jobs). For extra credit, you even got a photo of Scott Harrison tattooed unto your forearm for a potentially awkward but cause-driven conversation starter.
Some people look at this and refuse to buy into the “fad”. It is perhaps in an attempt to keep it real and go against the grain. You’ve never been known as the “giving or caring type” so to start now would seem like you’re a band-wagoner. Besides, you just joined the Laker train last year so your lifetime allowance of jumping on ONE band-wagon has been used-up, never to return. (good investment, by the way)
Well, this may or may not be news to you but this fad, trend, or whatever you want to call it is here to stay.
Poverty is not a fashion statement. “The poor will always be among us” is as true today as it was 2000 years ago. The buying and selling of human beings is still wrong and unacceptable. People need to value African lives. Not everyone has access to a Sparkletts delivery man. You get the idea…
What’s my point?
Whether from good motives or bad motives, by way of trend or out of genuine care, the thing that matters is that something is being done about the issues involving the poor, the destitute, and the hopeless.
I’ve never been known as the “compassionate” guy or the “activist” type while I was growing up. It wasn’t until recently that my heart (and actions) have been growing (and still growing) in this area. Just ask my friends.
I realize that I may be speaking to just a few of you (maybe more!) but inaction in this area due to a resolve in ones heart to be anti-trendy is wrong. Yes, I went there. This is wrong.
Who cares about the hype? If the advent of technology and media increases the awareness of need, then so be-it. If “cause paraphernalia” informs the world around me of issues otherwise unseen, awesome.
If helping people is COOL, why is this a bad thing?
Buy the hype. As everyday, ordinary people we can make a difference. Even if you’ve been voted “Most Unlikely to Care About People” by your senior class in high school, who cares?
Jump in.
Dealing with apathy? Let’s save that conversation for another time…
dk
the death of anonymity
There’s something that really gets to me about an aspect of social media culture but i’m especially to blame and I’m mainly disappointed in myself.
Which of these do not belong?
Justice, advocacy, compassion, and… anonymity.
my latest song: “Hey”
hey dudes…
please do me a favor and pump this up on your head phones. reason being, the quality SUCKS and you’re just gonna dismiss this song in the first few seconds unless you stick it out with some headphones turned up! (also, i need a haircut and i look like a bum so you may be better off minimizing the window as well when you listen.)
another favor… if you like the tune, please feel free to spread it AND let me know what you think below. as you know, i don’t get paid for my songs so the only “currency” that flows in this economy are words. yours are precious to me. THANKS!
(on another note, if you do want to support me financially, there’s a donate option to the right on my sidebar… thanks)
wrote this one on 11.12.09. Thanks for giving the ghetto-fab production a chance! just doing the best with what i got!
Ideas and Justice
it’s been too long since i posted but it’s not because i’ve had a shortage of things to write about. it’s because i’ve been BUSY. this entry will be brief so please don’t equate the length of this entry to how important i consider the issues discussed to be!
i just got back from Washington DC after taking part in The Idea Camp- Justice Edition with a lot of my heroes in the area of compassion work! the biggest highlight of this weekend was probably meeting so many new friends and encountering great people doing great work all over! twitter really helps facilitate my excitement by actually giving me a chance to keep in touch with my new batch of favorite people! thank you, social media!
without further ado, here are some things I realized about IDEAS:
- If movements are catalyzed by vision, great (divine) ideas give wings to the vision
- Ideas are seldom complete after the “first take”. Ideas need time to build and gain traction
- The most powerful ideas are carried out in the midst of community. The “no man is an island” phrase applies here!
- We can’t underestimate the power of story when sharing an idea. The more personal and meaningful it is to you, the more compelling your story. Having an idea for the sake of having an idea seems kind of lame to me. All the ideas that were highlighted at this conference had a deep stake in the hearts of those who were sharing.
- When it comes to issues of JUSTICE, ideas are meaningless until action takes place. there is no such thing as theory when it relates to compassion and advocacy. you find out where you can fit into this grand picture, how you’re wired, and what your heart breaks for and you act. simple yet extremely difficult, no?
There’s a lot more to this but these are some initial thoughts. What about you?
My (Imaginary) Interview with Bono
Bono gives DK the time of day
For those of you who know me, you are aware that Bono, lead-singer of U2, is one of my top living heroes (along with Kobe Bryant–the topic of many entries in the future, for sure), and it is one of my lifelong goals to meet him on earth before we meet in heaven. It’ll probably be easier to meet up in heaven anyway… we probably just have to think of who we want to hang with and BLAM! there we are having a glass of glorious wine together!
Unless I suddenly become super important, famous and/or influential, I will probably never have the chance to gain an audience with him. I am confident, however, that if I had the opportunity to hang with him for just ONE hour, we would be the best of friends. Well, since this is my blog, I got to have this opportunity and what a grand conversation it was! Bono is not only one of the most influential frontmen in Rock and Roll history, he is also one of the leading voices in the movement to end poverty and relieve the AIDS crisis in Africa. He has used his immense platform to impact and influence millions– that’s why he’s one of the top 2 people I’d like to meet before I die! I think what Bono has to say will astound, inspire, shake, and move you. Here’s the interview:
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