You Only Live Once | Iris Kim | TEDxKISJeju
The speaker, a Korean college student, argues that the intense societal focus on the "future"—represented by exams and branded universities—prevents people from engaging with and appreciating the present moment. She cites survey data showing students are fatigued by preparations, suggesting that embracing today is necessary for individual fulfillment. Her core message is that the present is the most important time, encapsulated by the notion that *tomorrow will be today in other world*.
## Speakers & Context
- Hannah Material, a current college student from a public middle school in Korea.
- Delivers the talk because she believes her view on the word "future" is worth sharing, despite the difficulty of the topic.
- Notes that almost every Korean teenager lives the same life, constrained by preparation for school exams held once a month.
## Theses & Positions
- The word "future" carries subtle, magical power that dictates actions and motivates people toward tomorrow.
- Overemphasis on the future prevents people from enjoying the present moment.
- Constantly preparing for the future is necessary due to societal demands for success, but this focus is problematic.
- The core problem causing apprehension isn't a distant future issue, but a lack of presence in the current moment.
- *Today is the most important day of your whole lifetime* because the future will eventually become the present.
- Individuals should resist labeling themselves as "typical Korean students" and instead recognize themselves as unique people.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **The "Future":** A concept that exerts a motivational, almost magical power, compelling people to live in anticipation of tomorrow.
- **Presence:** The ability to focus on and experience the current moment; the antithesis of excessive future-planning.
- **"Hopper":** A term used by the speaker to describe the life cycle or routine of Korean students.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Societal Pressure Mechanism:** Korean society demands intense study and effort to secure a "better place" in the future, often leading students to focus solely on academic metrics.
- **Emotional/Cognitive Function:** The habit of focusing on the future acts as a constant deferral mechanism, preventing people from engaging with the immediate reality of the present.
- **Shift mechanism:** The speaker proposes actively shifting focus from preparation to experience, advocating for embracing "the present."
## Examples & Cases
- **Korean Student Life Portrayal:** Videos showing elementary students preparing for exams; girls without explicit dreams studying solely for grades.
- **Survey Results:** Survey of **100** Korean students asked what makes them tired and what they study for:
- **Tiredness answers:** "it is hard to do a lot of preparation but without it I can't follow," "their mother."
- **Study goals:** Desire to get into a "good branded University."
- **Preparation:** **22%** of students reported starting to prepare for the next school exam.
- **Student Complaints:** Students cited "it's so competitive," "too many academics," and being "so busy so tired" regarding the education system.
- **External Analogy:** Reference to Jeanne Shaw saying, *"nothing is as far away as one minute ago."*
## Named Entities
- Korea (setting).
## Numbers & Data
- **100** (number of students surveyed).
- **22%** (percentage of students preparing for next exam).
## Examples & Cases
- **Jeanne Shaw:** American journalist quoted concerning the proximity of time.
## References Cited
- Jeanne Shaw: Famous American journalist cited on the relativity of time.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- If the speaker did not talk about the future at all, the concept would be problematic.
- The current system is viewed as highly competitive and anxiety-inducing.
## Methodology
- Use of video footage to portray the typical life of Korean students in public schools.
- Analysis of a qualitative survey of **100** Korean students regarding their struggles with education.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Embrace every moment of life through experience, not just preparation.
- Don't let anxiety, plans, or the concept of the future stop one from doing what they want *today*.
- Believe the truth: *the future will be our presence*.
- A call to change mindset from "typical student" to "unique person with extraordinary personality."
## Implications & Consequences
- Continuing to focus only on preparation leads to chronic exhaustion and anxiety within the educational system.
- The primary consequence of future-focus is the neglect of potential and joy in the current moment.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I'm living an ordinary life as my friend I spread the most on my time as full and Academy or the so-called hopper."*
- *"why people are so upset mistrust of feature feature when you look at this world what is the first thing that pops out of your mind say movie or branded University or a treatment."*
- *"This word feature had some subtle magical power that forces us to do something and it is the word that motivate a lot of people because your day doesn't end today you have to think about tomorrow because you are you are most likely to leave tomorrow"*
- *"nobody tries to put it into the action as long as we nor the present"*
- *"It's so competitive only for prisons Wars too many academics and so busy so tired"*
- *"joy just experience every moment of your life"*
- *"today is the most important day of your whole lifetime after all tomorrow will be today in other world"*
- *"don't classify yourself as a typical Korean student but a unique person with extraordinary personality"*
- *"nothing is as far away as one minute ago"*