I am curious about what perspective I should have on the future. Thanks to attending 경전대, I have been able to live focusing on the present without worrying about the future. However, I am not sure if it is enough to just focus on the present. I want to know the right perspective to look at the future. We should sometimes think about the future. In other words, as the Earth's environment continues to change more and more rapidly, new viruses and infectious diseases may emerge. There is also a possibility of food shortages. Due to these reasons, if each country continues to reduce CO2 emissions, nowadays, there are labels on products asking if they used clean energy or fossil fuels. In the past, countries with abundant coal or oil were considered resource-rich.

However, on the contrary, it may come to a time when this is no longer a resource. In various ways, let's make some predictions. So, the monk also made such predictions and came down to the countryside to live. Therefore, while looking at the future, directly producing here, although I have sheep, safety is an issue because food is so contaminated. So, let's experiment with this once. Also, as our rural areas are collapsing into an aging society, how should we establish a system to maintain and survive rural areas? Let's try to think about this for the future and come up with measures. Planning for these things considering the future is a good thing. But the problem for the questioner now is, what if educators disappear, won't everything collapse? If there is a shortage of food, what will happen if there is nothing to eat at that time? Oh, genetically modified foods.

What if my health deteriorates? This is not about foreseeing the future, but simply being fearful. It's about being afraid, worrying, and feeling anxious without doing anything in the future. Such thoughts are negative. Therefore, in order to live like this, if you try to solve problems for free without making an effort, you will feel restless, anxious, fearful, and worried. However, if the future turns out like this, you should think, I need to overcome this issue in this way. In order to do that, even if it costs money or results in losses, we should do it. Do you have this perspective? This will lead you to come up with solutions. But when thinking about the future or how to respond to the future, worries and concerns arise. The core of this is desire. Desire leads the way.

Because people are trying to get things for free, that's why. So, we need to prepare for the future in many ways. Korean society has reached a certain level of living now, but when we think about the future, there is a possibility of falling behind China both quantitatively and qualitatively in competition. Also, due to the small scale, there are unfavorable conditions compared to neighboring countries because of the lack of resources. Our education system, being focused on memorization, hinders creativity. When we think about the future, we can predict the disadvantages. However, there are also many positive factors. China's political system is too rigid at the moment, Japan's bureaucratic society lacks vitality, but Korean society, although showing some similarities to Japan, still has vitality. Additionally, the division between North and South Korea is a significant issue for us.

Although it may bring risks, what if we successfully achieve reunification? How about that? In the case of North Korea, there are vast investment opportunities, right? In areas that have not been developed for over 10 years, there are development potentials or future advanced businesses. When trying to do this in existing societies, there is usually strong resistance. However, in areas like North Korea that have not been developed, supplying electric cars entirely or testing autonomous vehicles can be done immediately. If we want to experiment with autonomous vehicles globally, there is no other country than North Korea where we can go and do it. We cannot do this in other countries. Therefore, there are advantages in not being developed. So, instead of saying that it is disadvantageous, we should consider this as an alternative, find the advantages, and not focus on the disadvantages.

We continue to develop like this. The lithium we have in China, whether it's a mineral from the Hector system, the U.S. will no longer provide subsidies. Then, there will be a price difference of about 1 to 10 million won in car prices. So, if this happens, our competitiveness will decrease. Therefore, countries like Australia, where minerals like this come out, can replace it. Countries like Chile and Canada already have it, but they only have the equipment in Europe. Then, we have Samsung, LG, SK, all doing this in China. However, what if we handle the inter-Korean relations well? All these minerals are present in North Korea. They are abundant, and they are stored in large quantities. How are we going to utilize these resources? So, simply arguing about who is right, whether it's you or me, makes it difficult to solve issues between North and South Korea. Looking a bit into the future...

Realizing that improving relations with North Korea is very advantageous for us, and North Korea also sees the benefits of overcoming economic difficulties through a positive relationship with South Korea. If someone persuades and resolves this issue, it can become a new path, and the future should not be a subject of fear but rather a question of how we will solve this problem. In the undeveloped region of the East, there is only North Korea, like a large vacant lot in downtown Seoul where conflicts arise when touched, resulting in losses. However, if we resolve it well, it will bring tremendous benefits, similar to investing wisely. Therefore, people like George Soros are keeping an eye on this. Also, among future scholars, there are various aspects of Korea's current Hallyu wave.

I am paying attention to the potential for growth, whether it's positive or negative. By analyzing these aspects well, if we prevent negative aspects from occurring as much as possible and continue to develop positive aspects, we can move forward once again. So, when thinking about the future, instead of feeling anxious and getting a headache just by thinking about the future, without trying to solve it, and simply hoping that everything will be fine when we open our eyes and get up, this kind of naive thinking leads you to keep fearing the future. That's what I think. Thank you. It's better for you to always go to familiar places, move forward, go to places you haven't been, and go to places that are always the same. Going to places that are always the same has the advantage of being comfortable because it's familiar.

When going somewhere for the first time, there may be some fear of the unknown, but exploring the unknown always brings us a bit of excitement. It's the same for people. Meeting familiar faces brings comfort, but meeting new people brings a bit of fear due to not knowing what to expect. Expanding our social circle is stepping into unfamiliar territory. Doing what we always do has its advantages because it's familiar, but it's also limited to what we already know. On the other hand, trying something new may come with some fear, but it allows us to explore new territories. Trying new things also means there's a higher chance of failure. So, when we explore or create something, we need to consider the high possibility of failure. Therefore, if it doesn't work out, we should reflect on what went wrong, try again, and if it still doesn't work, accept that it didn't.

Trying and trying again, if this leads to failure, it's not discouragement but rather a foundation for continuously researching new things. That's why there's an old saying that success is the mother of failures. Young people should not just settle but always try small challenges. I think this is a youthful spirit. Nowadays, in our society, many of you are born and raised in stable conditions where your parents' financial situation has grown to a certain extent. This may lead to a sense of complacency and a focus on safety nets. Competition is fierce, and there is a tendency to solve problems easily and comfortably. There's also a saying that hard work pays off in the end. Therefore, rather than being content, it's better to challenge yourself a bit more. When you think you will succeed in the challenges you take on, it creates anxiety. New challenges involve failure, which is normal. Failure is necessary to find solutions.

Finding new methods, challenging research again, experiencing failures, and finding new methods again - this is how unique know-how and creativity that others do not possess are created. Therefore, instead of being too fearful, isn't it necessary to have an attitude of willingly doing it if given the opportunity, even if you can't deliberately go there? I am still around 70 years old, but I have been to places like Myanmar, visited Muslim regions, and visited indigenous areas with new recruits. Usually, people as they age and settle down in life tend to be afraid of being kidnapped or uncertain about what to do. However, in safe places, everything is already developed. Because it is unstable and dangerous, there are children who cannot eat and cannot go to school. That's when our small contribution can make a big difference. So, isn't it worth trying at least once?

What if we try walking behind a truck for a bit? If you all try this posture, how about that? I suggest this. When you listen, you might think it sounds old-fashioned. I'm not sure. My father walks this way, and I will do the same. Jesus, thank you for helping me realize the desires I had, and I will strive to have the spirit of youth.

1998. 미래를 걱정하지 않고 현재에만 집중해도 괜찮을까요?

법륜 스님 공식 유튜브 채널입니다. 
법륜 스님과 대화 속에서 개인의 고민을 풀어가는 유튜브 공식 채널입니다.
[생방송 즉문즉설] 매주 금요일 저녁 7시 30분

Official YouTube channel of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. This is the official channel where personal concerns are addressed through conversations with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim.
[Live Dharma Q&As] Every Friday evening at 7:30pm(KST)


1998. 미래를 걱정하지 않고 현재에만 집중해도 괜찮을까요?

Scripts