When I was working as a student reporter, the editing professor always said, “Be careful when you write an article, the meaning of the article is totally changed by a single word”. Since newspapers are expected to deliver the truth, an article often determines the person in charge of an affair. What the professor and the editor said exactly fits. Responsibility can be shifted and may even fade away without much notice depending on a single word. Among the numerous experiences that I went through in The Postech Times, I dare to say the most impressive was the situation related to feminism. It made me question who was responsible for columns or articles when The Postech Times was being criticized. Among the writer, reporters, the editor, and the professor, who is in charge? In this case, of course, the professor finally carried the burden. I could not stop thinking about the feminism situation even long after it ended. This helped me deeply understand what the editing professor meant. If I change “one word,” even in the English newspaper, I could be responsible for misrepresenting a person or event.
Recently, freshmen entered POSTECH and had orientation from Feb. 12 to Feb. 17. Annually, after an orientation, all students gather for an event called “Lost Memory,” which means drinking alcohol until they lose their memory. Every year, there were problems like injuries, passing out in the snow, etc. This year, the event was canceled by the preparing organization. However, because of so many people’s wishes, each class set up their own event replacing Lost Memory; I think this behavior could be understood as each class taking the responsibility. However, this actually makes the problem worse because none of the organizers have any real power or responsibility. It makes things obscure if problems arise. We cannot figure out who is responsible. Fortunately, the event disappeared and some departments organized small parties instead. This is better since in this case, by “a word,” responsibility upon the victims can disappear, which is the worst case that only victim exists.
Behavior without vivid responsibility or with responsibility that can easily be shifted is potentially harmful. If a person who is in charge and related to an event, behavior, etc. can easily be changed, it must be treated carefully.