• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.68
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• pp.283-317
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• 2017

Issues over morality and profit usually address relations between moral principles and material gains. In the history of traditional Oriental philosophy, discussions about them were called "Yi-Li zhi bian." The ideas of Confucius and Mencius also contain various discussions about Yi-Li. Both Confucius and Mencius defined Yi as a value concept to represent "natural," "appropriate" or "just" and regarded Yi as an external moral principle on the one hand and an internal moral emotion on the other hand. They had, at the same time, differences, as well. While Confucius placed importance on the external and acquired nature of Yi as a goal of morality, Mencius argued for the internal and innate nature of Yi as the nature of morality partially while recognizing its externality overall. Such Yi is a general term for subjective moral emotions and objective moral principles. Li was a concept of fact to represent "gain," "profit" or "profit-making." Both of them were against private interest and emphasized public interest. As for their differences, Confucius was positive about Li to some degree by saying "One should think of Yi when making profit," whereas Mencius was almost negative about Li and perceived it to be for Yi by saying "One should give up even his own life for Yi." He meant Li's dependence on Yi and also Yi's absoluteness for Ri. Both of them found a mix of opposite features in Yi such as internality and externality, subjectivity and objectivity, specificity and generality, and uniqueness and universality and also in Li such as individuality and specialty and public and private interest. Those features have both disadvantages including theoretical irrationality and logical contradiction and advantages including ideological diversity and conceptual polysemy. If efforts are made to avoid their disadvantages and highlight their advantages, they will provide some elements to consult in the creation of new global ethics required today when East and West are becoming one. In the modern society, the Yi-Li issues can be divided into the issues of morality and economy, personal and social profit, and moral ideal and material gain. If these modern Yi-Li issues are combined with the traditional Yi-Li issues, two paths will emerge over the order of Yi-Li. Of the many perceptions of Yi-Li issues of Confucius and Mencius, the idea of "Yi First, Li Later" can be very useful for creating a new ethics theory to represent "humanism" that we all need today when everyone considers their own pursuit of profit and satisfaction of needs as the best values. Sound Yi-Li relations will be possible only through Yi's orientation toward externality based on internality and Li's pursuit of private interest on the premise of public interest according to the spirit of "Yi First, Li Later."

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.657-689
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to develop a substantive theory on 'eating alone'(honbob)and the process of maintaining the lifestyle of eating alone for the need of a non-judgmental understanding on the new 'honbob' lifestyle. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 male and female workers in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, who voluntarily eat alone over 70% of their meals per week with the minimum duration of 5 years. Data analysis was performed using grounded theory proposed by Strauss & Corbin (1998) in the qualitative research method. As a result, a paradigm model on the process of maintaining 'honbob' was derived. Based on categorical analysis, the causal condition was 'not trying to tune' and the central phenomenon was 'following the desire to set efficiency as the top priority. Contextual conditions were 'the atmosphere of fierce competition', 'weakening of organizational culture', 'diffusion of individualistic culture'. The intervening conditions were 'personal trait and emotional experience', 'job characteristics of less organization culture'. The action/interaction strategies were 'accepting internal conflicts', 'acting in autonomy', 'finding relationship through media', and 'distancing from superficial relationship'. The consequences were 'enjoying time for self-exploration', 'valuing self-care', 'becoming a epicurean conventionalist', and 'becoming aware of the need for balance'. The core category has been shown as 'self-oriented in accordance to priority of efficiency and being able to appreciate the importance of social group'. The Such phenomenon passes through four different stages - first, the stage of weighing time efficiency while beginning hon-bob; second, the stage of conflict when one feels nervous and not free from others' view; third, the stage of adjustment to justify his/her 'hon-bob'; and the final stage of balance to perceive the importance of social group while going on 'honbob'. The study had the aim of increasing the understanding and acceptance of the new 'honbob' lifestyle through an in-depth exploration of office worker's 'honbob' experience and the process of maintaining 'honbob' so the society can better accept it and, further, to embrace co-existence of various cultures.