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There is a North Korean word called “Han” (Korean: 한), or “Haan“. The word approximately is a concept of an emotion, a state of mind, variously described as some form of deep grief. Some might say it’s “depression” too. I don’t exaggerate the current amount of “Han” that I feel coming from people, that I hear from voters who will still bother to vote, still wonder just who is still good enough to vote for! I don’t exaggerate the current amount of “Han” that I feel myself, for the sake of being advantageous towards any party or person. In full truth, I feel a great deal of “Han” too, as I know as do others, that once again it’s likely the rotten parties, Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, will once again be sitting in government offices a year from now.
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I’ve stopped a number of election runners at the last local elections and during the quick week past period of the ongoing general election candidate window. I’ve stopped some and asked them simple questions. “How much is a loaf of bread? What’s the average price of a tub of butter? What is an average starting price for a washing machine? With Christmas coming, just how cheap or dear is a decent size box of Lego?…” You get the picture. Many of them exist on another plain of life – and don’t really know how many others day to day really struggle, living week to week or less.
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So far, all but one asked, has failed to know such things. In more truth, some election runners reading my post, will now deliberate go out and ‘bone-up’ on such things, so not to be caught out on later streets or doorways when faced with such questions. I and I suspect others, suffer from “Han” as our election day nears – because in great part, we know a great lot of the same old bunch and others masked as “Independent” (who were prior FF/FG), will gain or regain a Dail seat.
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I am guilty of suffering from “Han“. However, I am also guilty of being infected with determination. I feel “Han” but I also feel that it’s important not to go down quietly. So, I will still vote come election day. It’s my democratic duty not to myself but to my children that I love, and for them I shall overcome my “Han” and still vote. There’s also a quote from a great TV series (later film too), the cast that my wife and I have been lucky to know and meet a few times. That show was called “Firefly” – and from that brilliant show is the following quote:
Harken: “Seems odd you’d name your ship after a battle you were on the wrong side of.“
Mal: “May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.“
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So, for my children and their future, I will suffer my “Han” but still keep going as part of the resistance to bad, corrupt and insidious!
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Jeff Rudd.