[Opinion] Trap of General Trend

If computer keyboard is arranged in order of ㄱ,ㄴ,ㄷ, learning typing would be much easier.

The reason why current computer key board became standardization is due to manual typewriter that was used in the past.

Manual typewriter uses current old-style keyboard in order to prevent from confusion of key.

However, computer is using old-style keyboard despite having no problem in it.

The reason why convenient new style keyboard couldn`t alter the old-style is because of failure to overcome general trend of old-style key board.

There are two cases why particular goods become standard in market.

One is that the capacity of good is excellent than others and the other is, by chance.

Standardization of excellent goods is natural, however, goods like computer keyboard which has become standard by chance harms customer as it blocks induction market for other excellent goods.

General trend of politics is same as this:

The reason why particular candidate is influenced by general trend is because many people believes that the candidate`s possibility for election is high.

General trend gathers political fund and people, and it causes good circulation which obtains support of more voters.

If the basis of general trend is candidate`s excellent capacity and vision, voters will welcome it, of course, because it will save effort and time for comparing leadership and policy of flooding candidates one by one.

However, if general trend is based on high perception like non-effective computer keyboard that has become standard by chance, it is a serious problem

If high perception of candidate is due to simple experience of his candidature in the last elections, it is more serious.

As experience of losing elections means failure in verification of candidates once, therefore, it is not property but demerit of candidate.

Nevertheless, losing election presents premium like high perception in next elections.

However, this premium should not be the essence of general trend.

General trend without the base hampers fair competition, making difficult objective verification of new candidates.

In the time of past military dictatorship, it was natural that candidate, who was dissatisfied due to unfair election, used to run for re-election.

However, election in democratic times should be changed.

President is not chairman of old aged center.

If a precedent starts that if he is in queue of candidates, he will get elected someday, then candidates who have remote possibility of getting elected would run for it.

Such candidacy can cause abnormal election results by distorting people`s opinion, and voters can repeat misfortune for voting some candidate repeatedly

The reason why old style computer keyboard remains as standard in spite of inconvenience is because it is not easy to say good-bye to what we are used to.

If we put an effort on learning keyboard in the beginning, inconvenient keyboard will become useful; however, if we elect president once, the influence will be steady through several generations.

This is the reason why we should verify capacity of every candidates rather than being wrapped up in general trends.

It is said that for a new keyboard to put in to practice is that 30 percent of users, which is critical mass, should start using new keyboard simultaneously.

In case general trend doesn`t have the base, to create certain change by breaking it, at least 30 percent of voters should say ¡°no¡°, when everybody says¡°yes¡°.

Ratio of general people among the electoral college of NMDP and GNP reaches 50 percent.

It is enough number to create reasonable general trend, after comparing the capacity of candidates objectively from the starting point.

However, it has become difficult for GNP to enliven meaning of selection by people`s joining.

Because Park Geun Hye, vice-president, who has powerful rival, declared withdrawal from GNP, therefore, selection itself became meaningless.

Whether withdrawal of Vice-president Park was brave behavior that confronts general trend or was it calculation to become heroin of general trend next time, will be observed afterwards.

However, it is clear fact that Vice-president Park made a reason for withdrawal that President Lee Hoi Chang delayed aggressive reformation of party, relying on general trends.

Likewise, general trends sometimes harms other candidates by interfering on fair competition, however, it sometimes boomerangs.

To break its chain of ill-circulation, voters should take a reasonable decision by not getting wrapped up in general trends.

And we also should settle down the culture like the U.S. that candidates, who loses elections should retire from front side politics, at first

Cho Gi Suk (Professor of International Post School in Ehwa women`s university politics).