불확실성의 시대, 불안한 한국인 (Uncertain Society, Anxious People)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국이론사회학회
· 수록지 정보 : 사회와 이론 / 21호 / 611 ~ 643페이지
· 저자명 : 김문조, 박형준

초록

경제성장에 몰두하던 60～70년대 산업화 시대에는 생계를 위협하던 경제적 빈곤이 지대한 국민적 관심사였고, 권위주의 체제에 저항하던 80～90년대 민주화 시기에는 정치적 억압이 척결해야 할 절박한 시대적 과제였다. 그러나 세계화‧개방화가 촉진되는 금세기의 각축적 생활 현실에서는 사회 불안이 새로운 쟁점으로 부각되고 있다. 불안의 인식적 토대로 간주할 수 있는 불확실성은 개인적 수준과 사회적 수준으로 구분할 수 있는데, 본 논문에서는 1) 사회적 불확실성을 유연화 및 고령화 논제를 중심으로 개관하고, 2) 사회 불안을 가중시키는 한국 사회 특유의 현황을 “인간성 파괴” 및 “계급적 단절”이라는 명제하에서 고찰한 후, 3) 불안의 진전 경로와 예상 효과를 주요 매개 조건들을 중심으로 탐지하면서, 4) 고도 불안사회의 대처 방향과 실천 전략을 논의해보고자 한다.

영어초록

Anxiety prevails when the faith in life is absent. Therefore, it is uncertainty that causes anxiety. Uncertainty as a source of anxiety consists of several conceptual elements. Existential uncertainty, cognitive uncertainty, moral uncertainty and aesthetic uncertainty to name a few. This study seeks to examine the social anxiety as a source of collective anxiety with emphasis on flexibilization and aging thesis, describe the unique characteristics embedded in South Korean society where collective anxiety is being aggravated, and explore the directions and strategies for possible countermeasures. Recently, it can be said that a flexible life attitude and strategies being required in all aspects of daily life including the world of work. The flexible society is demanding individual creativity and innovation more than ever. Thus, flexible society aims at network communication systems that have completely different properties than the centralized communication ones that used to operate in a perfect and orderly manner under vertical chain of command structure. However, in the age of flexibilization, where a high degree of freedom is appreciated and applauded, “corrosion of character” and “class disparity” have emerged as critical factors that exacerbate social anxiety. Social unrest caused by flexibilization gave way to social unrest in Korean society. Such tendency is further aggravated by the process of aging. In what ways such social unrest in Korea progressing? Unlike cognitive and normative uncertainty, the uncertainty of the modern society that is mainly derived from institutional flexibility has a high probability of being internalized into a social anxiety in situations where the social transparency is lacking. However, the consequences of social unrest can vary depending on whether or not the social anxiety is shifted to oneself or to the outside. The most decisive factor determining where the anxiety head toward is trust. In Korean society where the level of social trust is still low, there exists a high probability of anxiety turning into discontent rather than frustration. Also, discontent is more likely to be expressed in the form of outward anger instead of introverted resignation in Korean society where negative perceptions on social justice prevail. Thus, it can be said that it is not the anxiety itself, but the high degree of social distrust and unfairness determining the course of anxiety that characterizes the current social unrest in Korea.

참고자료

· 없음