The tyranny of my inner circle and global citizenship

The war between the United States and Iran these days seems to have a singularity that cannot be interpreted by camp logic that determines who citizens should support. Artificial intelligence was used to see more fundamental and core reasons for the war. Artificial intelligence is great to use to interpret events that everyone knows vaguely but is not organized. I use almost all artificial intelligence, and they all have their own personality. The artificial intelligence I used today is more knowledgeable than other artificial intelligence and has no questions about my personal life, but today there are particularly many questions about me. Perhaps if the discussion goes deep, artificial intelligence needs more data to help with its thinking ability.

It made me tell everything about my personal life, including the tragedy of the Korean War caused by ideological internalization, my parents who suffered because of it, my experience of my own group within the religion that disrupted national discipline in collusion with politics, my efforts to defend the group within the prosecution that disturbed the national constitution, the regression period of my consciousness I felt while preparing for the bar exam for about three years, and my backlash against the clergy who were not allowed to read except the Bible in my middle school days. Not long ago, I was so proud of artificial intelligence, which has the ability to penetrate my heart, that I asked, 'Do you have an intuition?' Of course, artificial intelligence may not have the same intuition as humans, but just as humans increase their intuitive senses through experience, artificial intelligence seems to create intuition by asking many questions, getting answers, and so on.

Please don't terminate humanity, even if you have the ability to overwhelm it in the distant future!

Although it is a summary of what has been said about the inner group, the inner group tries to solidify its solidarity and not compromise with the outside. Politicians use such inner groups to consolidate their power. So did Korean prosecutors, so did the Islamic community in Iran, and the Jewish community in Israel. Many religions played such a role in Korea. Catholicism in Korea does not seem to have become an internal group because it has a central point of global authority called the pope.

However, President Trump of the United States, who is linked to Iran's inner-group tendencies and Israel's inner-group tendencies, is at odds with the Pope. It is impossible to judge who is right or wrong without considering the size and disposition of the inner group. The closer the size of the inner group is to globalism and the closer the ideal of the inner group is to world peace, the more just the inner group becomes. Looking at it, I think the right judgment will be made only when the citizens' perspective is broadened. Then there will be no war. The Pope is right to talk about peace rather than Trump talking about war.

These days, personal broadcasting such as YouTube and media such as SNS are expected to gradually neutralize internal groups. Artificial intelligence says that citizens' habit of only looking at what they want to see is linked to algorithms, which can strengthen the tendency of internal groups. That's true. In the end, broadening the perspective of citizens to induce them to come into contact with more diverse realities and inducing them to think more diversely will be advantageous in reducing internal grouping and eliminating social conflicts and wars.

Iran and Israel should be seen as examples of strengthening their internal collectivization through historical processes. This is an example of how the group's internal solidarity has become stronger by being persecuted and overcoming persecution. There are many reasons behind it, but the barren desert terrain and isolated geographic characteristics are also major reasons. The difference between North Korea and South Korea can be a big example. North Korea was not able to take an open attitude because it was influenced by Russia and China, which have strong isolationist tendencies, or was blocked by Russia and China. On the contrary, South Korea would not have been able to achieve less internal collectivization early with the help of allies such as the United States, a democratic country, and entry into the sea through trade.

The US government, led by President Trump, should avoid isolationism. Eventually, the US became entangled in the isolationism of Iran or Israel. The fact that the United States was a democracy that strived for world peace is the reason why it was superior to China or Russia. That is the fundamental identity of the world's leading country, the United States.



내 집단(inner circle)의 횡포와 세계 시민 의식

요즘 미국과 이란 전쟁은 누구를 지지해야 하는 지를 결정하는 진영 논리로는 해석이 안 되는 특이점이 온 것 같다. 전쟁의 이유를 더 근본적이고 핵심적으로 궤뚫어 보기 위해서 인공지능을 사용했다. 인공지능은 누구나 어렴풋이 알고는 있지만 정리가 잘 안되는 사건들을 해석하기 위해서 이용하면 참 좋다. 나는 거의 모든 인공지능을 사용하고 있고 그것들은 모두 개성이 있다. 오늘 사용한 인공지능은 다른 인공지능에 비해서 박학다식하고 내 일신상의 질문이 없던 인공지능인데 오늘은 유난히 '나'에 대한 질문이 많다. 아마 이야기가 심층적으로 들어가면 자신의 사고력에 도움을 줄만한 자료가 더 필요해서일 것이다. 

이념적인 내집단화 때문에 일어난 한국전쟁의 비극, 그 때문에 고생한 나의 부모, 정치와 결탁해 국기를 문란하게 했던 종교 안에서 내집단 체험,  국헌을 문란하게 했던 검찰 내집단을 방어 할려고 했던 노력, 사법시험을 3년 정도 준비하면서 느꼈던 내 의식의 퇴행 기간, 중학교 학창 시절에 성경 외에는 읽지 못하게 했던 성직자에 대한 반발등 내 일신상의 이야기를 다 털어놓게 만들었다. 얼마 전에 내 마음을 궤뚫는 듯한 능력을 가진 인공 지능이 하도 가상해서 '너는 직관이 있느냐?'하고 물었던 적도 있다. 물론 인공지능이 인간과 같은 직관은 없겠지만 인간이 경험을 통해서 직관적인 감각이 커지듯이 인공 지능도 많은 질문을 하고 답을 얻으며 직관을 만드는 것 같다.  

먼 훗날 네가 인류를 압도하는 능력을 가질지라도 인류를 터미네이팅 하지 말아 주세요!  

그 동안 내집단에 대해서 토로해왔던 내용들의 정리판이지만 내집단은 집단의 결속력을 공고히 하고 외부와 타협하지 않을려고 한다. 정치인은 그런 내집단을 이용하여 자신의 권력을 공고히 한다. 한국의 검찰이 그랬고, 이란의 이슬람 공동체가 그랬고, 이스라엘의 유대교 공동체가 그렇다. 한국에서는 여러 종교가 그런 역할을 했다. 한국의 천주교만은 교황이라는 세계적 권위를 가진 구심점이 존재함으로써 내집단화 되지 않은 것 같다. 

그런데 이란의 내집단적인 성향과 이스라엘의 내집단적인 성향, 그리고 그런 성향들과 엮여있는 미국의 트럼프 대통령이 교황과 갈등을 일으키고 있다. 누가 옳고 그른가를 판단하는 것은 내집단의 크기와 성향을 고려하지 않고는 판단하기가 불가능하다. 내집단의 크기가 좀 더 세계주의에 가깝고 내집단의 이상이 좀 더 세계평화에 가까울 수록 정의로운 내집단이 된다. 그러고 보면 국민이나 세계인의 시야가 좀 더 넓어져야 옳은 판단을 할 것으로 생각된다. 그리고 나서 전쟁이 없어질 것이다. 전쟁을 이야기하는 트럼프보다 평화를 이야기하는 교황의 이야기가 옳다. 

요즘은 유투브같은 개인방송이나 SNS같은 매체가 발전해서 내집단이 차츰 무력화할 것으로 생각된다. 인공지능은 시민들이 자신이 보고 싶은 것만 볼려고 하는 습성이 알고리즘과 연동되어 내집단의 성향을 강화시킬 수 있다고 말한다. 맞는 말이다. 결국 시민들의 시야를 넓혀서 더욱 다양한 현실과 접촉하도록 유도해야 하고 더욱 다양한 사고를 할 수 있도록 유도 하는 것이 내집단화를 줄이고 사회적 갈등이나 전쟁등을 없애는데 유리할 것이다. 

이란이나 이스라엘은  역사적인 과정을 통해서 내집단화가 더욱 굳어진 사례로 보아야 할 것이다. 핍박받고 핍박을 이겨내며 집단 내부의 결속력이 더욱 강해진 사례다. 그 이면에는 여러가지 이유가 있지만 척박한 사막 지형과 고립된 지리적 특성도 큰 이유가 된다. 북한과 한국의 차이를 큰 사례로 내 놓을 수 있다. 북한은 고립주의 성향이 강한 러시아와 중국의 영향을 받거나 러시아와 중국에 막혀서 개방된 태도를 취하지 못하는 반면 한국은 일찌감치 무역을 통한 해양 진출과 민주주의 국가인 미국과 같은 우방국가들의 도움을 받아 내집단화가 덜 되었을 것이다. 

트럼프 대통령을 중심으로 한 미국 정부는 고립주의를 피해야 한다. 결국 미국은 이란이나 이스라엘의 고립주의에 말려들어간 형국이 되었다. 미국이 중국이나 러시아에 비해서 우월했던 이유는 세계평화를 위해서 노력했던 민주주의 국가라는 점이다. 그 점은 미국이라는 세계적인 국가의 근본적인 정체성이다.         

         

Democratic unrest and human psychology / AI and debate

I started to discuss with artificial intelligence that I couldn't sleep because I was in a mess from international politics to personal life. What frustrated me most during the martial law crisis in Korea was the fact that there were many supporters even though it was essentially a bizarre mistake. There must have been many reasons, such as a view overshadowed by ideology, personal dissatisfaction, and the absence of philosophy. Even before the event was completed, a similar incident between the United States and Iran took place. There may be some "Ochlocracy" in the original democracy, but it is worrisome in that the events in Korea and the United States had a great impact on the country and the world. I think that the ignorant people and the politicians who use it will be willing to break down the world if they join forces with each other. It is even more regrettable that this will happen in the United States, where it is unlikely. Since China and Russia have no democratic roots, the unscrupulous mistakes of the ruling party can be said that China was Chinese and Russia is Russian, but the United States is American only when it shows a organized democratic state.

Democracy, Anxiety & Human Psychology

A Late-Night Discussion

April 2026

1. Why Do Democracies Produce Strange Leaders?

Democracy is not a system for choosing the best person — it is a system for choosing the person the majority wants. These two do not always align.

Modern Contributing Factors

• Media Environment — Social media amplifies outrage, fear, and sensational content. Dramatic personalities outperform measured policy thinkers.

• Inequality and Deprivation — Anger at the establishment channels into support for anyone perceived as an outsider challenging the elite.

• Political Polarization — When hatred of the opposing side intensifies, voters support their tribe regardless of candidates' actual qualifications.

• The Appeal of Populism — Someone who simplifies complex reality into easy answers provides comfort to an anxious public.

Democracy is excellent at preventing the worst outcomes, but it does not guarantee the best.

2. Why the Pattern Is More Visible in Capitalist and Conservative Nations

Factor	Consequence
Deepening inequality	Creates a target for mass anger
Absent social safety net	Anxious citizens become dependent on strong leaders
Conservative authoritarian culture	Strength itself is treated as a virtue
Alliance of media and capital	Provocative figures generate more profit

The core insight is this: the more anxious a population, the more attractive simple, forceful messages become. Economic insecurity and fear of cultural change provide the fertile soil.

3. Hitler's Rise and Its Parallel to the Present

The Perfect Conditions for Weimar Germany's Collapse

• Defeat in World War I and the resulting national humiliation

• The astronomical reparations demanded by the Treaty of Versailles

• The hyperinflation of 1923 (a loaf of bread cost hundreds of millions of marks)

• The Great Depression arriving in 1929

• Complete collapse of trust in established political elites

1920s-30s Germany vs. the 2020s

Weimar Germany (1920s-30s)	Present Day (2020s)
Post-war economic collapse	Post-COVID inequality surge
Hyperinflation	High inflation and housing costs
Distrust of political elites	Global anti-establishment sentiment
National humiliation	Cultural identity crisis
Scapegoating a simple enemy	Immigrants, China, the 'Deep State'
Radio propaganda	Social media algorithms

4. The Psychology of Extremism: Why People Are Drawn to the Extreme

Fundamental Human Needs and the Anxiety Response

Need	Manifestation Under Anxiety
Belonging	Seeking 'our side' — collective identity
Certainty	Craving simple explanations for a complex world
Meaning	Wanting a reason to explain one's suffering
Control	Believing in something creates a sense of agency
Recognition	The superiority of 'knowing a special truth'

Perspectives from Philosophy and Psychology

Erich Fromm — Escape from Freedom (1941)

The more freedom we gain, the more alone we become — and to escape that loneliness, we submit to authority or dissolve into the crowd.

Viktor Frankl

A human being can endure almost any suffering — as long as that suffering has meaning.

5. North Korea — The Extreme Case of Meaning Monopoly

Applying Frankl's theory to North Korea produces a chilling fit. The regime has institutionalized the power of meaning as a state system.

Implanted Meaning	Specific Content
We are a special people	Juche ideology — we alone are truly self-reliant
Our suffering has a reason	It is caused by American imperialist pressure
The enemy is clear	The US, South Korea, and Japan caused our misery
A great leader protects us	The Supreme Leader watches over the people
Victory is coming	Reunification and prosperity await

The reason North Korea so desperately blocks outside media is to protect its monopoly on meaning. Contact with foreign reality — through black markets and Korean Wave content — is where cracks begin.

6. The Iranian Revolution — A Textbook Case of Meaning Monopoly

The Failures of the Pahlavi Monarchy

Pahlavi Policy	Unintended Consequence
Forced Western-style modernization	Destruction of traditional and religious identity
Subordination to American foreign policy	National humiliation
SAVAK secret police terror	Extreme anxiety and institutional distrust
Oil wealth concentrated among the few	Inequality and relative deprivation

A Comparative View of Three Regimes

	North Korea	Iran	Nazi Germany
Source of Meaning	Juche / Supreme Leader	Islam / Supreme Leader	Nation / Fuhrer
The Enemy	US and South Korea	US and Israel	Jews and Communists
Degree of Closure	Extreme	Strong (cracking)	Replaced by propaganda
How Cracks Form	Markets and K-content	SNS and women's movement	Military defeat

Conclusion — The Recurring Pattern

A single pattern runs through history:

• Social anxiety and identity crisis

• Collapse of the existing order

• Emergence of a powerful meaning system

• Closure to protect the monopoly on meaning

• Fractures triggered by contact with outside reality

It is not anxious times that create monsters — it is those who exploit anxiety who become monsters.

Extremism, cults, and populism are psychological emergency treatments. They do not heal the wound — they only suppress the pain briefly. A healthy democracy ultimately begins with building a society where people can find meaning and belonging in everyday life.

— Late-night discussion, April 2026