India, Oct. 3 -- 1In American Hagwon, you extend the idea of education in a globalised world as a way to critique social norms. In Korean culture, education is the theme that is most important. It's quite a beautiful thing to be born and to want to learn, yet it can be distorted. I was disturbed by the frequency with which people kept on talking about a person's resume. How these people got there is rarely discussed. It's only about someone's achievement, and not the other factors. And when you add capitalism, financial crises, parenting, and rapid change, the wish for an elite education can become some sort of sickness. The hagwon, which is the Korean word for learning centre, was my organising metaphor for all this. 2 Are hagwons a way to ensure that children are on a specific path to secure their future? Well, there is formal education - the state-approved education, then, private education and shadow education. Learning centres are part of shadow education because they track formal learning. They're also supplemental, which means they're dependent upon how much money you have. It's my understanding that, in India, in order to become a civil servant, you've got to take an exam. It is similar in Korea; and these exams are difficult. These examinations are efficient and valuable for people in power, but it's often a tragedy for those who aren't the gatekeepers. There are varying opinions about these learning centres. I respect that parents and young people feel that they need to have them in order to have a chance at a better life. What I've learnt is that the strategies that are most effective to live better are related to relationships. If you don't have good friendships, good kinship with family members, it's difficult to accept all the disappointments along the way. So, I think that's my antidote to a crazy world, which is what I think American Hagwon is all about. 3 Let's assume none of the structured patterns of education existed. Then, how would one's learning be shaped? We continue to give too much credence to old-fashioned ways of learning. Though I'm not a sociologist and not an education expert, for the United States, I can say that the general competence has considerably declined. Which is why there's anxiety about education outcomes in parents. They have this fear, and they're putting this fear on their children because they want them to be more competent, fit, and adaptive for a very fast-changing world. But the thing is, this discussion - regarding this change - isn't happening publicly. Instead, we're asking our children why they are not working harder. This isn't helpful. Governments can step in here, but I think even governments are letting people - its children - fall far behind....