They say there is no border between nations in the 21st century. A quick check on the number of foreigners living in Korea affirms it—the number amounts to 1.5 million. However, it is noteworthy that our attitude toward foreigners is not consistent. One TV documentary produced by EBS proves it; we are kinder to the white than non-white foreigners. We say we are ready to embrace difference, but are we?

In 2009, Education Broadcasting System (EBS) broadcasted a shocking documentary that revealed Koreans’ dual attitude toward foreigners. As the whole story goes, a team of researchers told both white foreigners and non-white foreigners to ask citizens the way to get somewhere. They wanted to know whether Koreans are racially biased, and the result was gloomy. Most citizens kindly answered to the white foreigners, even some volunteered to guide them to their destination. To the non-white foreigners, however, citizens passed them by without giving a glance.

Such is the example of selective xenophobia, a dual attitude toward foreigners. Though Korean society is increasingly geared toward a racially unbiased society, there still lies a double standard in our minds. The dual attitude mentioned above is just one example of it.

And such lack of tolérance is not only confined in the foreigner issue. Just look around, and you will see plenty of examples in every corner of our society. Imagine you are in the House of Parliament of Korea. What comes to your mind? Well, most likely the ugly scene of politicians brawling. When you go out of that building, there stands presumably the biggest church in Korea, and you see some fanatics offending passers-by with their Trust-Jesus-Or-Go-To-Hell placard. Next to them stand young lovers enjoying cherry blossoms, but you can still see some of them end up fighting over trivial things—say, what to eat for dinner.

From the big politics to daily love games, fights go on, and tolérance is nowhere to be seen. Still, we think of ourselves as more understanding than that congressman, that Buddhist (or Christians), and our lovers—we do not blame ourselves, but others.

Actually, selective xenophobia is hardly different from the aforementioned examples of a dysfunctional congress, a bigoted church, and a chlidish game between lovers. This is because they all share one theme in common—a dual attitude. Politicians advertise themselves as open-minded fellows but never yield when it comes to defending his their interests. A church preaches love yet ends up disparaging other religions. Finally, lovers whisper eternal love to each other while fighting over a dinner menu. We pride ourselves as citizens open-minded toward foreigners, but frown at the sight of bunch of East Asian foreign laborers.

That sounds a bit absurd at the first sight, but perfectly captures the reality. We try to embrace every difference, but end up accepting only those that fit our appetite. Though it is not the way to make tolérance come true, we tell ourselves it is okay. The more we say okay to our duplicity, the worse our society would be.

The French philosopher Levinas focuses on this duplicity and proposes “facing others’ faces.” He questions the value of a self-oriented life that often leads to a dual attitude, saying “his happiness is my happiness, his pain is my pain, and vice versa.” It makes us think again about the “citizens” who left non-white foreigners heartbroken on the street, as if they were invisible, Would they feel happy now?