The General Education Research Institute held the first Sookmyung Reading Discussion Competition in November to improve Sookmyungians' ability to read texts, think critically, and express their thoughts. The book selected was Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and the theme was 'The Advancement of Science and Technology, Utopia or Dystopia?' Contestant teams must consist of two undergraduate students who have not yet completed 8 semesters, and the competition involves a preliminary and final round. Despite being the first Sookmyung Reading Discussion Competition, 31 teams applied for participation. In the preliminary round, 16 teams were selected based on their rhetorical writings. Then the finals were held in an online tournament format until the final on November 13. All contestants in the finals received prize money and certificates, and the final winning team was given a certificate and 2 million won. Yeo Yunjin, from the Division of Law '20, who applied for the competition said, "It was my first reading discussion competition, but the theme of the novel was interesting, and I thought it would be a golden opportunity to understand the classic novel deeply." Huxley's Brave New World points out the impact of advances in science and technology on humans. Moreover, it also highlights the reason for human beings and humanistic values in a society where humanistic values have disappeared. The reason why this book was selected by the General Education Research Institute was not just to focus on the dangers of the development of science and technology but to give time to imagine and contemplate the future. Through the first Sookmyung Reading Discussion Competition, contestants could reinterpret the problems raised by classic texts in the current viewpoint, develop cooperative problem-solving skills and rational communication skills.
