Now, let’s talk about English.
Why is English so widespread today?
Why is it such a dominant and influential language?
Is it because it’s superior?
Absolutely not. It is because English is the language of empire.
I bear no grudge against the English language itself—but I do feel profound sorrow and regret over this historical reality.
Had a different Asian country colonized yours, perhaps you would now be speaking that language instead of English—or perhaps a language even less prominent globally.

Please understand this: English is not dominant because it is better, easier to learn, or inherently more suited to communication.

Have you ever imagined a foreigner—someone who speaks a different language—breaking into a cold sweat as they struggle to understand the language and follow the flow of conversation, all while feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar social behaviors and caught in a situation where loud, rapid chatter goes on, and on, and on, without a moment to catch up or make sense of what’s going on?
Some of you say, “No one is stopping you from speaking your native language.”
Some of you say, “Don’t just stay in your local community—come out and join the global conversation.”
But only those who are confident in their English, or those like me who cannot bear the frustration of silence, make the effort to break through the language barrier and speak here.

When people are talking loudly and excitedly, it’s hard to even join the conversation. And even when I manage to squeeze in a word, few people actually listen. My awkward English often leads to misunderstandings, and I start to feel more and more like oil floating on water—out of place and unwelcome.
Would you say to that person, “No one’s stopping you—try to jump in,” or “It’s okay, just speak in your native language”?
Wouldn’t it be less humiliating to just walk away from that kind of situation altogether?
And yet, people still say things like, “Let’s all be together.” Really?

I’m not saying that this was my personal experience, but rather trying to explain why it can be difficult—and sometimes inevitable—for speakers of less widely spoken languages to engage with and feel included in English-centered international communities.