The Day I Talk About North Korea

Just watched a documentary about the least known country in the world, North Korea.

I know, what's so interesting about it right?
Well, for starters, they are a very self-contained socialist country. In other words, a really communist state. In fact, they are so communist, even Mao would blush in his grave.

The Americans (pro-Democracy people, or so they say they are) hate them, the world knows close to nothing about the North-Koreans hush-hush lives, that's why the BBC documentary on them was worth watching.

The documentary had two main protagonists, both teenage girls, and were both involved in the Mass Games. The Mass Games is a glorification of communism in the form of a mass display consisting of marching and dancing, which showcase the unity and brotherhood of the country. They spend months of hard work, sweating and toiling in preparation for the performance as they want to express their gratitude toward their great leader, General Kim Jong Il.

We are then shown footages of their rigorous regimental gymnastics training as well as clips of the girl's propaganda-ish "history of revolution" lessons that demonize the democratic Americans as opressors and possible invaders that will destroy the peace and happiness that North Korea is enjoying.

Well, you can't exactly blame them for hating the Americans so much, can you? They made alot of noise about how North Korea shouldn't have nuclear power, about how Kim Jong Il is constantly repressing his people, how democracy should be practised around the world, and that North Korea should switch to it as well because communism is evil and all that yadda yadda.

So much for the talk about "accepting and embracing diversity". I mean, for God's sake, North Korea isn't even trying to force communism down your throat (or anybody's throat,for the mater) and there you are calling them names as well as attempt to force-feeding it democracy. Don't get me wrong though; I'm happy that Singapore is a merito-democratic society and I'm not about to go pro-communist. At all.

I mean, if the people are happy living in the delusion of a perfect communist state, then why can't they just be left alone to think what they want to think? I simply cannot comprehend how those hypocritical democrats can justify their stand on "accepting differences" when they evidently cannot.

After watching the documentary, I did feel kinda sad for the North Koreans though. I can't imagine a day with only one tv channel (that broadcasts propaganda for only five hours daily), frequent blackouts (in preparation for possible attacks), no freedom of speech (at least we do get some amount of it here), no computer...

At the end of the day, it only boils down to one thing: You got to take the good with the bad.