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Originally Posted by Pearl Trade
Do you think the North Koreans are fine with being brainwashed?
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I don't think they are brainwashed. I don't underestimate what people know. I think most people are more concerned about their day to day life than with international politics. With very few exceptions in history one national leader tends not to be much better or worse than another, and most know that - it takes a lot to motivate a nation to engage in a revolt - and in my view most people we may think are "brainwashed" are not and they simply tolerate the leaders they have.
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Of course they are, they know of nothing else. But if they could taste what freedoms we have, there's no way they would ever go back to what they have in North Korea.
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First, looking at people in the lower socio0economic classes of both nations, are there real differences in freedom? Starting with the basics, food, shelter, love, health, what is the difference - pretty minor. At some points we get cable TV with 225 channels most offering the latest greatest product you don't need, and they don't get cable. Does that make us free-er? Does that make our lives better? We get to spend $50,000 on a vehicle to spend 2 hours a day in sitting in traffic, and they don't - big deal! I could go on, but I want to know how you think we are free-er?
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Yes, I think it is obvious that human and civil rights violations are worse in China. In simple terms, Americans have more rights than the Chinese do.
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Be specific about the differences. In the US gay people can not openly serve in the military. Parents, don't have the freedom to pick the school their child goes to. In Chicago you can not own a gun. We had over two hundred years of race based discrimination, some sanctioned by government.
Then we have the IRS, nothing else need be said.
We have political persecusion - since I am conservative I will use an example liberals will say yea to, but it goes both ways - Valerie Plame - that free speech thing worked well for her. In the US, free speech is not really free is it?
We have women earning a fraction of what men earn for the same work.
We have a select few elites making the rules for everyone - like Bloomberg wanting outlaw, soda for the poor on food stamps - or outlaw salt.
I could go on, but again I am curious about how you think we are free-er.