Charles Brown wrote:
> On
> all but the most slavishly devoted accounts, the country is
> desperately poor and governed by a bizarre personality cult.
So far all the evidence I've seen for this (on this list) is of the "Everyone knows so why should I provide evidence" type. Everyone obviously does *not* know. The only evidence seems to be the dogmatic assumption that of course North Korea is bad. It's a deductive "proof" from a religious dogma about Stalinism. It just has to be so, and anyone who disagrees must obviously be suffering from some psychic ailment.
Is it possible that the primary motive of all those who slavishly quote accepted opinion on North Korea is a deadly fear of not being though sophisticated enough by their academic peers. Above all else, one must establish one's credentials as an intellectual above the messy struggle down below.
Doug, sometimes (not often, but enough times to be disturbing) you fit the description Lou gave you at the height of your quarrel -- and this is one of those times. All you have contributed to this thread is a series of ad hominem attacks. Your free ascription of motive to those who disagree is slanderous and beneath you. You owe an apology to Yoshie and to the various sources she has quoted.
Carrol