31–40 of 96 posts
This seems like a technical problem, no?
What would a "social network" (for lack of a better term) look like that enabled citizens to feel each other out and establish a network of trusted individuals? Could it be made resilient to breaches? That is, if one person were to divulge their communications with the state, how could the damage be limited?
It wouldn't even have to enable communication outside the border. It would be a boon if all it did was to let insiders organize over the country's cell network.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I noticed also that almost everything they showed was non-perishable goods. The smuggled footage in this is fantastic and remarkable. The interviews with the North Koreans in the South were also quite interesting.
Darn, now I really want to watch it lol! However, it's blocked in Canada :( It's kind of silly considering we actually contribute to PBS (according to PBS Seattle, we make up a 3rd of their contributions).
There's some amazing footage in this; at one point, someone with a hidden camera visits a Potemkin department store in Pyongyang and tries to buy a dress, and then some beer, only to be told that all the merchandise on display is for display only.
> ... all the merchandise on display is for display only.
?
There's some amazing footage in this; at one point, someone with a hidden camera visits a Potemkin department store in Pyongyang and tries to buy a dress, and then some beer, only to be told that all the merchandise on display is for display only.
I won't be able to watch this until the weekend but I'm curious why > ... all the merchandise on display is for display only. ?
Towards the end of the film, they come to the conclusion that even though the collective mindset of NK citizens is changing, it won't necessarily result in a cultural revolution. It seems the primary thing keeping real change from happening is that North Koreans can't trust their family friends to not turn them in, and if they do somehow know who to trust, they can't gather in groups to talk or organize any activitie…
Assuming the group had been infiltrated (or monitored), it seems like that might very well be the end of the group.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I noticed also that almost everything they showed was non-perishable goods. The smuggled footage in this is fantastic and remarkable. The interviews with the North Koreans in the South were also quite interesting.
Darn, now I really want to watch it lol! However, it's blocked in Canada :( It's kind of silly considering we actually contribute to PBS (according to PBS Seattle, we make up a 3rd of their contributions).
In case you can't watch it, here's a mirror: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:58d690227d4c88ba52673db6c5b08201150266c2&dn=frontline-northkorea.mp4&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce
So far the most interesting point they have made is that these guys are smuggling in foreign media/tv and people are consuming it. The pitch is that the latest box office hits (sky fall 007 was mentioned) are the best way to influence N Korean culture. I guess I was surprised by this, but it does make more sense than trying to give them hard truth, which they would more likely reject due to their own cognitive disson…
The example: when the Abu Ghraib scandal broke, and US media were saying that the "alleged photos might not be possible to obtain" I saw them a full 3 days early on Danish media before I could find them anywhere on US news.
[EDIT: My UCSC roots will really show here - check out "Manufacturing Consent" by Noam Chomsky for one perspective. And yes, it's Chomsky, so YMMV.]
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a good thing we are on the good side of the fence then. Ah, Freedom.
Being in the United States, I get the same treatment when I want to watch bbc programs (blocked for not being in the UK). It's understandable, since they're supported by taxpayer money, but it would be nice if there was a way to pay for it if you don't live within the country. I wish both PBS and the bbc would jump into the 21st century and give those outside of each respective country an option to purchase a subscri…