Rain Of Power

Newsflash: The father-ruler of North Korea now commands a rain of power as the nation mourns, with tears that fall like rain, his death. This should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows that "the children of the father" constitutes all citizens of North Korea, especially those enlisted in the vast ranks of its military.

As children, devotees can be expected to recognize their leaders as divinely ordained to rule. As children, party propaganda is celebrated as well as decorated with infallibility. As children, purity of purpose is demanded and sacrifice of self honored. As children, the citizens of North Korea follow a script that defines poverty as simple living, patriotic uniformity as simple presentation, and racial purity as simple fact. But there's nothing simple about the minds at work to ensure this childlike compliance.

Subconsciously, at least, North Korea is the envy of every patriarchical institution, of every duty-bound security force, and of every marketing wizard. It's the culmination of Dr. Frankenstein's experiment: A people that says what someone tells them, does what someone wants them to do, and which buys only what someone allows them to have. It's genius, quite frank-en-ly, to orchestrate a rain of power as a farewell to a mere mortal's reign of terrifying power. It's governmental genius to be able to corner the market for hearts as well as minds. Appreciate a policy of homogeneity that warns of the dangers of defilement in order to inbreed unity and maintain borders closed to immigration.

What country wouldn't want religious devotion to its politics?

Of course, Americans see through the charade North Korea plays with its people. We don't have to be told how dangerous celebrity/idol status is as an influence on the childish. We don't strive for a purity of race when the race to purity, via anti-bacterials and hermetically-sealed packaging, has been marketed to us as the way to feel safe. We can hardly imagine a nation whose military is a primary expenditure when almost half of its population is now living in poverty. We favor unity through diversity - and practice NIMBY(Not In My Back Yard). We make sure that nuclear proliferation is Pro-Life rationed to our allies or those dependent on us for aid. 

So cry your tears, North Korea, but taste the salt that greater minds can put in your wounded hearts. Minds that sometimes get confused, especially around the holidays, and think Red China might not be so bad after all - with a yellow tablecloth, perhaps.