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North Korean propaganda - possibly effective

 
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EdmundFairweather



Joined: 08 May 2014

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 4:40 am    Post subject: North Korean propaganda - possibly effective Reply with quote

Here's an article I hope you find interesting. It's full title is "Vitriol, mythical beasts and racism: North Korean propaganda may be more effective than you think"

http://thehotpotatoes.net/2014/05/18/vitriol-mythical-beasts-and-racism-north-korean-propaganda-may-be-more-effective-than-you-think/

Any thoughts?
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jazzmaster



Joined: 30 Sep 2013

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think it shows the idea of racial purity and a "pure blood" is still widely believed in the South, as well as wherever other Koreans may live.
I live in hope that the younger generation will grow out of this outdated notion of purity, but my experiences in South Korea suggest my hopes may be in vain.
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Stain



Joined: 08 Jan 2014

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sure Dennis Rodman would agree.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jazzmaster wrote:
I think it shows the idea of racial purity and a "pure blood" is still widely believed in the South, as well as wherever other Koreans may live.
I live in hope that the younger generation will grow out of this outdated notion of purity, but my experiences in South Korea suggest my hopes may be in vain.


There's nothing in the article to suggest that racial purity views in the South are any way part of a widespread response to North Korean propaganda. Just because there are a few idiots who buy the North's propaganda here, doesn't mean that it's somehow effective. There's always going to be people on the fringes who buy into that stuff or believe wacky news sources.

The links in the article are tenuous at best. It mentions Chongryon and suggests that these people are all card carrying members of the North Korean Communist Party, when in fact they are just people who likely use the group for whatever social services they provide and have limited interest in its ideologies. Think Hamas. They provide social services, but not everyone who signs up wants to strap bombs on themselves and believes their vilest propaganda.

One must also wonder how much of this sentiment is truly about love for the North Korean regime or just disgust at American foreign policy or capitalism in general. Not everyone who wears a Che T-shirt buys into every bit of propaganda coming out of Cuba. Of course there probably is some reflexive ethnic nationalism, but if you're going by what Koreans living in China think, there's obviously some factors that might complicate their views (i.e. worrying about saying the right thing, lest they or their relatives suffer...problems)

Lastly, its important to remember that the racist insult against Obama came after 6 years into his term. It's not like from day 1 they were doing this. There was likely some calculated reason for choosing to do so now. I mean for all the talk about how racist and concerned about "pure blood" the North Koreans are, they've waited 6 years longer than it took elements of the American right-wing to make monkey comments and posters concerning Obama.

I think its a mistake to view North Korea as some kind of caricature (outside of entertainment purposes) and to ascribe simplistic motives to anything that regime carries out. Everything the regime does appears to be calculated for effect. That being said, there is something to the author's point. There is a Korean audience for that kind of crap and the North is trying to exploit it and its obviously worked on some losers. I just think its an error to consider it tremendously effective and having widespread appeal.
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yodanole



Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anthropology describes "subversion mythology" as the process of finding scapegoats to blame for complex problems. Outsiders are the most common targets. It makes it both believable and comforting.
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jazzmaster



Joined: 30 Sep 2013

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steelrails wrote:
jazzmaster wrote:
I think it shows the idea of racial purity and a "pure blood" is still widely believed in the South, as well as wherever other Koreans may live.
I live in hope that the younger generation will grow out of this outdated notion of purity, but my experiences in South Korea suggest my hopes may be in vain.


There's nothing in the article to suggest that racial purity views in the South are any way part of a widespread response to North Korean propaganda. Just because there are a few idiots who buy the North's propaganda here, doesn't mean that it's somehow effective. There's always going to be people on the fringes who buy into that stuff or believe wacky news sources.

The links in the article are tenuous at best. It mentions Chongryon and suggests that these people are all card carrying members of the North Korean Communist Party, when in fact they are just people who likely use the group for whatever social services they provide and have limited interest in its ideologies. Think Hamas. They provide social services, but not everyone who signs up wants to strap bombs on themselves and believes their vilest propaganda.

One must also wonder how much of this sentiment is truly about love for the North Korean regime or just disgust at American foreign policy or capitalism in general. Not everyone who wears a Che T-shirt buys into every bit of propaganda coming out of Cuba. Of course there probably is some reflexive ethnic nationalism, but if you're going by what Koreans living in China think, there's obviously some factors that might complicate their views (i.e. worrying about saying the right thing, lest they or their relatives suffer...problems)

Lastly, its important to remember that the racist insult against Obama came after 6 years into his term. It's not like from day 1 they were doing this. There was likely some calculated reason for choosing to do so now. I mean for all the talk about how racist and concerned about "pure blood" the North Koreans are, they've waited 6 years longer than it took elements of the American right-wing to make monkey comments and posters concerning Obama.

I think its a mistake to view North Korea as some kind of caricature (outside of entertainment purposes) and to ascribe simplistic motives to anything that regime carries out. Everything the regime does appears to be calculated for effect. That being said, there is something to the author's point. There is a Korean audience for that kind of crap and the North is trying to exploit it and its obviously worked on some losers. I just think its an error to consider it tremendously effective and having widespread appeal.


They taught the pure blood myth in schools throughout South Korea. If that's not widespread then I don't know what is.
And the North propaganda deliberately seeks to find an angle that will be as effective as possible. In Korea that is the notion of pure blood and racial purity.

Don't bother wasting your time with pages of replies. I have no time for your biased, unreasonable point of view.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
They taught the pure blood myth in schools throughout South Korea. If that's not widespread then I don't know what is.


You misunderstood what I said. I said that such a view being widespread was not due to North Korean propaganda.

I'd also question if such a view is indeed widespread. The foreign bride thing has been going on for quite some time. The public school I taught at took multicultural education very seriously. Some Koreans may go on about it. I think most don't really buy into that idea too much anymore.

Quote:
And the North propaganda deliberately seeks to find an angle that will be as effective as possible. In Korea that is the notion of pure blood and racial purity.


This is the same North that threatens S. Koreans with utter annihilation and their homes under a sea of fire? The same North that S. Koreans have been tuning out for decades and yawn at when the latest threats come out?

And as I said before, it took North Korea 6 years to engage in a racial attack towards Obama. It took the American right wing about 6 minutes. Who is really wound up about race? If what you are saying is true, the North should have been launching non-stop racist attacks from day 1. It didn't.

Quote:
I have no time for your biased, unreasonable point of view


I think your point of view is biased and I've certainly made a case for it being unreasonable. It's based on some imaginary narrative you have, not the actual facts of the situation.
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Stan Rogers



Joined: 20 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here we go again.
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Who's Your Daddy?



Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you are interested in the topic, B.R. Myres does a lecture on his book, The Cleanest Race, here:

http://www.booktv.org/Watch/11315/The+Cleanest+Race+How+North+Koreans+See+Themselves+And+Why+It+Matters.aspx
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Milwaukiedave



Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong

PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2014 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most of the younger generation in South Korea doesn't buy into the whole racial purity. It's the older generation that is holding on by their fingernails that still believes it. As that generation dies, you are going to be hearing much less about it.

Anyone who seriously equates what North Korea says with what goes on here in South Korea needs their head examined.
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