North Korea - Why???

[CFTraveler]

Let's add insurance companies to this group.

[Xanth]

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If I were a king, chances are that I would be corrupt, and I would probably give my guards the power to search people. My problem with the state of nations today is that I feel they are too big. I mean, it's one thing to band together and help each other out, but one person with all that power? Look at the size of China. China has a head body (e.g. emperor, president, prime minister, or something else) in charge of all that land mass and all the people in it (which accounts for a very large percentage of the world human population!). But if there were more countries in the world, there might be more wars- then again, there might not. But either way, there would be more voices heard, armies would be smaller, and maybe the economy wouldn't be so messed up. Actually, I like the idea of having smaller countries.

Anyway, there is no reason for North Korea to exist. There is also no good reason why certain Muslims exist who think it's their religious duty to convert or kill off anyone who isn't a Muslim. Same goes for certain sects of Christianity and Judaism, African war lords, Mexican drug cartels, pirates, CIA mind control experiments on the unsuspecting populace, chemtrails, oil companies who threaten inventors that come up with things that would put them out of business, etc. All of those exist because we let them. Because we don't want to give up our comfort. We tend to insulate ourselves from the rest of the world when surrounded by luxury.

Rest assured that as long as there are groups of people who are "different" from one another... there will ALWAYS be this kind of violence.

[personalreality]

Have any of you ever read "Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor Frankl?

Meaning can be found anywhere.

[Xanth]

Have any of you ever read "Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor Frankl?

Meaning can be found anywhere.

Frank, you say? 

[cpt. picard]

The question is, what is the meaning of something having meaning?

[Stookie]

The book "Simulacra and Simulation" ponders that same question:

http://www.amazon.com/Simulacra-Simulation-Body-Theory-Materialism/dp/0472065211

One aspect is that a symbol takes place of reality, then a symbol becomes a symbol for that symbol, until reality itself is a bunch of symbols with no meanings. Or a bunch of flashy symbols where the only underlying reality is $$$. Like Las Vegas. Or Disney World. And these things, being "escapes", make everyday-life symbolism seem like reality.

[AmbientSound]

Words (or symbols) precede manifestation.

[Inico]

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/the-vice-guide-to-liberia

Dude, if I had to choose between North Korea and Liberia, North Korea is heaven in comparison.