BY ROBERT RIEMER
Voltaire once said, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” The United States of America was founded on this concept, thus creating what I believe is the most functional country in existence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, better known as North Korea, is an example of a country where the people don’t have the right to say what they want - thus creating, what is in my opinion, the most dysfunctional country that exists in the modern era.
I take it most of us have all been in a similar situation before: you say something that is contrary to your superiors’ beliefs, often teachers or parents. On a much smaller scale, a similar North Korean traditional belief is not questioning those above you. Often one says to a subordinate, “Just do what I say” or “Because I said so” or “Don’t talk to your teacher like that.” These statements are so unbelievably invalid and unsophisticated that they must be proven wrong.
In North Korea, the sole reason why they have a stalled economy, and a high starvation rate, is ultimately because the rulers shut down the people’s voice. Whatever their thought-to-be-divine ruler, Kim Jung-Il, says is always considered true. Because those who call him out as being false are censored (then killed), and the obvious needs of the people are not heard, the blind ruler is allowed to remain greedy.
Essentially, in North Korea one mind makes all of the decisions, while in much more successful countries like America and neighboring South Korea, where many contribute to decision making, the economies and governments (in relation) are growing. For example in the Occupy Wall Street protests the people are pointing out the flaws in the economy so that the government can react and change certain policies. Contrastingly, in North Korea if you point out the flaws of the government, it will throw these ideas under the bus and you along with it.
Thus, in America necessary changes have the potential to be made, while in North Korea the economy will remain the same because of the lack of exchanging of ideas.
South Korea is a perfect example of the successful transformation of a country. After the Korean War, the United States and Soviet Union split Korea in half, allowing each nation to influence one half (US, the south; USSR, the north). America influenced a free, capitalist country, while the Soviets created a communist dictatorship. Now looking back sixty years, it’s quite clear that the South Koreans are doing much better. The South Koreans allow their people to challenge their government, so their success is no coincidence.
In America, laws exist that protect citizens’ right to speech. However, not everyone accepts it. For instance, take the statement “Because I said so.” The literal meaning of that phrase is that you’re supposed to blindly agree or listen simply because the person who says it is supposedly better than you. Thus, what he or she says goes. This statement is always the answer to a simple question: “Why?”
The answer in this case completely avoids the question and therefore doesn’t actually answer why, but instead implies that the listener is beneath the speaker and therefore the speaker is right. When most people say things like this, they often do it because either they feel like their power is being threatened or because they think they are right.
But if one is correct, why not explain why? Essentially, it is imperative to never censor people and to always listen to what they say either as a friend, parent, or leader because yes, everything is flawed, but almost everything is solvable. For something to be solved, though, the problem must be pointed out in the first place. That is why listening to others and being able to speak freely is the best way and really the only way we will ever solve the world’s problems.
