North Korea is best Korea.

I’m only 25 minutes in, and it’s like and awkward mix of Manufacturing Consent and the first Zeitgeist documentaries. Nothing actually original, and nothing that hasn’t already been disseminated in our extremely illusioned and propagandised society.

Of course, I agree with all of it so far, but it’s nothing I’ve not heard before.

It’s rather ironic coming from North Korea, which is a hideous travesty of socialism and democracy.

Propaganda about propaganda from the propaganda capital of the world.

While the film makes some valid points about the excesses of American capitalism that claims to be the basis of democracy. It makes claims that show a wilful distortion or ignorance of middle east history to justify its vilification of Israel and denial of the Holocaust.

We should be aware how the cult of celebrity and the demands of consumerism hurt the average American and distract us from the real plight of so many people right here in our countries. It does show how governments manipulate their citizens by fear to sacrifice their youngest to fight illusory wars designed to enrich corporate American. It points out how we are presented with false dichotomies where we are told to choose to be “with us or against us.” Americans have to look past the false stories marketed by the US media and look for many different viewpoints and sources of information on which to base our opinions and decisions. It is necessary to overcome the fear of asking tough questions and challenging the limited options presented as false choices that require one one course of action.

When the dumbing down of America starts to fail because people start to ask questions and demand better answers, then democracy may again become the basis of American life.

@Dr_Lawrence The documentary doesn’t deny the holocaust, in fact it repeatedly acknowledges its occurrence, and even shows footage of concentration camps.

It’s critical of Israel—rightfully so—but there’s nothing that’s particularly controversial, and is the sort of things one would hear from Noam Chomsky or Norman Finkelstein.

I wonder what’s the wilful distortion and ignorance you’ve identified?

It goes beyond criticism of Israel or its policies which can be seen differently from different perspectives. It fails to point out the Israeli Arabs have the right to vote, work, run for and sit in the Knesset. That’s hardly comparable to Nazi treatment of Jews! Even within Israel there is dissent on where defence ends and more sinister behaviours begin.

The documentary denies the right of Israel to exist at all. It fails to look at the history of Jewish life in Israel long thousands of years before the Balfour Declaration.

@Kropotkin do you yourself favour driving all the Jews into the sea as do most of Israel’s neighbours?

@Dr_Lawrence The documentary actually acknowledged the historical presence of Jews and stated that Jews had lived peacefully alongside Arabs for centuries.

I think some things were just beyond the scope of the documentary. I don’t know why one would expect it to go into the status and rights that Arab Israelis have, when the main contention is about the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

I’ve watched the segment about three times now, and have not found anything about denying Israel the right to exist at all.

I do not actually believe any state has a “right to exist”. But I’ve no interest in disseminating my political philosophy here.

And I’m not going to dignify your question with a response.

@Kropotkin I pretty much agree with what you said. Glad I am not alone in my thoughts.

@Dr_Lawrence Thank you – totally agree & appreciate your points – tho I may not go the same distance re: holocaust denial etc. I’m gonna have to watch it again with new eyes & see what I see in that regard.