Best Korea

The vast majority of nations have succumbed to some semblance of American cultural hegemony, whether it is in the form of American films, fashion, or food; but there are some examples of nations and cultures that have specifically rejected American cultural imperialism in favor of either saving their own traditions, or building new and unrelated ones. The best example of this is North Korea, where (aside from the upper echelons of the military dictatorship) American cultural imperialism has been rejected to the best of their availabilities. The most notable exception to this is within the ruling class, where expensive cognac, a love for the Chicago Bulls, and an interest in American celebrities has permeated. The almost complete rejection of both American cultural imperialism as well as the cultural influence of almost all other nations has ostracized the nation from the global community far more than any other circumstances. While it is often said that the status of North Korea in the global community is based on its nuclear arsenal and flagrant disobedience of international laws, one does not need to look further than Israel to see a counterpart in both these regards that is, none the less, accepted into the international community with open arms. It is not weapons treaties, nor is it human rights abuses which segregate a country from the rest of the world, it is the rejection of cultural and corporate imperialism.

Callum Dunphy