How Perspectives Can Differ

     The perspectives of people are based off of their surroundings and ideas, and as a result, it is impossible to say that one perspective is wrong or invalid. In the United States, everyone has the freedom to access the internet, and as a result, citizens do so excessively. If American people were to lose this resource they would be outraged and the people officially responsible for the loss of the internet would be expelled out of command almost immediately. In a democracy, the citizens are allowed to voice their opinions on issues in their country. However, in North Korea this is not the case. They have a totalitarian state, which means their leaders controls all aspects of social and economic systems. Their government strictly controls media and any attempt at infringement of their rules is met with serious prosecution. North Korean media produces massive propaganda which positively shows their leader, and negatively shows western culture. As a result, many people in North Korea see their leader as a God and the United States as the sworn enemy. This is very different perspective to Americans as they feel the North Koreans don’t know what kinds of things they are missing. However, North Koreans worship their leaders as their minds are filled with a steady flow of constant propaganda. In the book Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, the author shows her perspective of the revolution in Iran versus the society of adults around her. Although she is young, her views on the world are very mature for her age. In this age of revolution it causes her to grow up very quickly and face harsher situations than most people. At the age of six she goes to her first protest, where she says "That day there were so many killed in one of the neighborhoods that a rumor was spread that Israeli soldiers were responsible for the slaughter”(Satrapi 39). She had to experience death and sorrow at such a young age and gave her a completely different perspective on the world. The story does an excellent job at shedding light on the fact that many people felt differently within a country and their leaders did not correctly reflect the countries ideals. The people of North Korea want freedom because their leaders are also inaccurately portraying the needs of citizens. However, their government tries to spread the idea that the Westerners need to be saved and join their glorious empire. Perspective is sporadic and changes from person to person, with no views being completely wrong.

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books, 2003. Print.

"North Korea's Citizen Journalism | The Nation." The Nation. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Jan. 2013. 

     <http://www.thenation.com/article/156450/north-koreas-citizen-journalism>.