If I were rich and didn’t have to worry about the famines, then NK, hands down. Problem is, that’s why it sucks so bad, and the famines and starving and poverty are what makes it North Korea. If my choices were to live as a rich Saudi or a normal NKorean, then I’d be a fool not to pick Saudi Arabia. If I had a guaranteed male escort, then I think I could make Saudi Arabia work- at least there’d be enough food, and some kind of entertainment.
And for what it’s worth, I’m currently trying to find a way to plan a trip to NK because I’m so fascinated by it. I don’t think I’d ever spend my own hard earned money going to Saudi Arabia, though (though I would spend it in another Middle Eastern country that isn’t as oppressive.)
I was watching a fascinating BBC documentary on TV in Malaysia a few weeks ago, and it was about life in Saudi Arabia. They had an interview with the Saudi Attorney-General (or their equivalent thereof) and he was asked about the whole “Chopping off people’s hands for theft” thing, and he provided a very patient answer explaining that, despite what people in The West may think, they don’t chop thieves’ hands off for a first offence, or a second one, or even a third one- it’s a drastic step taken for incorrigible re-offenders who’ve been given countless chances to mend their ways, and by the time they’re chopping a repeat offender’s hand off, it’s really pour l’encouragement des l’autres anyway.
Obviously, what with Saudi Arabia being a big place, there’s going to be some discrepancy between what the Attorney-General says and what actually happens in remote or rural areas, but even so, the point is that stealing something in Saudi Arabia will not automatically mean your friends will have to nickname you “Lefty” in the near future.
Count me as another female who won’t go near SA. Just the IDEA of being a second-class citizen because I have an X chromosome makes me ill. I can make my way in NK, I’m sure, but at least I won’t get arrested for not keep myself covered at all times.
I don’t personally know how bad Saudi Arabia is, but in no way is it worse than North Korea. Perhaps it’s too strong of an opinion for this thread, but to argue otherwise is the height of lunacy.
North Korea is a starving graveyard. Literally.
And to my fellow atheists on the board who fear Islamic theocracy so much as to willingly choose the worst place on Earth, I say this: you’ve never heard of Juche. Don’t have to believe in God? Big whup-- you have to believe in godless communism. Practically, there is zero difference between the most radical Islamic theocracy and North Korean leader-worship.
Actually, that’s not true-- at least Islam has an afterlife to look forward to. And you can leave Saudi Arabia.
All the poor North Koreans have to look forward to is death.
Zero question about this. Saudi Arabia. Because I’d have enough options for professional opportunities that I’d be able to buy myself a ticket the hell out. Wearing a tent and keeping the Hindu-ness on the downlow in the meantime would suck, but I’ve known Indians who’ve managed to eke out a life there (although the women were usually bored as hell). I still see NK as a place people try to shoot you if you try to leave.
Yeah, women are second-class citizens in Saudi Arabia. You know who are second class citizens in North Korea? Everybody.
You guys remember that Star Trek episode where a planet based their whole culture on a book about the gangs of 1920s Chicago? Well, North Korea is exactly like that, except the book they based their society on was “1984”.
Here’s one thing to consider. Every building in North Korea is required to have a radio, and there’s only one channel, the propaganda channel. And it’s a crime to turn the radio off, or turn down the volume. As in, a “they drag you out and shoot you” crime.
If I had to choose one it be Saudi Arabia only because Anthony Bordain hasn’t done an episode on North Korean cuisine yet. But from what I heard NK is pretty hard up for food there isn’t even small mamals running/flying about they’ve eaten them all.
SA in a heartbeat. Women aren’t going to be any freer in NK than they are in SA.
Right. You’d just arbitrarily get sent to a concentration camp, be classed as a “chaotic element”, have your whole family imprisoned, or be a guinea pig for chemical weapons research in NK, all on the whim of a party official. NK is arguably the most dystopian society that’s ever existed. SA is not even in the same league as NK. Even by communist standards, NK is pretty bad.
I mean, North Korea, as a society, is literally insane:
I also think some people are underestimating how conservative NK society is, too. You aren’t going to be walking down a street in NK in hotpants any more than you’d do the same in SA.
Life expectancy is 64.13 years according to the CIA factbook. That’s pretty crap, but comparable to a number of other poor Asian countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Yemen.
Life in NK would suck donkey bollocks, certainly, but lets not go overboard here.
I know a number of woman who’ve actually lived and worked in SA and it wins hands down for me. Now these are professional women - engineers and physicians - working at western companies, and while things are restrictive (I don’t think anyone is debating that) it’s not nearly as loony as some of the posts in this thread suggest.
FWIW, none of the women in question had a male companion/husband with her when she was working and apparently it’s not an issue. Some of them may have had a female housekeeper that did shopping and whatnot (although I’m not positive about this last bit).
In fact, the only really unpleasant story I’ve heard is about a woman wearing the appropriate garments; however, with bare feet in sandals. Yah - the bare feet thing didn’t go over well; however, she had to stop and buy socks. She wasn’t thrown in jail or beaten with sticks or stoned.
I am a Hindu woman, so no Saudi Arabia for me. I’m sure I wouldn’t be one of the priviledged few. I’d rather go to SK, I can keep my mouth shut and be a cog in the wheel.
I know, SK is bad, too. Really bad. But I’ve seen enough of second-hand treatment of women to last a lifetime.
As far as I know, as a foreigner, in NK you won’t be able to talk to the “locals” at all. Not even if you’re a man. You won’t have any communications with your family abroad.
I’ll give up alcohol and pork for 10 years and pretend to be a Christian. Take me to Saudi Arabia.
