# Would you rather live in North Korea or Syria? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422 "2015-09-15T23:54:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/1 "2015-09-15T23:54:49Z")
If you had to assume the current life and identity of either a North Korean or a Syrian citizen, which would you choose? You don’t get to be a VIP; let’s say you’re something like a truck mechanic. I think I would choose North Korea. There, as long as I followed orders, I could probably avoid being brutally killed. The way things are going in Syria, no one is safe. On the other hand, it’s easier to get out of Syria. But then you become a refugee, and who knows what fate may befall you? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/2 "2015-09-16T02:40:42Z")
Syria. At risk of sounding internet-macho, I’ll take danger and near anarchy, trusting to my own survival instincts and skills, over an entrenched and incredibly oppressive regime. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/3 "2015-09-16T04:50:35Z")
Right now? N Korea. Otherwise, Syria. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/4 "2015-09-16T04:54:31Z")
Easier to escape Syria. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/5 "2015-09-16T05:08:26Z")
N Korea gets mighty cold in the winter. Syria ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/6 "2015-09-16T15:53:09Z")
Marijuana is legal in North Korea. Given the choice, it’s Dear Leader for me. (of course, once you get the munchies, you’re pretty much fucked). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/7 "2015-09-16T16:16:05Z")
I agree with **Terr**. There’s a hope of getting out of Syria; very little in NK. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-live-in-north-korea-or-syria/731422/8 "2015-09-16T16:32:15Z")
There’s also the possibility that if you can tough out Syria for five years, it might be very different at the end. North Korea is looking pretty static.