Undoctored photo from Kim Jong Il's funeral

[Old and In the Way]

16. Definitely programmed responses that reflect a shared expectation of behaviour.

Probably grief cheerleaders sprinkled amongst the crowd to make sure the right level of grief is attained. But I also think that the lifelong propaganda programming is built on a 'father-child' model. Kim, of course, the supreme father figure; the entire population the children who depend on the father for their very existence. Framed that way, I do think many people's grief we're genuine displays of fear and anxiety of a future without the father.

I watched about 45 minutes of the video stream...it was fascinating, in a other world sense. I found the casket lashed to the roof of the limo to be really bizarre. I couldn't help but think maybe the Griswold family had taken a vacation to South Korea, inadvertantly busted through the DMZ, and ended up stopping to help out the actual hearse that broke down. I can see Clark saying..."sure, put the casket on top and I'll drive it to the mausoleum."