SIGNALS

“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.” George Orwell, 1984

For example, consider a song that you know was purposefully created as a propaganda device, and the same song is one that you really enjoy because it is so catchy and fun. It's evil, but you just can't stop enjoying it. You, my friend, are doublethinking.

Which brings us to Friendly Father. This little ditty comes to us from the the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, aka North Korea, and extols the many, possibly countless, virtues of Kim Jong Un, the leader of the nation, and the father in question. Before we continue, you should probably see for yourself. Here is a YouTube clip from the song. This other YouTube clip provides another excerpt from the song and also gives a look at the lavish spectacle when the song was introduced to the public. And I thought Taylor Swift's production values were impressive.

Now, let's have a show of hands. How many of you did a little foot-tapping? Don't be embarrassed. Catchy is as catchy does. And that's the whole point here. Who wants to listen to dull and drab music with disinterested, non-dancing people? We want something fun and colorful with enthusiastic, fist-pumping people. You know – something we can tap our feet to, something that makes us smile, and feel good about ourselves, feel good about our nation, feel good about our leader.

Clearly, no government would ever intentionally deceive its people. So, we can take Friendly Father at face value. We see that North Korea is an incredibly upbeat place. I have never seen a country with such exuberance and dare I say it – unconditional love – for its leader. And compared to the vitriol and animosity forever on display in the streets of Western nations, clearly North Korea is a country of abundantly joyous people. You are skeptical? Watch the video again, and again, and again. Eventually, you will see that I am right.

As you might suspect, this banger of a song is not a one-off. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a veritable hit factory of catchy songs that showcase the enviable lives of its citizens. Two more catchy YouTube examples are here and here. To experience the full repertoire, you can always book a flight to Pyongyang. It's worth noting, so I am told, that media is handled somewhat differently there. For example, there are loudspeakers in apartment blocks and villages that readily provide a stream of upbeat songs, and cannot be turned off. Also, apparently, television sets are fixed to one official station, lest reprobates are tempted to tune to, for example, a South Korean TV station.

These songs and videos are primarily for domestic consumption. However, they are also available to a worldwide Internet audience. Apparently, these songs have gained a certain popularity among Western Gen Z'ers. Friendly Father, for example, has gone viral on TikTok. Make of that what you will. We should also note that South Korea has blocked the video as a violation of Article 447 of the Information and Communications Network Act, which prohibits the "distribution of illegal information." Make of that what you will.

Finally, let's consider the difference between reality and representation in governmental communications. If the representation purports to be truthful, and differs from reality, then the difference essentially measures the extent of what is propaganda. In this case, what is the difference between everyday life in North Korea, and how it is shown in the video? Is the video intended to be humorous, not to be taken seriously? Or does it purport to accurately depict the attitudes of the citizens of North Korea? Every form of government must decide how far it is willing to stretch the difference between reality and representation.

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” George Orwell, 1984