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I'm struck by how hopeless the average person appears to be in these pictures. You can see only sadness and despair in their eyes, it is truly quite tragic.

by yarou 11y ago

grokys 11y ago
Have you ever travelled any metro at rush hour?
pizza234 11y ago
That is false. You wouldn't notice in the metro (and in the streets, same) any especially negative feeling, in any way different from any other part of the world (except that, like somebody else pointed, in the latter place, the eyes are generally on mobile phone screens). I know because I just came back from North Korea. The western media like to portray authoritarian regimes as hell-like places where people is sad and militaries are all over, ready to shoot anybody at the minimum misstep. In reality, within a certain frame, daily life is quite regular; everybody is busy with their own lives, not especially happy or sad. I stress "within a certain frame" - inner perception works within a frame, and of course, people needs to pay attention to the restrictive culture. I'd rather say "tired", as most of the people are hardworking farmers, without access to any transportation mean except the bike.
- seanmcdirmid 11y ago
  It actually reminded me a bit of Beijing, which is hardly authoritarian in that way. "Tired" is the right classification, the subway is just a way from here to there, and usually means the beginning or end of a long day.
  - emodendroket 11y ago
    I can't think of a lot of ways in which China's government is not "authoritarian."
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
    - seanmcdirmid 11y ago
      They haven't put cameras in my bathroom yet, so that's one way. Seriously, China is a fairly free society outside of public and media institutions, even more free in the west since police coverage is overall much less (so lots of law breaking in the open; e.g. prostitution, jay walking, driving like a dork).
      - emodendroket 11y ago
        I would be pretty hesitant to characterize any government with a legal system that works essentially by fiat, a sophisticated censorship regime, and the possibility of punishment for association or speech as "not authoritarian," even if China is somewhat more open than other countries which we use the term to describe.
        seanmcdirmid 11y ago
        It isn't really rule of law, for sure. More like, if they don't like you, they can find something to put you in jail with. Yes, China is an authoritarian state in that way, but if they don't dislike you, they aren't going to make any special effort to control/monitor you (unlike the DPRK). China is an authoritarian state, but it really is all about degrees...its no where near DPRK levels, just like the USA is nowhere near China's level (well, the USA is authoritarian in completely different ways, so they aren't very comparable).
partisan 11y ago
I was on the train in NYC yesterday and there was only sadness and despair in the eyes of the passengers. Some looked hostile and others completely apathetic. I am sure I could have died there and no one would have even looked in my direction. Dirt covered every area of the car; neglect and laziness or just budget cuts. The smell ran sour, never sweet, due to the miles of stagnant water, mold, dead things, garbage, and human stench. The train made several stops on it's transit between two stations, a stretch that could take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the day. People pushed their way through to get onto the cars, no artwork was present save for the advertisements and the countless notices asking for you to be polite to your fellow riders. Over the PA system, a soulless voice once again reminded that one should avoid displaying their electronics, this to lower the risk of being robbed. Once out of the subway, I was greeted by a dead rat in a rat trap as a reminder of what we all are. I did this all in reverse on the way home.
- bm1362 11y ago
  Indeed, the subway is a soulless place -- often romanticized by media and visitors to NYC. It still gets the job done though.
  - partisan 11y ago
    I am a native New Yorker and have taken the subway since the late eighties for middle school, high school, college, work, fun, etc. It has tremendous value, for sure, but it's no source of happiness or joy to go down into that hole.
Cyph0n 11y ago
Perhaps you're simply projecting those feelings because of what you know and heard about NK. I'd wager that the citizens don't live much differently in the day-to-day than you or I do, setting aside the propaganda and obsession with the Great Leader (lol) of course.
- Sharlin 11y ago
  Western metros are filled with propaganda too - we just call them advertisements and they are commercial, not national in nature. Not that different when you take a real outside view. Everybody is blind to the idiosyncraties of their own culture.
feintruled 11y ago
They had never seen foreigners in those metro stops before. Suddenly here are a few of them, and taking pictures to boot. To me, they just seem wary and maybe a little afraid.
- notahacker 11y ago
  it's worth pointing out that wariness and fear isn't the usual response to a rare sight of foreigners in many (if not most) other cultures...
  - emodendroket 11y ago
    Haven't traveled much, I see.
    - notahacker 11y ago
      No, I've travelled extensively, and the general reaction to obvious foreigners is either overfriendliness, fascinated stares or complete and utter disinterest. Fearful avoidance is something I have yet to experience. Where have you travelled?
      - emodendroket 10y ago
        East Asia, particular anywhere approaching rural

I'm struck by how hopeless the average person appears to be in these pictures. You can see only sadness and despair in their eyes, it is truly quite tragic.

by yarou 11y ago

I'm struck by how hopeless the average person appears to be in these pictures. You can see only sadness and despair in their eyes, it is truly quite tragic.

grokys 11y ago

Have you ever travelled any metro at rush hour?

pizza234 11y ago

That is false. You wouldn't notice in the metro (and in the streets, same) any especially negative feeling, in any way different from any other part of the world (except that, like somebody else pointed, in the latter place, the eyes are generally on mobile phone screens). I know because I just came back from North Korea. The western media like to portray authoritarian regimes as hell-like places where people is sad and militaries are all over, ready to shoot anybody at the minimum misstep. In reality, within a certain frame, daily life is quite regular; everybody is busy with their own lives, not especially happy or sad. I stress "within a certain frame" - inner perception works within a frame, and of course, people needs to pay attention to the restrictive culture. I'd rather say "tired", as most of the people are hardworking farmers, without access to any transportation mean except the bike.

seanmcdirmid 11y ago
It actually reminded me a bit of Beijing, which is hardly authoritarian in that way. "Tired" is the right classification, the subway is just a way from here to there, and usually means the beginning or end of a long day.
- emodendroket 11y ago
  I can't think of a lot of ways in which China's government is not "authoritarian."
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - seanmcdirmid 11y ago
    They haven't put cameras in my bathroom yet, so that's one way. Seriously, China is a fairly free society outside of public and media institutions, even more free in the west since police coverage is overall much less (so lots of law breaking in the open; e.g. prostitution, jay walking, driving like a dork).
    - emodendroket 11y ago
      I would be pretty hesitant to characterize any government with a legal system that works essentially by fiat, a sophisticated censorship regime, and the possibility of punishment for association or speech as "not authoritarian," even if China is somewhat more open than other countries which we use the term to describe.
      - seanmcdirmid 11y ago
        It isn't really rule of law, for sure. More like, if they don't like you, they can find something to put you in jail with. Yes, China is an authoritarian state in that way, but if they don't dislike you, they aren't going to make any special effort to control/monitor you (unlike the DPRK). China is an authoritarian state, but it really is all about degrees...its no where near DPRK levels, just like the USA is nowhere near China's level (well, the USA is authoritarian in completely different ways, so they aren't very comparable).

partisan 11y ago

I was on the train in NYC yesterday and there was only sadness and despair in the eyes of the passengers. Some looked hostile and others completely apathetic. I am sure I could have died there and no one would have even looked in my direction. Dirt covered every area of the car; neglect and laziness or just budget cuts. The smell ran sour, never sweet, due to the miles of stagnant water, mold, dead things, garbage, and human stench. The train made several stops on it's transit between two stations, a stretch that could take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the day. People pushed their way through to get onto the cars, no artwork was present save for the advertisements and the countless notices asking for you to be polite to your fellow riders. Over the PA system, a soulless voice once again reminded that one should avoid displaying their electronics, this to lower the risk of being robbed. Once out of the subway, I was greeted by a dead rat in a rat trap as a reminder of what we all are. I did this all in reverse on the way home.

bm1362 11y ago
Indeed, the subway is a soulless place -- often romanticized by media and visitors to NYC. It still gets the job done though.
- partisan 11y ago
  I am a native New Yorker and have taken the subway since the late eighties for middle school, high school, college, work, fun, etc. It has tremendous value, for sure, but it's no source of happiness or joy to go down into that hole.

Cyph0n 11y ago

Perhaps you're simply projecting those feelings because of what you know and heard about NK. I'd wager that the citizens don't live much differently in the day-to-day than you or I do, setting aside the propaganda and obsession with the Great Leader (lol) of course.

Sharlin 11y ago
Western metros are filled with propaganda too - we just call them advertisements and they are commercial, not national in nature. Not that different when you take a real outside view. Everybody is blind to the idiosyncraties of their own culture.

feintruled 11y ago

They had never seen foreigners in those metro stops before. Suddenly here are a few of them, and taking pictures to boot. To me, they just seem wary and maybe a little afraid.

notahacker 11y ago
it's worth pointing out that wariness and fear isn't the usual response to a rare sight of foreigners in many (if not most) other cultures...
- emodendroket 11y ago
  Haven't traveled much, I see.
  - notahacker 11y ago
    No, I've travelled extensively, and the general reaction to obvious foreigners is either overfriendliness, fascinated stares or complete and utter disinterest. Fearful avoidance is something I have yet to experience. Where have you travelled?
    - emodendroket 10y ago
      East Asia, particular anywhere approaching rural