4 ms·

They have crazy priorities, which they pursue in a calculated and intelligent fashion.

• monocasa 7y ago
  What about their priorities are crazy? As the old saying goes, you're not crazy if everyone is actually out to get you.
  • mikeash 7y ago
    Their single-minded pursuit of self-reliance has led to enormous suffering and, ironically, a strong dependence on a few other countries to keep them afloat. The extreme economic hardships mean they have a tough time deterring aggression (a quarter of their GDP goes to the military and, even so, the nukes are the only reason anyone takes them seriously). Consider a world where they followed a similar path to countries like China and Vietnam. Their people would be a lot better off, they’d have a much stronger military, and they’d be able to be much more of an equal partner with their allies.
    • ummonk 7y ago
      China is 50 times North Korea’s size, which was why it was able to prioritize economic development at the expense of the military.