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Stopping All Stations – The Pyongyang Metro
- syki 5y agoAre there ever circumstances where it is immoral to visit a country as a tourist? I believe the answer is yes. It would have been immoral to be a tourist in Cambodia during the killing fields. Can one imagine being a tourist in Krakow during the height of the Nazi occupation? In my opinion visiting North Korea qualifies. Why give money and credence to such a brutal regime? I don’t see how one can maintain a good conscience while being a tourist in North Korea.
- johncoltrane 5y ago> Are there ever circumstances where it is immoral to visit a country as a tourist? Whenever it conflicts with _one's own_ morals.
- syki 5y agoClearly I think it’s immoral to visit North Korea and therefore I won’t do so. I also think it’s wrong for others to do it and those people should be called out for doing so. Those who do visit North Korea should be judged for doing so and callled out. You answered the question as it is literally stated. Clearly the intent of the question, as is common with most language, was deeper than a superficial interpretation gives.
- johncoltrane 5y agoI just wanted to point out that what those people did only goes against _your_ morals, which are far from universal.
- syki 5y agoMost would decry visiting Krakow during the Nazi occupation. Somehow visiting North Korea gets a pass from such scrutiny. Usually people, when called out on visiting North Korea, try to defend themselves by saying something along the lines of “getting to know another culture”. It’s a lame defense and their need to say something indicates that deep down they know there is something wrong with what they did.