Incomplete thoughts

Since I'm already writing late and between periods at work, I'm not gonna manage anything like a consistant line of argument today, let alone something backed up with extensive sources. Instead, some random thoughts that I've been having.

First, re: the North Korea nuke test, I think that we are playing precisely into their hands by reacting strongly and potentially forcing more sanctions. I don't like sanctions (as you may have read in a previous post) and our current regime of sanctions doesn't seem to be doing very much anyway. This situation seems vaguely analagous to a petulant child breaking things while on timeout and forcing his parents to come up with a harsher punishment that they are actually willing to carry out. North Korea is already an incredibly poor country moving backwards (if anything) in pretty much every respect but its nuclear program. This gives them a reduced set of options that looks more and more like capitulation or something drastic with nothing in between. We should not be surprised that a cornered and starving animal is going to do something drastic.
And I wouldn't count on China to get us out of this. The Chinese government is very good at keeping up the appearance of helping us out on this type of international issue, but it is probable that they like having North Korea as their proxy irrantant. If the US overreacts, they can take a moral high ground; if the Koreans overreach, they can deny involvement and play mediator. The Chinese street is pretty anti-American right now, and the North Korea status quo lets the Chinese leaders play both sides.

Another thing I've been thinking about is the need for positive role models. I wrote a few entries ago about the absence of such models for a lot of inner-city blacks, but it goes much beyond that. When violence breaks out, especially in suburban communities, people are quick to offer as scapegoats violent movies, music and other pop culture. And also to call for stiffer gun laws and stronger enforcement. The latter I can strongly agree with. As to the former, a convincing and fun alternative is nessisary to draw the audience away from violent media. An abstinance model does not work, whether you are talking about sex, violence, drugs or other such behaviors. An alternative is what is nessisary. In other words, we need to come up with books, movies, tv shows, video games and such that are non-violent (or show realistic and balanced outcomes of violence) but are still fun. This is not an easy task. THe reason video game makers make violent games is because they sell. With the major exception of the Sims type games, the big sellers are always violent or sports-related games. Given the latters' tendency to further the cult of sports, I would count them as negative as well. So what can we offer that will sell as well?

Time for class.