Richardson at DPRK studies provides a 15-point outline for evaluating whether the Dear Leader is crazy:
The answer to the question of whether or not Kim is crazy depends on how one defines ‘crazy.’ If by crazy you mean a foaming-at-the-mouth lunatic that needs medication to function somewhere near normal, the answer is a categorical no, Kim is not crazy. As Madame Secretary will testify, Kim Jong-il can be ‘charming,’ and as odd as it may seem, he has been skillfully maneuvering to remain in power for decades, consolidating power internally while keeping external forces at bay.
Yet this answer does not satisfy – no sane person would run gulags, have people shot for leaving the country without permission, or wear their hair like that; Kim is more than just an eccentric. And not all mental disorders are of the stereotypical schizophrenic type. For example, consider the definition of a sociopath (a.k.a. psychopath): A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse. Why not - Johh McCain agrees. More of the profile:
Characteristics of the profile:
1. Glibness/Superficial Charm
2. Manipulative and Conning
3. Grandiose Sense of Self
4. Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
5. Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
6. Need for Stimulation
7. Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
8. Callousness/Lack of Empathy
9. Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
10. Irresponsibility/Unreliability
11. Shallow Emotions
12. Pathological Lying
13. Incapacity for Love
14. Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
15. Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
The Dear Leader is currently missing, likely somewhere in Northeast Asia. The Guardian has a good summary.
Technorati Tags: asia, east asia, kim jong-il, korea, north korea
January 13th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Your definition reminds me more of George W than Mr Kim.
January 14th, 2006 at 8:59 am
Ah, the joys of the antiamerican left. Where would we be without them?
January 14th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
W must not have anti social personality disorder…afterall you are still able to write how you think he does…Correct?
January 14th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Go to North Korea and make the inverse of that statement..oh wait…I forgot it would be virtually impossible to visit this site. Not saying that Bush gave us the gift of free speech or anything….and I don’t know maybe the comment was just said in humor…but garbage like that in my mind excuses maniacs like Kim. Before World War 2 FDR was constantly criticized for his sweeping initiatives and policies. The NRA was even found to be unconstitutional. People talk about the Supreme court giving W the election in 2000 and then complain more about Bush stacking the court with conservative appointees…well how about FDR trying to add more justices to the roster to ease the way for his agenda. By many accounts FDR’s economic recovery programs hurt America and really WW2 got the US out of the depression. But still if somebody were to say Hitler was a megalomaniac crack pot…I wouldn’t say -On the contrary FDR was the crackpot- Get a life and concentrate on the real villians