Deja vue

Is it only me.......but this is just deja vue all over again.

As you may be aware in the past few weeks with the death of Kim Il-Jong the world has lost another gruesome dictator. And good riddance though until we better understand the jib of his podgy son I am not sure we will be able to sleep any better in our beds at night. Though having said that now I had better be careful I don’t walk into any umbrellas over next few days.

It was amusing to see the wailing and crying that went on in the streets of North Korea on news of his death and to watch apparently sensible and rational North Koreans, I assume there are as many of these in that country as there are in this, rend their garments, beat the pavements and bawl hysterically during the official mourning period. It was also interesting to see the western media cover this with wry detachment and ironic puzzlement.

But hold on this was déjà vue all over again.

Let me take you back to 1997. Remember? Were not many of us behaving just like the North Koreans last week on the death of young yummy mummy who died in a car crash? Now sadly many young mums die in traffic accidents but few have Princess in front of their name. It shouldn’t make any difference but it does and in those lachrymose filled days and weeks we made the North Koreans look like amateurs with our public grief, the flower strewn pavements and the hysterical chest beating as just like the North Koreans we tried to outdo each other with our public proclamations of love and grief.

Now no doubt you may argue that the two cases are not the same. At least we didn’t send non grievers to the Gulag. And you would be right. Maybe we are just more subtle with the media joining in this conspiracy and assuming that you weren’t quite right in the head if you were not joining in this lemming like behaviour. There isn’t really much difference. Can you recall much air time being given to those who did not join in? No, neither can I. And those who bore the loss of the People's Princess with stoic fortitude were ostracised and denied a platform for their emotions if I recall.

In truth we in this country are no different from the North Koreans.

Remember that the next time a dictator dies.

Have a great week.

Sis felix. Et sis fortunatus.