| Thumbs Down for Sony's 'The Interview' By Michael Reagan The following is a sentence I thought I would never, ever write: We should have listened to North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un. Preventing Sony from releasing "The Interview" was an act of human kindness one never would have expected from a "leader" who starves his own people. I wasted six bucks and 112 minutes of my life watching the movie on Google Play. I wish I could have both my life and my six bucks back, but I suppose I'd settle for the money. It's a depressing end to the year to learn that a majority of the people who saw the movie, and then left their impression at IMDb.com, gave the picture a positive rating: 7.6 on a scale of 10. Editor's Notes: Special: Get Fit — Physically and Spiritually — This Year 5 Shocking Reasons the Dow Will Hit 60,000 I knew before watching that a Seth Rogen movie was going to be sophomoric, infantile, and obsessed with potty humor, which evidently for some audiences are the selling points. But I was hoping that taking on Kim Jong Un indicated that Rogen was maturing as a creative talent. But no, he's still stuck in stall No. 3 of the boy's bathroom at Tom Landry Middle School. If it weren't for the peculiar set of circumstances that exist in North Korea, one would wonder what all the fuss was about. North Korea is a culture that puts a great deal of emphasis on "face." In the West we would call it prestige or reputation. In some instances "face" is a toxic form of self-esteem. Maintaining "face" is a crucial factor in determining one's spot in society. For the average Korean, losing "face" is a personally damaging experience that can have dire repercussions in family and professional life. This potential for ruin is geometrically greater when you are at the top of a police state that is maintained by fear and terror. (The recent novel, "The Orphan Master's Son," by Adam Johnson, gives a fictional but accurate glimpse into what life is like in North Korea and it isn't good.) Kim Jong Un isn't at the top because he is beloved by one and all. He's at the top because he's feared. Any circumstance that erodes that fear, or worse, makes him a figure of fun means his time at the top is numbered. He rests not on a slippery slope, but upon a greased precipice. Which brings us to the only way to put "The Interview" to good use. Get it into North Korea where it can be a weapon against Kim Jong Un. There are logistical problems, of course. Most North Koreans don't own TVs or have access to the Internet. But the ruling class can log on. Broadcast it for free on multiple sites to defeat blocking attempts. Tie thumb drives on balloons and float hundreds over the border. Make it a point to let North Koreans know their chubby "Great Successor" is considered a figure of fun in the West and viewed with contempt. And be sure and tell them Kim Jong Un couldn't even stop a bad movie from being shown. Michael Reagan is the son of former President Ronald Reagan and chairman of the League of American Voters. His blog appears on reaganreports.com More Links: Are You an AARP Member? Please Read Immediately... ALERT: Top 5 New Year's Weight Loss Tips | 
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