You and I are average people living an average existence but even we are not comfortable enough to voice all our political opinions in public, not open about eating certain things in public, proclaiming to loving someone openly, even to watch film or read certain books +

Most of this is not because the regime has outright banned it, but it has ensured that neighbors can’t trust their neighbors and co-workers cannot trust each other. Nobody, no government has announced any bans, but it has created situations for it to exist on its own. +

The ultimate beneficiary of this lack of trust in each other is the supreme leader.
The public opinion was crystalized to a binary of for or against the nation, then it became for or against the religion and now it is for or against the party. +

The choice, broken down into a binary of us and them always ensures people pick whatever the ‘us’ is.
What we have is the choice to pick a different brand of ketchup or car, the most privileged of us can consume to our hearts content but is that what it means to be democratic? +

They do not need to kill you if they can make your existence worthless.
/END