Story of My Life: Papers

As the title suggests, my life the past few weeks has consisted of writing paper after paper, and in the next month I have even more to write, especially with final exams coming near. So, because I don't have much time to write an in-depth post, I'm going to post one of the papers I just wrote for my Global Community class. I guess it can give you an idea of what I've been studying some in one of my classes and just hopefully something interesting to read. So, enjoy!

2010: The Year of Couch Cosmopolitans

            In today’s society, there is no doubt that we live in a global community. Globalization is occurring all around us, and we find ourselves more connected with other parts of the world than ever before. As we become increasingly aware of the great needs of those around us, we try to decide upon our attitude towards globalization, and one attitude that has become more popular is that of a cosmopolitan. Yet, the real issue of dealing with the effects of globalization comes not in questioning our attitude towards a resolution, but in how we will actually implement these ideals and physically go about doing so.

            While some professors like Martha C. Nussbaum focus on the point that everyone should be a cosmopolitan in this very idealistic, utopian manner, others like John H. Rosenthal provide deeper insight into the interactions of humanity and present a plan of action where Nussbaum had not. Rosenthal helps us to understand that as cosmopolitans we have “perfect and imperfect duties” that we can utilize simultaneously and not conditionally. He shows us how progress in solving cosmopolitan interests won’t be reached unless people actually perform those duties and utilize all the “thick” connections they have to help improve their “thin” connection with this global community in which we live.  (Rosenthal, p.5)

            Take, for example, the United States’ reaction towards the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Social interconnectedness made it easier to touch on cosmopolitan sensitivities and raise money and activism from people of all ages across the US nation. Music concerts with all the biggest celebrities were held to raise funds, televised live all over the nation with a text campaign included in commercials to raise even more money. But does that really make you a cosmopolitan, sitting on your comfy couch under your sturdy roof in the safe US texting a few letters to the “Help Haiti Fund”? If we were to truly follow what Nussbaum says to define a cosmopolitan, then yes, the thousands of kids, or should we say parents who actually foot the cell phone bill, who donated money through the text campaign are cosmopolitans and all is well. (Nussbaum, pg. 7) But how did you know what your money helped do for the people of Haiti? How could your act of cosmopolitanism have possibly impacted you in the ways Nussbaum believes cosmopolitan education can? (Nussbaum, pg. 8)You did not have a plan behind your action and therefore had no way of seeing the actual effect of your attempt at making the world a better place.

            Now think on a larger scale and you get a majority of the NGO’s and charity organizations that rushed in soon after this disaster to distribute aid. These persons did go one step farther in their cosmopolitan duties than their fellow couch cosmopolitans, but the majority of them can only say that they gave families without food meals, children without shelter a tarp to sleep under, and babies who were sick and dying the medical treatment that they so desperately needed. These were all necessities in terms of human rights and satisfying the basis for being a cosmopolitan, but what happened to the Haitian people when these cosmopolitans left and time went on?  The supplies and the workers were gone, yet they found themselves still staring in the face of extreme poverty but with no knowledge of real life application to solve their everyday problems. While the intentions were just, it is this unwarranted optimism that makes Nussbaum’s cosmopolitanism so utopian and idealistic and obscures the actual reality of what it means to be a cosmopolitan in today’s world of globalization. (Himmelfarb, pg. 3)

Articles Referenced:
"Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism" by Joel H. Rosenthal from the 2009 International Affairs Conference
"The Illusions of Cosmopolitanism" by Gertrude Himmelfarb from For the Love of Country? (see below)
"Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism" by Martha C. Nussbaum from For the Love of Country?

Week of Solitude: Sunday/ Monday

Saturday night I decided I needed to take this next week "off" from the rest of the world and just solely focus on my academics and personal walk with God. I told myself that I would stay off of Facebook and keep my phone turned off for the week and that I would be keeping my door closed.

What sparked this desire for a week of solitude? Two things mainly. #1) My workload is ridiculously intense and within the next week and a half I have so many papers, mid-term exams, and just regular weekly article readings and analyses that ideally this is the only way I'll even be able to get the work done. #2) This semester has been so drastically different than last semester in the sense of being surrounded by so many amazing Christian brothers and sisters when I had been pretty much completely isolated in Italy, and I'm honestly having a difficult time adjusting to that right now. My life is being turned upside down in so many ways by God, and there is no doubt in my mind that these are all means by which he will strengthen me and grow me in my walk with him, but nonetheless, I can't deny I'm going through a time of trial in adjusting to this different environment. So, after having had an amazingly fun and exciting past two weeks with my Christian brothers and sisters, I'm throwing in the towel and retreating :)

Sunday: Started off with sleeping in which was much needed, then a fairly unproductive morning because I kept falling asleep while reading, followed by a visit from a friend which was extremely enlightening spiritually, and finally ending the day with some major working ahead for a couple of my classes, finishing homework for Monday classes, yet putting off the one item that is of the top of my to-do list this week (or in my head it is at least) which is a 5 page paper for my Maxwell class- Global Community. This essay alone counts for 15% of my final grade. EEK!

Monday: Woke up after the longest amount of sleep I've gotten in the past 2 ½ weeks which was absolutely refreshing! Went to my classes, spent my 2 hour break studying for a Spanish quiz I thought I was going to get to make up in class today since I missed it on last Thursday, only to find out in class that she wasn't going to let me make it up :( Had a nice dinner with my prayer partner for the week from my women's small group bible study. And procrastinated even more on this stinkin' paper..... :/ I honestly can't recall exactly what I was doing during the 3 hours that I wasn't working... Unfortunately I do have to confess that there was some Facebook involved! :'( I thought I could resist the temptation myself but it turns out my ability to procrastinate is much greater than my ability of self-control so I ended up having to ask my dear friend Gabby to change my Facebook password (again...) and now that issue is out of the way! The phone hasn't been that difficult to resist checking but there was one instance today where I needed to talk to someone at that moment and was on a tight time limit so I turned my phone on and made a quick call, which definitely defeats the purpose of solitude but what's done is done :/

So today has been pretty weird trying not checking my phone or Facebook and not interacting with people, but now at the end of the day, I'm not really anxious or upset about it. It's been so nice to have so much time to share my thoughts and feelings with God today when that time has been occupied by other people the past few weeks. This past week I have definitely recognized this feeling of missing all of that amazing one-on-one time that I had with God during so much of my time in Italy, but I didn't really realize how much of a difference in my peace of mind and happiness it has left on me since I've been here. Today was such a disgusting day with the weather and temperatures and workload, but I was so constantly cheerful and at peace throughout the entire day that I really didn't notice and take to heart these things that normally would've brought me down.

During my quiet time tonight though, God has definitely spoken to me in way completely pertaining to my week of solitude. I'm finishing the last few pages of "Captivating" (which I didn't realize I hadn't actually completely finished) and one of the things I read tonight was about the friendships of Christian women in our lives. While what was said is especially true for the women in my life, I was also thinking about the brothers God has brought into my life as well while reading this. "But with the grace of God firmly holding us, reminding us that he is the source of our true happiness, it is possible to nurture and sustain deep friendships throughout our lives. We are not made to live our lives alone. We are designed to live in relationship and share in the lives of other women. We need each other. God knows that. He will help us. We have only to ask and surrender, to wait, to hope, and in faith to love." God is definitely reassuring me through this little passage that this new adjustment and environment in my life are such blessings that will indeed help me to grow in my walk with him. I realize I need not hold on to my special time I had with him in Italy because the circumstances are much different now and this is the environment in which He has placed me and to have faith in Him and trust in Him. I am so humbly amazed at how He answers my prayers, and to do so, in this specific case, in such a quick manner, I'm just left wondering "How am I even worthy of this love?"