Topic of choice

The Soviet Union

Impacts of WWII and the Cold War and how it affects our world today.

- – How I affect international relations – -

It’s hard to believe that many of the simple choices I make everyday can have some sort of impact on something as big as international relations.  But little things – things people rarely even think about – can have much bigger consequences than they could ever imagine. Maybe a (kind of) creative example would help to illustrate this concept. I’m bit of a school supply aficionado.  Colored pens and papers are my calling.  (Only not really, but for the sake of my sort of creative example – lets say I am)  Maybe I would choose to buy the pens from the Chinese company instead of the American company because I get a bonus pastel purple pen in addition to the standard colors advertised.  When I make the decision to give into the temptation of the pastel purple – the impact is greater than my new ability to create pleasantly colored notes.  My decision to purchase foreign products represents something much larger.  Something global.  My simple decision has repercussions throughout the international economy. I choose to purchase products that are manufactured on foreign soil by foreign companies.  But the most important fact is that my purchase was my decision.  I get to choose what products I purchase, what food I eat, what clothes I wear, what type of car I drive.  And each of these individual decisions contributes to something much bigger than myself.  It is these decisions that make up a significant part of International Relations.  These decisions give direction not only to the national economy, but also the international economy.  Time for another (more serious) example!  Gas prices.  We all know and don’t love them.  But what do we do about it?  We grin and bear it.  We pay them anyway.  And that allows OPEC nations to continue raising oil prices because in our country we have no other choice than to pay them.  Or do we?  Imagine if we all started to carpool.  Imagine if we all decided to give public transportation a try.  Imagine if we bought hybrid cars.  What would happen to oil prices then?  Would OPEC nations still be able to charge the nation nearly 100 dollars per barrel even if the demand for oil was significantly less than it is in the status quo?  What many individuals fail to realize is that they can make a difference.  This world is not one of only corporate labels.  We, too, have a place in international politics – our role just might not be as obvious. 

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