Ukraine, a dramatization

Scrolling through my news feed, I've noticed an increasing amount of posts concerning Ukraine, critquing Obama's approach to the situation. Some of them justifiably equating Russian actions in the Ukrainian crisis to the American decision to invade Iraq in 2003; others, more alarmingly, to World War II. "Remember when Chamberlain did the exact same shit you're saying? Then 6 million people died. Whoops." Refferring to Chamberlain's decision to overlook Hitler's invasion of Sudetenland.

Addressing the latter, there are political and economic bodies in place today that did not exist in the early 20th century, designed specifically to prevent the killing of another 6 million people. For example, the United Nations (if you believe in that sort of thing...) was inspired by Woodrow Wilson's Leauge of Nations, whose essential purpose was to prevent World War III. The European Union, regardless of its capitalist aims, has created a peaceful Europe and a common unity that has prevented war. Please note that Ukraine is NOT a part of the European Union as of yet. This point stands. To even compare the Ukrainian crisis to events that spiraled into World War II is slightly melodramatic.

Secondly, Obama is not conceding to Russia and allowing this annexation, like Chamberlain did. He is imposing sanctions on Putin, and his inner circle, aimed specifically at those who hold heavy stakes in Ukrainian policy and the institutions that surround them. While these may not directly effect Putin, pressuring those around him is strategic, and is already having an effect on the Russain economy.
There is an international consensus that Putin's actions in Crimea is a war crime, and is illegal. To imply that the United States is being selfish, or unjust, for not invading so as to save lives is completely ridiculous. First off, it's not our place. It is more the responsibility of the European Union, as the reason Russia went in the first place was to protect their interests in former Soviet satellite states and prevent Ukraine from joining the EU. Obama's move to offer support to the EU is absolutely the appropriate response. 
This is not the Cold War. There is no longer an overlying need to "contain" or prevent a "domino effect", and the United States is offerring support to the European Union, and the Ukrainian people, anyway. 

Types of people in this world; Personal musings

There are those who are content in their ignorance, and there are those who have contempt for their ignorance. I am the latter. It is my impression that the majority are the former, and are happy with it. And therein lies the problem with my generation. We discuss Oscar nominations, Victoria's Secret Angels, frivolous things that do not matter for the sake of distraction. Some of us want to be them, most of us live our lives unfulfilled. We cry about it.

I listen to my friends rue the thought of being a "cog" in the "corporate machine". I have done the same. Leading the life that has been lived one million times, it is not appealing. Original thought seems like a myth now.  But in their awareness they cannot find it in themselves to leave, or care enough to change it.

Do any of us feel powerful enough to wonder about the world around us? To care about our governments that claim to know best... do they? We blindly trust and I worry there will be a point where we do not see anymore at all. 

I do care. I want to see. I will to know. This is why I am studying International Relations. I do not care if others feel I do not have conviction, or vocation. I do. I will not justify myself. 

I hear my Dad in my ear, "why would you want to go into something so degrading as intelligence?" I wonder why this is even a question: who would ever willingly choose to be the one without information?

And thus, I am the latter.

Why aim to be a cog, when you can aim to be the machine?