The character of the 21st century - Essay Example

If the previous century gave birth to many companies, institutions, and allies, it also gave birth to several conflicts, rivalries and mass destruction. Will the 21st century serve as a continuation of the violence and sufferings of the previous 100 years or will it be a dawn of a better world that awaits children of the future generation? The United States of America (USA) has proven in the 20th century that they are the dominating force. It made the country and its colonies in some kind of untouchable stature.

There is that sense of pride and supremacy that envelope the whole state even its name. It is an undeniable fact that if there is a force that any unstable country would like to be in alliance with it will be the USA (Walt 6-7). Yet as it has been stated in the 2002 movie Spiderman, Peter Parker expressed a realization that can be applied with the existing American Force, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Such power became a liability for the whole state. As they gained more allies, they also gained more rivals.

The United States have been the answer to the prayers of those who were being traumatized by the Second World War. They were the saving power against those who were unfurling terror in different countries and continents. However, what will happen if this very powerful force be attacked on its very own territory? This was the event that happened during the first decade of the 21st century. With the heroic acts that the United States showcased during the previous century, they have exhibited the greatest human relation that any other country has showed towards their fellows.

What is human relations? According to Jackson (p. 2): “human relations involve people other than ourselves, who are never anything less than human and must always be treated accordingly. These others may be individuals or they may be groups, perhaps organized as independent nations or states, which have long been the preeminent political formations of world affairs.” Human relation became the strongest weapon of the United States in their aim to gain worldwide power and influence. However, there are states that had different perspective against the US.

For these states to prove other countries that the United States is not as powerful as they seem, “terrorists” attacked the heart of the US’ economy and defense without the country’s people and leaders knowing what is awaiting them. Many Americans were killed during the attack and the once strong, powerful and untouchable stature was replaced by a helpless, fragile and vulnerable America. Though human relations was been perfected by the state throughout the past century, it was not a guarantee that all nations will be an ally to them.

If there was one thing that the September 11 Attack has given the state that would be fear. With such stature that the United States had in International Relation (IR), it brought not just the whole state but the whole world in shock with all the events that have happened within the territory of the most powerful nation known worldwide. As noted by Robert Jervis (cited by Tang 2008): “[Fear] once aroused as a function of uncertainty about others’ intentions, can acquire a life of its own and become a powerful driver of the security dilemma and spiral.

Fear … leads a state to discount another state’ conciliatory gestures and adopt unnecessary hard-lined policies. As such, a spiral