Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site cwruecmp.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!cwruecmp!decot From: decot@cwruecmp.UUCP (Dave Decot) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Dr. Spock the Diplomat Message-ID: <996@cwruecmp.UUCP> Date: Sun, 12-Feb-84 18:33:22 EST Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.996 Posted: Sun Feb 12 18:33:22 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 14-Feb-84 01:35:53 EST Organization: CWRU Computer Engr. Cleveland, Ohio Lines: 42 Thomas Ruschak: I think the main issue here is the fact that if we help the starving people of the world (temporarily), we also hurt ourselves (permanently). I do not think the American people as a whole have the altruism necessary to do this. What permanent (or even temporary) serious damage do we do ourselves by helping people? If you mean that it is wrong to help them only temporarily, then you are correct. We should help them until they no longer need it, for our own good. The American people as a whole do have certain kinds of altruism, but they aren't presently too interested in the plight of distant others. This is not impossible to change. Make foreign culture a focus of education. I tend to want the US's role in the world to be somewhat parental, nurturing underdeveloped "child" nations until they can support themselves, and then letting them go do whatever they want. It is important to make sure that these nations become self-sufficient before putting them out on their own, and that they don't get obnoxious and arrogant and bother their neighbors. We should also break up petty fights between "children," offering cooperation as a solution. This is all taught on Sesame Street, but few adults practice it. If we don't responsibly help those in our care, they turn to other "adults" for help, like the USSR, who is more than happy to "take care of them", but for different reasons. Beating a misbehaving child, like Nicaragua, is not good for you or the child. It only makes her run to an apparently more understanding authority. I do NOT advocate running around being holier-than-thou to nations that DO NOT want our help. But if we gain the reputation as an authoritative power, they'll come to us if they need us. This would strengthen our influence in the world, and would help us become the Salvadors del Mundo we are always claiming to be. This discussion of underdeveloped countries as "our children" may seem to smell of a nationalistic superiority complex. This is not intended, because good parents treat their children as equals, keeping in mind the facts. Good parents don't refuse to learn from their children, either. Dave Decot "Non-Americans are people, too." decvax!cwruecmp!decot (Decot.Case@rand-relay)