I am notorious when it comes to losing or breaking sunglasses. It seems that I am in need of a new pair every other month. Each time I try on a plethora of pairs. I like to change up the styles that I wear. Different lenses alter your view of things when you look through them.
Sometimes it helps to bring a friend because what I think looks good on me and what actually looks good on me are entirely different things. Perhaps this analogy is a bit of a stretch, but finding a new pair of sunglasses is similar to addressing the United States foreign policy. Please bear with me on this.
I usually opt for the classic wayfarer when it comes to sunglasses. They are typically flattering to my face and are generally always in style. That being said, just because I usually wear them, they usually look good on me and they usually are in style does not necessarily mean that I should blindly purchase a new pair of wayfarers every time I need a new pair of sunglasses.
Each new sunglass purchase is a chance to start fresh, evaluate the pros and cons of the last pair and perhaps try something new. Similarly, when major issues arise abroad, such as the Syrian conflict, it provides us with an opportunity to reevaluate our foreign policy. We can either blindly “do what we’ve always done” or take an honest look at our past foreign policies and see if similar actions would fit the situation at hand or decide if we need to go back to the drawing board.
When we go back to the drawing board, we need to try on different lenses before we settle on a plan. A key element to picking out sunglasses is the tint of the lens. Does it cast a blue tint when you look through the lens? Orange? Polarized? The lenses of foreign policy are much more varied than the lens options at your local Sunglass Hut.
Different ideologies, theologies and a wealth of other “-ologies,” all change the perspective of the way we see the world. What we see as a threat, what we see as a call for help, what we see as an opportunity for our own sake, is all relative to the lens we are looking through. To solely only use one lens without even trying on others greatly skews our view of the world around us and hinders our decisions.
Perspectives are not limited to just lenses. How we view ourselves and how we are viewed by others can also often be very different. Take for instance aviator sunglasses. The mental image I have of myself in them is very Tom Cruise in “Top Gun.” The smirk my friend makes when I try them on clearly indicates that my perception is off-base. Sometimes, the United States has similar misconceptions of itself on the international scale.
In foreign affairs, we often perceive ourselves as the Global Police insuring justice for all. While internationally, we are often perceived as the Global Bully trying to push our ideology down the throats of others. We see ourselves as the greatest country in the world helping out the “little guy.” Internationally, we are seen as just another country who has grown too big for its britches. I’m not saying that our views of ourselves are wrong and the rest are right. However, I am saying we are absolutely wrong if we do not at least take notice of the opinions of our international peers.
Just like my sunglass purchases, there are a variety of things that should be weighed and considered when addressing foreign policy issues. While it may be easier to have a knee-jerk response or to continue responding in the same way to such issues, especially since they arise with the same frequency that I break my sunglasses, a well thought out decision that takes in all the factors is a much better decision in the long run.
Anna Rush is a law student from Hattiesburg. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 2011.
