The following is my intro & thesis for the class research paper in Global Socioeconomic Perspectives (International Relations, LIB 320). I am really proud of it, because it took me forever to say just what I wanted to say! If you have any grammar corrections, feel free to tell me before 2am EST.
As Americans, we tend to be focused on our own security, comfort, and happiness. Considering, what lies beyond our borders tends not to be our concern unless it profits one of the above American values.  On occasion, there actually is awareness of the poverty and the issues associated with this poverty, which governs large portions of our globe. Often this awareness is created because of crises which peak our compassion, such as the Tsunami of 2004, or the recent earthquake in Haiti. Its not that we forget that there are still people living in hunger, after all, we tell our children to eat their food because those poor kids in Africa are still starving. Yet, this is just vaguely understood common knowledge, so far removed from our reality that we rarely actually feel any obligation to help. Instead we often work against humanity’s plight by increasing our own riches, even if unintentionally. Yet, on those valiant occasions where we do help, it often comes in the form of quick relief aid, which does not always foster sustainable development. Moving beyond indifference or brief compassion which our charity is typically guided by, rich nations need to have an awareness of and opportunities to invest in types of aid which does foster sustainable development, as to not create unnecessary dependence on foreign assistance.