If international relations were a John Hughes movie

by | Aug 9, 2009


Dan Drezner sets it out:

CLOSING SCENE OF “THE SECURITY COUNCIL CLUB“:

INT. SECURITY COUNCIL CHAMBER – DAY — we see the U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL enter the Security Council room and pick up an essay. 

CHINA (voice-over)

Dear Mr. Secretary-General, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in Security Council session for whatever international problem that we failed to address.  But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care?

You see us as you want to see us… In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions.

But what we found out is that each one of us is an economic engine…

UNITED STATES (voice-over)
…and a military power…

RUSSIA (voice-over)
…and a basket case…

EUROPEAN UNION (voice-over)
…and a princess…

IRAN (voice-over)
…and a rogue state…

CHINA (voice-over)
Does that answer your question?
Sincerely yours, the Security Council Club.

We see SUSAN RICE walking across the football field as she thrusts her fist into the air in a silent cheer and freezes there.

Author

  • Alex Evans is founder of Larger Us, which explores how we can use psychology to reduce political tribalism and polarisation, a senior fellow at New York University, and author of The Myth Gap: What Happens When Evidence and Arguments Aren’t Enough? (Penguin, 2017). He is a former Campaign Director of the 50 million member global citizen’s movement Avaaz, special adviser to two UK Cabinet Ministers, climate expert in the UN Secretary-General’s office, and was Research Director for the Business Commission on Sustainable Development. Alex lives with his wife and two children in Yorkshire.

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