13 December 2008

Papers and Obligations

It always takes me forever to begin a research paper, the one I just wrote being no exception. It’s about the dynamic of the multilateral relationship between Beijing, Pyongyang, and Washington – one of those that you pretty much already know the likely conclusion of your research before you start, but you take on as a topic anyway because there’s a lot of data out there and it’ll be an easy A. Plus, there’s tons of background information there that may eventually be useful for my thesis. Good stuff. Well, boring stuff, really. But I like it.

If the paper were broken down into smaller projects throughout the semester – each with deadlines – and eventually brought together into one big paper, it would be a much easier to handle – more palatable, I should say. Actually, I take that back, as we did do precisely that when I was an undergrad, and we bitched about writing papers then too. I think there was just an overall aversion to doing more work than necessary.

Or maybe we were avoiding the risk of learning something outside the classroom that wasn’t spoon-fed to us by our exasperated professors. Avoiding, I say, because this information may be known by no one else inside our classroom – professors included – which presents a twofold obligation: a). to take the information into account when presenting anything related to that nugget of data; and b). to connect that information to your reputation and risk being debated on the topic. In other words, we would risk being treated as an expert when we had neither the inclination nor the background to claim that title. And last thing we ever wanted to do was to fail expectations. At least, the last thing I ever wanted to do. Perhaps I’m projecting.

Eventually I just reach into that part of myself that numbs my surroundings and is focused on getting the job done, and then do just that.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

GREAT blog. Great international topic. I've always wondered how Beijing views Pyongyang. Does B hate P because so many North Koreans use China as go between for escaping NK. Is it the same thing as how DC views Mexico City?

Jarrod Chlapowski said...

The DPRK refugee issue in China certainly is an annoyance, but I think it's a stretch to say Beijing hates Pyongyang because of it. Their dynamic is a little too complex to summarize in a comment, but I say very generally - and insufficently - that the DPRK is now using China and the US against each other to allow its Juche-centered regime to subsist, similar to how it played the USSR against China during the Cold War. China still sees the Korean peninsula as a valuable tactical area, while North Korea knows China is necessary for its eventual global integration.

JohnAGJ said...

I'm the same way when I've had to write papers. Heck, just coming up with the theme can be agonizing at first. Then, somehow, I dive into it and it seems to flow.

I always thought that the PRC would be smarter to push the DPRK towards reunification with the ROK. Once that happened the USA would probably withdraw a substantial number of troops from the ROK, thereby decreasing our presence in the region.

Nice new pic, btw! Are you guys in the area yet?

Jarrod Chlapowski said...

Reunification with South Korea would be an economic nightmare, and almost certainly would lead to eventual disaster both on the peninsula and throughout the region. If and when the DPRK opens up, it will have to adopt the Chinese - vice Western - model, and perhaps eventually reunify with the ROK. And it is in the interests of everybody in the region - including both Koreas - that the US retain a presence in South Korea long into the forseeable future for a ton of reasons I won't discuss here.

But enough about Asia. This entry was supposed to subtley relate my research woes to the information battle behind the fight to repeal DADT. I thought I'd try to more quietly make comparisons as opposed to the usual beating-over-the-head style that I've chosen in the past. It looks like perhaps I was a little too subtle. Thoughts?

JohnAGJ said...

Actually I think what you guys have been doing has been highly effective. It looks like anti-DADT folks will need to step up pressure on the Dems and the incoming Administration though, if the recent press reports are accurate. Since I'm not a Democrat nor did I vote for Obama I'm not certain what approach would be best in bringing this issue to the forefront. I'm afraid the most I can do is lend my support, however little that may rank in the grand scheme of things. I will say this though: you have a much better shot with them than I would with the GOP of the last several years.