Editorial Intern Position

Mr. Robinson,

I am currently a Graduate Student at George Mason University in World History, and I am very interested in helping you as an Editorial Intern. I've been currently searching for a way to give back to society, and have been on my own existential crisis trying to find a purpose and fulfillment because I feel I will happy only when I am giving back. This seems like a perfect opportunity to do stimulating work and help better the world all in one. I am a strong believed in non-violence and the power that words can have in the world. Physical domination does not mean anything if one doesn't control the mind, and I feel that convincing people to change their minds and ideas is the most important thing that needs to happen in the world today. My favorite period in American History is infact the postwar period when Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam demonstrations were helping to change politics in America through their non-violent tactics, and it has really emphasized how important everyday people can be in changing the world. I've done ample work with well-known scholars such as Dr. Stearns in helping perform research, and I feel that my career of writing, researching, and editing would be perfect for this job. I think my best talent is my ability to not only work on diverse topics and tasks without problem, but also my ability to look at situations from all different angles to more fully understand them. I belief that one has to look at a situation from all different aspects because history has all too often shown us what close-minded or "Orientalist" thinking can do. One cannot accept their viewpoint as the only one, and when one looks at a situation from all angles, one can more fully understand it, and understand how to argue against it effectively or solve it. I've attached my resume and the writing sample you requested on the military-industrial complex. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you would like any other writing samples from my work.

Look forward to hearing from you,

[ESSAY, WOO]

The military-industrial complex has had far-reaching ramifications when it comes to death, destruction, and the destabilization of global society, and these have been evident throughout modern history. However, I think one of the most understated problems has been the change in culture it has provoked. Following World War II, American society began to wholeheartedly espouse the ideals of consumption and technology. Life began to shift from “living” to possessing, and this was in my opinion a result of the emphasis in America upon technology and science. The whole ideal was wrapped in the idea that science and technology automatically meant human “progress”. Thus the military-industrial complex caused people to be viewed more in terms of economic worth rather than human worth. It emphasized that society needed to advance and that modernity meant improvements and following the American way. These values were imparted upon society because the government needed to convince the public that all the money being invested in the military and industries was necessary to remain “progress” and ensure safety. However, people became more detached from society as a result of the emphasis on consuming, and in my estimation modernity has made us less human. I do not want to overestimate that all people have fallen into this trap, but I think that too many have. Consumption has become fetishized by Americans as a way to placate themselves and pass over the fact that modern, industrial life is not better. Moreover, the military aspect has led America to become a place ruled by fear. George W. Bush astutely understood this, and used war and a climate of fear to help convince the American people that they needed him to help protect them. I’ve been greatly influenced by this cultural change because it is not how I want to live. I enjoy modern improvements, but I do not base my life upon them. I am greatly disappointed with this changed because I feel it has crippled the American people, and this nation was originally created by the most adventurous, brave, and experimental people. Both the colonists and the immigrants that created this country are a far cry from the men and women that make up society now. I think the principal shift occurred with the close of World War II and even Eisenhower noted the military-industrial complex’s importance. I think the decade of civil unrest and revolts in the 1960s was an important backlash to this takeover, but it failed. Now we live in a society which has all the ability to be open and revolutionary in that so many people can access information and different communities, but America’s culture has changed. We’ve become scared, a result of the “military” aspect, and complacent, a result of the “industrial” aspect. My travels abroad and family in Greece have helped contrast my life in America, and I’ve come to realize how sad it is that Americans have allowed the military-industrial complex to change our culture and with it we have lost our sense of morals. Vietnam was an immoral war, but there was also the conscience of America speaking up for the last time with protests and groups starting up all over the country. The war in Afghanistan and Iraq has been met with silence, and this is troublesome and indicative of the ability the military-industrial complex has had to assuage people with promises of safety and comfort. I think the loss of our humanity and compassion has been the biggest impact as generally unpopular wars such as the current one have been allowed to continue without pressure being put upon the government by unhappy citizens.