THE CATASTROPHE QUOTA - TROUBLE AFTER THE COLD-WAR

As the major problems that have debeviled the world over the last half century have been resolved, the quest for things to worry about has c ontinued unabated. The notion has taken hold that international affair s have somehow now become especially tumultuous, unstable, and complex . To arrive at such a conclusion, five techniques have been applied: t he past has been simplified, a Eurocentric bias has been introduced, d efinitions have been changed, standards have been raised, and problems previously considered to be comparatively minor have been elevated in perceived importance.