Reflection on Security Essay

by: Dom Dellamano

In my original security essay, I argued that security should be defined through the scope of national security. In other words, security should be viewed as pertaining to each individual state's own national security. With national security, the other types of security (physical security, human security, ontological security) trickled down from it. They combined together with different weights to form national security. I said that human security was the most important, because it is most important to keep citizens happy and safe. If human security could be accomplished, ontological security would follow. This would all be feasible if physical security is accomplished at the same time, but not with insane defense budgets. In essence, my security essay talked about how the connection between these three types of security would form national security, and this was the definition of security that made the most sense. I said this mainly because if each state could maintain national security, then there would not be as much of a global focus. With a global focus, one country's security problems could implicate one or more other countries.

If I were to rewrite it, I would focus more on how security has more to do with human security. Instead of saying it is national security, I would try to narrow it down to human security, and focus my argument around that. After taking the course, I see how my definition is too broad. It gives the illusion of specificity, because it says it is national security, but then the security aspect if loosely defined. The only thing that makes it somewhat specific is the national aspect. While that is important, it does not clearly define security. It is too broad, and after taking the course I can see how problematic that is. Without the perfect balance of broadness and specificity, security cannot be accurately defined. For example, if you were to say sex trafficking is a issue of national security, it can go so many ways, If you were to say it is a human security issue, then it can be accurately talked about, and possibly solved. You can narrow it down and start solving the problem.