I think that we had a different view of what the 21st century could be like, with much more of a sense, from our perspective, of trying to have an interdependent world: looking at solving regional conflicts, having strength in alliances, operating within some kind of a sense that we were part of the international community and not outside of it.

Summary

This quote highlights a contrasting vision of the narrator's expectations for the 21st century versus the reality they experienced. They express their belief in an interconnected world, where global problems would be resolved through collaboration, regional conflicts would be effectively addressed, and international alliances would be strong. However, the actuality seemed to deviate from this vision, with a feeling of being excluded from the international community rather than being part of it. This explanation emphasizes the narrator's disappointment in how the global dynamics unfolded in the 21st century compared to their hopeful outlook.

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