Reflection Project Part II

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 13 

The value of human connection and the potential it has in being a centripetal force between community members—this is what most comes to mind as I read this reflection. I think the ability to listen with genuine care and curiosity is one of those skills that the world seems to need most. Figures like Mr. Hae are sources of inspiration and remind me to become someone who seeks to bring community members together. I think that figures like Mr. Hae are sources of inspiration—-inspiration for using one’s own skills to continue building relationships with others that are lasting and mutually supportive. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 14 

The part from this initial article summary and reflection that stands out to me most is the difference in the associations or perceived general differences between political parties and ideologies. For example, when discussing the “Red Mirage” in the article reflection, I mention a part of the article that discusses the ideological divide between those who support mail voting compared to in-person voting. This makes me recall the divide between vaccinations during the pandemic several years ago. I also want to note that these ideological divides are not things that are fixed—there is so much more nuance and layers to ideologies. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 15 

Relativity. Relative to another event, a specific event may hold different meanings and perceived extents of significance. Considering the purpose of this article, I’m wondering if it was to provide a new perspective or lens through which one can see the economic struggles during the pandemic. Another component of the article and the reflection that stands out to me is the part about how the labor shortages was part of the context when the increased quantity of household money was taking place—I wonder how those two things can happen at the same time. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 16   

I think I was a bit more bold with my word choice back then compared to my word choice now—maybe the effect of this is exaggerated through my overall tone which is more assertive in the 2022 article reflection overall. About the last sentence of my article reflection about understanding and competition—now, I think that competition (e.g. competition that is involved in rising to a position of power or influence) is inevitably part of politics, whether one likes that or not. Currently, I think that seeking to understand others—including those with significantly different ideologies and political stances is important. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 17   

Looking back, I’m honestly not very sure why I used the phrase “reverential effect”---I don’t know if that is the correct phrase to describe the article’s discussion of English. A main takeaway from the article is that, through examining languages, one can learn more about the complexity in history and in the relationships between different nations. There appears to be a tension between those who advocate for English as the official language on the basis of its potential benefits in bringing progress in the global scale and those who stand against making English the official language based on the associations with the Western world that recall India’s time under the oppressive British during colonial times. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 18

I continue to agree with the idea of how observing the precedent and examples in history has an important role in shaping one’s current worldview as well as making decisions in today’s time. This article reminds me of the Hantavirus outbreak from several months ago. I remember that there was discussion about comparisons between the Hantavirus and a pandemic (e.g. COVID-19) and, similar to the worries that I had expressed in my article reflection about the Monkeypox cases, I recall feeling worried when hearing about the Hantavirus. When I learned that the virus is not as contagious amongst people, I felt relieved. I wonder about the mental effect that previous events have on one’s interpretation of the possibility of a similar event happening. 

Reflection on Article Reflection No. 19 

I continue to value skill-building and broadening one’s knowledge and understanding of the world. This article reflection most reminds me of the “brain gain” and “brain drain” concepts from AP Human Geography back in sophomore year. According to a Science study from 2025, there are both advantages and disadvantages to the origin nation who is experiencing “brain drain” as a result of its emigrating members. 

I genuinely think I was relatively self-centered when I was writing the initial article reflection back in 2022. Instead of reflecting and considering the extensive global impact of developments such as emigration and immigration, I’d thought of the importance of having an “elaborate resume”---don’t get me wrong, having an extensive, thorough resume is still something that I believe is very important as it can show a lot about one’s passions, interests, and experiences—but I think that my prioritization fell short. I’m realizing the need to prioritize the content of the article’s context in my reflections.