Isabella Ng, Period 1, 01/07/2022

Isabella Ng, Period 1, 01/07/2022

Literacy & Learning Reflection

- Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

- Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

- How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

For our independent exploration of the Bible, my team and I decided to research and present the story of the Good Samaritan. This parable is simple and familiar; it tells the story of three individuals– a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan– as they pass a wounded traveler on the side of the road. As each individual happens upon the traveler, they have the choice of either helping the wounded man or passing by without intervention. Only the Samaritan stops. On the surface level, this parable teaches the “Golden Rule”: treat others the way you want to be treated. Although this connection is accurate, it does not fully describe the implications of the Samaritan’s actions. While researching this story, I learned more about the historical context surrounding these events. For example, I learned that during this time period, Jewish people deeply disliked the Samaritans because they worshiped differently and were seen as outsiders. Reading this parable through the lens of this context allowed me to understand exactly why it was so surprising that the Samaritan was the one who showed compassion for the traveler. Even though we might expect him to be enemies with this presumably Jewish traveler, the Samaritan is able to see past these divisions and have mercy for his enemy. Furthermore, understanding this context helped me understand why the man at the beginning of the parable asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” It is critical to understand this parable’s historical context in order to fully answer this question. By demonstrating how the Samaritan was able to see past ideological divisions and have mercy for his enemy, readers learn that the definition of “neighbor” has nothing to do with closeness. Rather, the condition of being “neighbors” relates to every human being. Loving your neighbor doesn't just mean loving those around you, but loving everyone.

This idea of seeing past ideological divisions in order to find shared humanity is timeless– and it resonates now, in our modern political climate defined by polarization and antagonism. America’s hyper-partisanship is reflected by the steady decline in congressional productivity, as well in the general political atmosphere surrounding the public. Furthermore, hyper-partisanship is exacerbated by media polarization. Online, citizens are able to divide themselves into echo-chambers and virtual “factions” in which they can reinforce shared beliefs, resulting in more extreme ideological differences between different groups. This is particularly dangerous for American democracy because it makes compromise and effective communication more difficult than it already is. This is where the sentiment of “loving your neighbor” comes in. Although it might seem too idealistic, I think that this whole process of “depolarizing” America starts with this concept of looking past divisions and trying to find ways in order to compromise. Of course, I’m not trying to say that we should look past ALL divisions; healthy debate and disagreement is what keeps democracy alive. However, I feel like the United States’s hyper-partisanship is preventing these key discussions from happening– especially on online platforms where it is easy to antagonize others. Perhaps embracing the idea of “loving your neighbor” means making room for recognizing humanity that exists in all people in order to create a level of respect that facilitates effective communication. This will hopefully make room for more nuances in our political conversations.