About Eric Li

First

For my spring term, I have started a new English class, and to say that we hit the ground running would be an understatement. 

On the first day, we discussed what rhetoric is. I soon realized that my previous definition of rhetoric was completely different from its actual definition. 

Soon after, we read the Allegory of the Cave and discussed the rhetorical choices made by Plato. To me, it was crazy to see that the story’s messages still resonate in today’s world. 

Now, we are reading the Yiddish Policeman’s Union, and discussing Michael Chabon’s choices to developing the story. 

The readings have been interesting so far. Before starting this class, I enjoyed reading autobiographies as well as biographies, but now, I have found that I enjoy reading science-fiction novels as well.

Moreover, we have also done a plethora of different writing exercises since the beginning of this term. From timed essays to QQPs, my ability to better persuade my audience has improved as a result of sitting in on lectures regarding rhetoric. What I have found especially useful is the benefit of presenting a counter-argument and subsequently a take-down of that counterpoint to better prove my own idea. 

Finally, I have found that I enjoy the discussions that we have in the class the most. Every day, someone brings an interesting idea or a new way of thinking to the class that goes beyond what I would have thought of. In the Yiddish Policeman’s Union, I was surprised to see the role that religion plays in the murder. 

I know that this class will go by very fast, and that’s ok. I just hope that I am able to contribute to the learning of my peers as much as they have contributed to my own learning. 

Fin

In this course, I have learned how to structure my arguments in a way that is more convincing. Before taking this class, I had relied on the typical three paragraph essay structure, now looking back, I realize is inadequate at developing a truly well rounded argument. With the new structure that I have learned during this course, the point, point, point, counter-point, and refutation to counter-point structure, I know how to make a clearer argument that addresses counter-arguments.

I also enjoyed reading The Policeman’s Union by Michael Chabon this semester. I had never read a book that was capable of creating such a real, yet fake, world in such a short matter of time. Moreover, Chabon’s ability to comment on religious, political, and racial issues through the murder of Mendel Shpilman was astounding. Most of the time while reading the novel, I had forgotten that the murder had even happened.

I have shown improvement in my ability to be more critical with my own writing. I now know what kind of tools are the most effective when it comes to persuading my audience. Moreover, I am now more willing to try new tactics and to accept advice from others when it comes to improving my writing.

Finally, I have annotated my writings through and through to make sure that I come prepared every class ready to discuss the readings. I really enjoyed learning about other people’s perspectives on the readings. Especially in an AP level course with everyone’s opinions being so clearly thought out, I found opposing views and met them head on with the help of my annotations.

One change that I would recommend is doing more calisthenics. I really enjoyed the practices, and I think they really prepared me for the complicated writings that I would do in this class. I also really enjoyed writing essays on current event issues.

I have written multiple essays on essays when given the opportunity to do so. I think my edits were small, yet impactful, to the flow of my essays; thus, I really wanted to utilize every opportunity to show that I understood the changes and why they mattered.

I gained a better understanding of what the difference between a good writer and a great writer is. There are so many differences and similarities. In short, good writers tell stories. Great writers move the reader.

Past Writings

Social Media Argument:

It is hard to imagine a world without social media. Media sites, such as FaceBook and Snapchat, have been so ingrained in our society that living a world without them seems unrealistic. However, there was once a world that that world was in a reality. There was once a world in which people did not use social media and, instead, resorted to other forms of media that seem outdated today. From newspapers to magazines to even books, connecting with others was more about face-to-face interactions. However, since the turn of the century and the advancements in technology, people have had more access to social media and, subsequently, each other. Yet, does social media make society better? Does it make people more connected? Would humanity be better off without it? Social media can benefit society but can easily be misused, which detracts from the main goal of it. 

Looking back at the roots of social media as we know it today requires you to look at the start of Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm room at Harvard. Although today Facebook has found itself between the crosshairs of many lawsuits with smaller corporations and the government over a plethora of issues, such as its unethical usage of users’ data, it had more humble roots. Unlike the popular movie The Social Network that taints the reason as to why he created Facebook in the beginning, Mr. Zuckerberg created Facebook with the desire to connect with people within Harvard. As simple as that. In fact, he was hesitant to even consider allowing advertisements for a long period of time because he believed that they would ruin the site. 

However, at some point along the way, Facebook became intertwined in lawsuits. How did this happen? How did a company with such an innocent reason for creation become so twisted in the law. In short, the consumer became reliant on Facebook. Rather than Facebook being a supplement to the lifestyles of the users, users became reliant on the site; Facebook became the centerpiece of their lives. Thus, is it appropriate to blame Facebook for the major role that it plays in millions of Americans’ lives? No. Instead, we should blame the consumer for being the driver force for the importance of Facebook and other social media sites. 

It is arrogant to believe that social media plays a purely harmful role in society. Some may argue that social media makes people less sociable. After all, more time on the screen means less time communicating face-to-face. Yet, it is more important to realize the benefits that social media play in the world that clearly outweigh the negatives. 

Social media empowers social movements as the world saw with the protests that happened around the world due to footage of George Floyd’s killing. Moreover, social media can allow people to inform others on other issues, including the looming climate crisis. Finally, it is also a good place to share cute baby pictures.

Do not tarnish the name of social media because of the poor usage of individuals who try to change the original purpose of social media with their actions. At their bottom lines, they are meant to connect individuals to the world. Simply put. 

Concession, Refutation, Rebuttal Essay:

America’s Withdrawal From Afghanistan: A Mistake In the Making

On September 11, 2021, American will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks in New York and, subsequently, President George W. Bush’s declaration on the war against terrorism, President Biden’s deadline is later than the May 1 deadline proposed by his predecessor, President Trump. 

This move by the Biden Administration has earned the applause of American citizens. During the twenty years that American troops were stationed in the nation, more than 2300 American soldiers have died. On the same token, trillions of dollars have been spent on the cause. According to a senior Pentagon official, the United States spent around $45 billion in Afghanistan in 2018 alone. With other government agencies strapped for cash, the removal of American troops, from both sides of the aisle, has been seen as an opportunity to fund other causes at home. Especially with Biden’s 1.9 trillion-dollar stimulus bill, the administration is trying to find ways to move cash without inflating the economy and cutting the military’s expenditures has been a way to do so. 

This move by the Biden Administration is short-sighted. Without American soldiers training Afghani commandos, threats to the security of the nation will arise and erase the hard-earned progress of American forces that have been gained over the past 20 years. Furthermore, withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan, will create a power void in the region that will, almost certainly, be filled the moment American troops leave by another country with the military might to do so. Simply put, having troops in Afghanistan will give nations that the United States sees as hostile a political sphere of influence within the region, most notably of which are China and Russia. Afghanistan plays an important role in the Middle East; thus, with both nations vowing for economic and political power on the global stage, an opportunity to achieve both in the region will rise after President Biden’s withdrawal of troops. In short, whoever controls the region’s vast amount of natural resources that will play a crucial role in determining who becomes the biggest player in the region next. 

With a total of 1.9 million American troops deployed in Afghanistan since 9/11, the United States has played a key role in the Middle East. A symbol of freedom and democracy, America and its politicians play a key role in the fate of the region by protecting those who align with its ideals and bombing those who do not. Whether or not the Middle East is better off with or without an American presence is widely debated; however, having another superpower replace the United States in Afghanistan will only prove to be a worse outcome. 

The repercussions of the Biden administration’s withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan will be similar to those of the Trump administration’s withdrawal of troops from northeastern Syria: Coke bottles and Los Angeles Lakers merchandise with Russian soldiers in barracks. However, that is only the beginning. Having a hostile nation with a past of prioritizing its own agenda over the wellbeing of ordinary citizens runs the risk of turning the region into a hostile one. Vladimir Putin, for instance, is known for taking extreme measures to achieve his foreign policy agenda. One good example would be the annexation of Crimea and the international uproar soon after. With little to no transparency with the happenings of his office, the global community can expect no less if Russia were to gain more of a militaristic advantage in Afghanistan. Moreover, with heightened tensions in the South China Sea, along the India-China border, and its treatment of Uyghurs, China has also become a player in the region with its economic advancements through the New Silk Road that come with questionable financial motives. Through the New Silk Road, developing nations, such as Iran and Afghanistan, are forced into deals that seem to be beneficial for their people but are instead predatory loans that the Chinese government will use to their advantage. This will only lead to further disrepair of the region as foreign nations look to expose the countries for their own political and economic gain.  

Yet, Uncle Sam still seems steadfast in bringing his troops back. Understandably, on one hand, many Americans question why the United States should be involved in another nation’s politics when its own people and politicians are divided along party lines with how to move America forward. On the other hand, and more importantly, Afghanistan has been a long time ally of the United States, and leaving them to fend for themselves will set a bad precedent for other allies who rely on the United States for protection. This will lead to the loss of more lives and make it hard for America to rise back to the forefront of the international stage, a core piece of Biden’s foreign policy. 

In short, whether or not the United States has the right to play such a large role in the Middle East will long be debated. Yet, what is certain is that with the United States being in Afghanistan comes a sense of certainty that other nations cannot provide. 

Campus Portfolio:

Gus Larson – A Different Breed of Basketball

“I know this sounds out of this world, but, for a while, Yale was my safety school. I am so thankful for the offers from all these colleges. I would have never seen myself in this position without the support of NMH,” Gus Larson says as he reflects on his recruiting process and fiddles with his sweater’s drawstrings. 

Although impressive, to his long-time teammate and friend Reece Clark, Larson is still the skinny sophomore he met who struggled to live on his own. 

“Gus is a great leader. Always has been, always will be. He does not let his college offers get to his head, and he does not let them affect his playstyle on the court regardless of where or how many he gets.”

Wherever he goes, Larson is seen as a role model for younger students, especially in the gym. “He was so skinny at the beginning of sophomore year, but, if you compare him to now, you can see the drastic changes in his figure,” says Jake Tavroff, a Columbia University basketball recruit. This sentiment is shared by Larson’s teammates and friends and has also clearly benefited him on the basketball court with his teammates. 

A Budding Star

 Larson was not always meant to play basketball. As a Lego-loving, football-playing, six-foot sophomore, Larson played basketball for the love of the sport before he began thinking about the possibility of playing in college, let alone at the University of Pennsylvania.

Before coming to NMH, Larson was a much different athlete and student than he is now. 

Born in New York City, Larson grew up in a household with an older and young brother. With this sibling rivalry, Larson spent most of his time playing with his siblings and not a lot of time doing homework. 

“Before coming to NMH, I had never read a book outside of class, but while being here, I have started to enjoy the process. I love reading now,” says Larson, 18, looking out the window to Cutler. 

When asked if any of his teammates enjoyed reading as much as him, Larson replied with a little chuckle and a humble suave shrug, “ No, not really. I guess I’m just a different breed of basketball player.”

Moreover, Larson was a typical middle-school student in how he enjoyed playing football and worried about cooties. He was especially interested in assembling Legos.

 “I remember waking up early on Christmas mornings to find a brand new Lego set in my living room. The feeling that I’d get would always be amazing.” He remembers fondly building Lego sets, such as The Raiders of the Lost Ark, with his family and spending hours on end working on them. 

Growing up, although he did play basketball, it was not a huge priority. He enjoyed the sport but rode the bench most of his years in middle school with his club team. Then he started growing. 

How to Build a Tower

At the end of his first sophomore year, Larson grew to become six-foot-four. It was almost a perfect wave. Right when he started growing, he also received an offer from John Carroll, NMH’s Boys’ Head Basketball Coach, to play at NMH. He continued to grow well into his repeat sophomore year at NMH; Larson grew to become six-foot-six, which he later added two inches to in his junior year. Now, Larson stands at a towering six-foot-eleven. 

His height comes as no surprise as his entire family is tall. His father, who is eight inches taller than his mother, is six-foot-six. His younger and older brothers are six-foot-five and six-foot-eight, respectively, but no one is as tall as Gus. His family has always been close, and all of them love being involved in sports, especially when it comes to watching Gus play. “Our sports games would always be family outings. We would all gather into one car and head off to a town hours away to watch games and stay in hotels for an entire weekend,” Larson says as he fondly recollects his memories. 

Wherever he is, Larson sticks out with tall stature.

“Airplanes and car seats are the worst,” he recounts as he fits behind a small classroom desk. “I have to bend my legs and hope that the person in front of me does not feel like they’re being constantly shoved from behind.” However, Larson does see an upside to being so tall, “You can easily stand out. That becomes useful especially when I am on the basketball court. I can just wave my hands and, boom, there is the ball. All I have to figure out next is what to do with it after.” 

Now Playing

Larson has also become a leader on the Forslund basketball court. In his junior year and during the pandemic, Larson garnered the attention of many top-tier college coaches through his individual and group workout sessions on Zoom. 

“It was mostly about my training. I can’t control a lot of things in my life, but I try my best to control those that I can.” This has resulted in many Division-I offers. 

Looking back on his NMH career, Larson has had his fair share of successes. His team won the 2019 New England Championships and is now one of the captains of the team. One of his most memorable experiences was attending the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend, during which he and the NMH team watched the All-Star Game in Chicago. While in the Windy City, besides attending the All-Star Game, he got to compete on the Crystal Court hosted by Bleacher Report, a sports-centered news media site. He found it an amazing bonding experience with his teammates that also allowed him to perform at “one of the most amazing venues.”.

“Playing competition like the late Terrance Clarke allowed me to reflect on myself and to see whether or not I was capable of handling big names,” Larson says. When asked if he felt any pressure going up against big names, Larson says, “No, not really. I was built for those moments. All those moments that I have spent watching film and in practice lead up to those moments. So, no. I just think of them like any other player that I’ve ever faced. Honestly, if you told me that I would get the opportunities to do the things that I have been able to do in my senior high school years, I would not believe you,” says Larson as he looks down at the UPenn sweater he is wearing. “I am just so excited to see what the future holds for me.” 

Up Next

Looking forward, Larson looks forward to playing for the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League. With so many of his past teammates in the Ivy League, when asked if he feels any pressure going against them, he says, “No, not at all, the only thing that I feel is a sense of pride. I remember those late nights in the gym and the early morning badger runs that we used to struggle through together and to see us all succeed at the highest level in college is an honor and a privilege. But, like, I also know all their habits, so I’ll know how to face them, especially Jake Tavroff.” Instead, Larson believes that “the pressure isn’t to make it there. Rather, it’s to excel and to be the best.”

The University of Pennsylvania has not had a lot of success in the Ivy League or collegiate basketball in general. However, Larson is hopeful that he will be able to turn that around. 

“Maybe in the next four years, we’ll make it to March Madness,” Larson says. “It’ll come down to how hard we work and how hard we want it. 

“At the end of the day, though,” he says with a gentle chuckle and a hint of sarcasm. “ I’m on the team, so I’m confident that we will do well in the long run during my four years.” 

Larson’s biggest piece of advice to future high school athletes who are looking to play collegiate basketball would be to “always trust in the process. As long as you put in the work, good will come out of it, but you have got to constantly put in 110% effort or else it just won’t work.”

About Me

Hi, I’m Eric. This is my learner’s blog, a blog that will share with you all that I am learning about while in AP English Language and Composition.