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Reflect 1

The lecture transformed the author's understanding of politics, revealing it as an omnipresent aspect of daily life rather than just a governmental concern. It emphasized the distinction between power and authority, particularly in familial contexts, and highlighted the importance of influence and communication in effecting change. The author now recognizes that social dynamics and personal choices can drive political change, reshaping their perception of politics beyond just elections.

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Nhat Le Quang
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10 views2 pages

Reflect 1

The lecture transformed the author's understanding of politics, revealing it as an omnipresent aspect of daily life rather than just a governmental concern. It emphasized the distinction between power and authority, particularly in familial contexts, and highlighted the importance of influence and communication in effecting change. The author now recognizes that social dynamics and personal choices can drive political change, reshaping their perception of politics beyond just elections.

Uploaded by

Nhat Le Quang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Prior to Lecture 2, I had always considered politics a distant aspect to me, whether

elections, laws, or just debates among friends. However, this course allowed me to
understand that politics does not exclusively exist in the government. We find it when we
are at home, in our classes, in our friend circles, and everywhere that power exists. The first
lesson is that politics is a human experience that includes the seeking of power to control,
to obtain resources, or to become transformative.

One of the main ideas of the lecture was the distinction between authority and power.
Power is the capability to make others perform the actions that they would be unwilling to
perform otherwise, whereas authority is power with the support of the rules or laws. This
distinction has a tendency to be blurred in Vietnamese households. Parents do not have
legal control over children who have passed the age of 18; however, they continue to
exercise emotional and financial influence over their children. We may consider the case of
a daughter who desires to do art, rather than business, and the parents will not agree with
her, and they may threaten to withdraw support from the girl or even shame and discourage
the girl. It is not a law that she should serve them, but the power of the culture requires her
to respect them. That depicts the existence of power without formal authority, influenced
by traditions and other expectations.

Another way that the lecture altered my perception was through the knowledge of politics. I
now find politics in decisions made in groups, even choosing who will take charge of a
project in the classes is a political deal. More than passion will be required of me to be a
changemaker, as VinUni wants people to become. I require the ability to know, influence,
communicate, and occasionally have support. Power is not entirely about resources, as
someone with lots of money but lacking the vision to persuade and attract others would fail
as a leader and ultimately fail to make changes.

At last, the discussion about the social change in the lecture made me consider what can
change these dynamics. The functionalist theory focuses on the fact that society changes
when the roles change. The theory of conflict illustrates that change may frequently be
brought about in the form of dispute between people, as individuals reject their traditions
as not being of much use. Just as it was with Doi Moi reform, or lately, youth in Vietnam
raising their voices on social media against gender bias, change can start with a few simple
personal choices that accumulate.

To sum up, this lecture made me learn to look at politics and power in daily life. They
should know the person who has power over them, be it in families, in school, or in society,
and how power can be applied. I do not consider politics as all about elections anymore; I
can now view it as a hidden hand that guides my decision-making choices.

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