Tuesday, May 7, 2013

About Us: Justin Li

Describe yourself:
      I have been described as an analytical person with "chronic euphoria." My opinion is that world events are more interesting in the past tense and science is more exciting the future tense, and most of the research that I do for fun reflect that. Outside of studies, I'm an avid reader, gamer, and writer, quite possibly with an overactive imagination.


How did you become interested in International Relations?
      My dad introduced me to strategy games at a very young age, so I picked up on the basic ideas behind politics and history pretty quickly. For me, the motivations and effects behind history came easily, and International Relations was an extension of that, except that everything is in the present instead of the past. 
      Unlike what seems to be the norm, growing up as a Chinese-American child has been utterly unremarkable for me. I didn't have very many conflicts trying reconcile my heritage and my environment, despite, or maybe because, I spent most of my school years in an American school system with an Asian majority.
      I did, however, focus more intensely on Western history than I did on Asian history, probably because most historical strategy games are developed by western companies for western consumers. There may have also been the issue that there are relatively few books on Asian history written by culturally Asian authors in English.
      Who said games rot the brain?

Favorite topics/focuses, regarding International Relations?
      I don't have much of a mind for remembering recent events or names of prominent public figures, however, I do enjoy analyzing the potential motivations behind world events and extrapolating potential actions that could result. I believe that by using history as a starting point, any action committed by a political entity can be understood and analyzed for future actions.

What you plan on majoring in, in the future?
      Biology, or failing that, some other science. Not that I lack passion in International Relations, but I really am a shy and introverted person. I really don't think a future that requires such a high level of human interaction is for me. 

Character/public figure you hope to emulate?
      I have no idea. As far as public figures go, I was fairly determined to make my own way in the world. I still am.

Why did you join the Plenipotentiaries?
      Alexis sent an email one day about writing a blog. It hit me out of the blue but I jumped on because it's not every day that I get to write about something I'm passionate about.

What do you hope to do after leaving Mills?
      I hope to do what everyone else hopes to do, make enough money doing a job I love to live life. Odds are, because of my science focus, I won't be out of college for quite a few years, but after that, anything goes. I would like to travel, maybe revisit the places my parents took me as a child, but this time seeing the world through a more mature (and physically higher) perspective.




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