Donna Qualley’s article, Turns of Thought, was perceptive and thought-provoking. There were many times when I was immersed in thinking about the text that I found the author almost predicting the pitfalls I would encounter. After reading this article, I still feel as though I am constructing my understanding of reflexivity, yet my understanding of it up until this point is as follows:
Reflexivity is a “systematic, self-critical”(3) fight for understanding that often takes place in the state of “between” (10), yet by no means does reflexivity suggest fighting alone; nevertheless, people often confuse reflexivity with reflection, metacognition, comprehension, and even processing, all of which are solitary acts serving as a stark contrast to the true meaning of reflexivity. Admittedly, the characteristic of looking inward is a critical component of reflexivity; however, this simplistic action alone cannot hold the weight necessary to make any of the previously mentioned words interchangeable with the term reflexivity. Although, the problem lies not in the individual’s willingness to think critically, but in his or her lack of willingness to actively change after consulting the other. To clarify, the other as defined by Donna Qualley is, “an other idea, theory, person, culture, text, or even an other part of one’s self” (11). Certainly, there is abstractness that when added to the mix helps most if not all view the other subjectively or objectively, yet this alone cannot match the authority of reflexivity because reflexivity requires these two entities to entangle themselves and work together. Likewise, reflexivity resembles more of the characteristics of dialogue than a monologue simply because reflexivity is “bidirectional” (12), not “unidirectional” (11). Pursuing this further, reflexivity not only impacts the thinking of the other or oneself, but also one’s perception of the world. The key in reflexivity is to practice the art of reflection and then push beyond the importance of oneself to not only consider the other, but also allow this shift to confirm or contradict one’s previous thinking while leading to change. Essentially, reflexivity is requesting participation rather than perfection; this particular form of participation leads to a conversation whose population is larger than one and whose topic is open to interpretation. In sum, reflexivity is a transparent, self-motivated activity that lingers in the hmm between the head and the heart in order to meet the goal of self-actualization.
Reflexivity is a “systematic, self-critical”(3) fight for understanding that often takes place in the state of “between” (10), yet by no means does reflexivity suggest fighting alone; nevertheless, people often confuse reflexivity with reflection, metacognition, comprehension, and even processing, all of which are solitary acts serving as a stark contrast to the true meaning of reflexivity. Admittedly, the characteristic of looking inward is a critical component of reflexivity; however, this simplistic action alone cannot hold the weight necessary to make any of the previously mentioned words interchangeable with the term reflexivity. Although, the problem lies not in the individual’s willingness to think critically, but in his or her lack of willingness to actively change after consulting the other. To clarify, the other as defined by Donna Qualley is, “an other idea, theory, person, culture, text, or even an other part of one’s self” (11). Certainly, there is abstractness that when added to the mix helps most if not all view the other subjectively or objectively, yet this alone cannot match the authority of reflexivity because reflexivity requires these two entities to entangle themselves and work together. Likewise, reflexivity resembles more of the characteristics of dialogue than a monologue simply because reflexivity is “bidirectional” (12), not “unidirectional” (11). Pursuing this further, reflexivity not only impacts the thinking of the other or oneself, but also one’s perception of the world. The key in reflexivity is to practice the art of reflection and then push beyond the importance of oneself to not only consider the other, but also allow this shift to confirm or contradict one’s previous thinking while leading to change. Essentially, reflexivity is requesting participation rather than perfection; this particular form of participation leads to a conversation whose population is larger than one and whose topic is open to interpretation. In sum, reflexivity is a transparent, self-motivated activity that lingers in the hmm between the head and the heart in order to meet the goal of self-actualization.