The Personal Interest Project (PIP) was a deeply reflective essay where I explored how language shapes power, perception, and social dynamics. I centered the piece on a personal experience during a visit to a neurosurgeon’s clinic, where the doctor initially addressed my family in a cold, dismissive tone. However, his attitude shifted dramatically once he realized that my younger brother could understand and respond using medical terminology. That moment revealed how language is often used to assert dominance, make assumptions about intelligence, and uphold social hierarchies.

Through this narrative, I examined how linguistic attitudes can influence the way people are treated based on how they speak or what they understand. I connected my experience to broader class discussions about identity and communication, drawing parallels with authors like Amy Tan and theorists we studied who emphasized the power of language in shaping one’s social reality. Writing the PIP helped me recognize how everyday encounters with language can carry deeper meanings, and it marked a turning point in how I approached both writing and analysis—making it one of the most personally significant pieces I’ve created in this course.