  The choice of stabilization term is a critical component of the virtual
element method (VEM). However, the theory of VEM provides only asymptotic
guidance for selecting the stabilization term, which ensures convergence as the
mesh size approaches zero, but does not provide a unique prescription for its
exact form. Thus, the selection of a suitable stabilization term is often
guided by numerical experimentation and analysis of the resulting solution,
including factors such as stability, accuracy, and efficiency. In this paper,
we establish a new link between VEM and generalized barycentric coordinates, in
particular isoparametric finite elements as a specific case. This connection
enables the interpretation of the stability as the energy of a particular
function in the discrete space, commonly known as the `hourglass mode.' Through
this approach, this study sheds light on how the virtual element solution
depends on the stabilization term, providing insights into the behavior of the
method in more general scenarios.
