Shadowing Practice: Ask a Psychopath - What is it like to be you? - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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What is it like to go through life with psychopathy?
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What is it like to go through life with psychopathy?
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Honestly, having a personality disorder is like kind of wearing like,
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glasses, you know, prescription glasses when you don't need them or something.
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It just kind of constantly distorts everything that you see around you, like funhouse mirrors.
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You know, it distorts how you view yourself and it distorts how you view other people.
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So you don't really have the right,
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let's say, judgment or clear vision about yourself or what is good or normal,
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especially since you haven't been in touch with it maybe since you were like an infant,
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you know, or have never,
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you know, felt these types of emotions.
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You have no clue how to get in touch with them.
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Most of the time I would be feeling things like,
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you know, like joy, the happy ones, right?
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never never guilt never even really sadness never remorse although sometimes I regretted things
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so I was aware
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that I had kind of a dull let's say emotional palette kind of more black
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and white than color I still don't really feel fear I
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definitely do take more risks than a normal person does
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so you know I did skiing snow skiing like snow ski racing even you know and that was pretty dangerous.
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You know, you can die skiing pretty easily.
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I think I understood that.
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And I love to go fast.
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And I would describe nervousness this way.
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I can tell that my body is having a fight or flight reaction.
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It's almost like you can kind of taste the adrenaline happening.
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I don't feel nervous, but I know my body is nervous kind of.
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People that are high performers like sports athletes you know people like professional musicians i guess they do get
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that spike in adrenaline
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but they just interpret it as being like a sharpening factor in their performance
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so now like the adrenaline's helping their brain to kick in a little extra sharp
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and so they can do an even better job performing
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and that's more how it feels although you still feel like
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you know it it kind of feels like jittery a little bit,
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like you have had too much caffeine or something.
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But that is what I feel.
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I do think maybe sometimes I'm still a little bit of a danger to myself,
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but I mean, I kind of just, I don't care.
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That's one thing that hasn't changed with therapy is I still don't care.
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Like I would welcome death,
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you know, death is fine.
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I never thought of it as a problem until probably my mid thirties.
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And I think that's actually pretty common with the other psychopaths that I've met.
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If anything, it seems like a superpower,
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especially, I would say, in your teens and into your early 20s through your 20s.
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Because what it kind of means is you just do not care what other people think.
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And if you can imagine normal people with your teenage years of insecurity or whatever else was going on.
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I watch TV shows about it, and it sounds miserable.
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It looks miserable.
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I don't know how you all got through high school,
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but for me, it was no problem because I didn't care what other people thought.
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And so it was just like completely free to do whatever I wanted.

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Context & Background

The video titled "Ask a Psychopath - What is it like to be you?" presents a unique perspective from an individual sharing their experiences living with psychopathy. The speaker uses vivid metaphors, such as comparing life to wearing distorted glasses, to articulate their emotional state and unique worldview. This perspective highlights a lack of typical emotional responses and a fearless approach to life, which can be insightful for those learning English. The nuances of their expression can provide rich material for language learners who aim to enhance their vocabulary and comprehension skills, especially in the context of psychological and emotional discussions.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I can tell that my body is having a fight or flight reaction." - This phrase illustrates a common physiological response to stress, making it useful in conversations about emotions and health.
  • "It distorts how you view yourself and how you view other people." - Utilize this phrase to discuss perspectives and personal insights.
  • "I didn’t care what other people thought." - A relatable sentiment that can open discussions about confidence and peer influence.
  • "People that are high performers... interpret it as being a sharpening factor." - This can be applied to conversations about performance in various fields, encouraging discussions about motivation.
  • "It seems like a superpower." - A catchy way to suggest that certain traits can be advantageous, useful in discussions about personality and strengths.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve English pronunciation and speaking skills through this video, follow these steps using the shadowing technique:

  1. Watch the Video: First, view the entire video without any distractions. Focus on the speaker's tone, pace, and emotional nuances.
  2. Listen Actively: Play short segments of the video repeatedly. Listen carefully to understand the rhythm and intonation of the speaker’s voice.
  3. Shadow Speak: Begin repeating what you hear as closely as possible. Try to mimic the speaker’s pronunciation and emotional expression. Use phrases like those listed above to practice how they fit into natural speech.
  4. Record Yourself: Use a recording device to capture your shadow acting. Compare your pronunciation and intonation to that of the original speaker to identify areas for improvement.
  5. Review and Practice: Keep refining your skills by practicing daily. Revisit the phrases and integrate them into your vocabulary to enhance your conversational abilities.

This structured approach helps you build not only your vocabulary but also your confidence in using English in varied contexts. By consistently engaging with content through a shadowing site, you can master the subtleties of English pronunciation and enhance your overall communication skills.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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