Практика Shadowing: What You Try to Control, Controls You | The Paradox of Control - Изучайте разговорный английский по видео
Создание урока...
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Once upon a time, in the tropics, there was a man who lived near a river that often flooded during the rainy season.
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So every year, he would build a dam trying to control the floodwaters and protect his home and property.
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He would put great effort into building a bigger and stronger dam, assuming he would be better protected against the flooding river.
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However, one year, the floodwaters were too strong and the dam broke,
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causing even more damage than if he had never built the dam in the first place.
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Looking at his devastated home and property,
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the man realized that his attempt to control nature made him more vulnerable to its unpredictable and uncontrollable forces.
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The man in the story believed that by building a dam, he could control the forces of nature and protect his home and property from the floodwaters.
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However, his attempt to control nature actually made him more vulnerable,
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because he became overly reliant on the dam and neglected other strategies for dealing with the floodwaters, like creating a drainage system or placing sandbags.
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Also, he wasn't prepared for the disaster that would follow if the dam would break.
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In this way, his desire for control made him less prepared for the unpredictable and uncontrollable forces of nature.
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Here we see how futile trying to control the uncontrollable can be.
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We never know what's coming.
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No matter how well we think we've buttressed ourselves to future adversities, fate can always catch us in unexpected ways.
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Moreover, by trying to control too much, we could actually become less resilient to the whims of fortune.
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The paradox of control attempts to show that the more we try to control external circumstances,
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less in control we are as we try to control something we cannot.
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And so, as a consequence of our attempt to impose control over a situation, it may eventually turn out for the worse.
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As illogical and vague as this all sounds, the paradox of control does highlight the limitations of human control and reminds us that many,
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if not most, of our attempts to control the universe are futile and may even be detrimental.
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This video essay explores the paradox of control.
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The Tide In a display of arrogance and delusion, the English king Canute commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes.
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But as one might expect, the tide continued its natural course, ignoring the king's futile attempts to control it.
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King Canute was forced to confront the reality that there are forces in the world beyond his control,
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and that even the most powerful individuals have limits to their power.
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For a significant part, the power we attribute to ourselves is nothing but an illusion.
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Many people tend to exaggerate the control they can impose on the world.
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We might believe we control people, but we'll sooner or later be confronted with the fact that we don't, as everyone ultimately does their own thing,
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regardless of how much we try to push them into certain directions.
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Likewise, we might think that we control our bodies, but our life experiences show us that our bodies develop and change without us having much of a say.
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We get older, become sick, die of old age, and even though we can influence these factors through our lifestyle, we don't have control over them.
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No amount of plastic surgery, healthy food, or medicine can stop our bodies from changing and decaying.
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The story of King Canute serves as a cautionary tale against the temptation of absolute control,
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and the need for humility and respect for the natural order of the world.
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It's a reminder of the limitations of human control over outside circumstances.
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When talking about the limitations of control, we cannot ignore one of the most profound statements about it, done by Epictetus as written in the Anchiridian.
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Some things are within our power, while others are not.
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Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing.
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within our power, are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing." End quote.
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Even though Epictetus' view is bold and the Stoic philosopher could be accused of black-and-white thinking,
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it forms the cornerstone of how the Stoics approach the outside world.
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The Stoics, like Epictetus, maintained a clear distinction between what we can and cannot control.
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Focusing on the aspects of life that are within our power, such as our opinions and actions, we can develop inner resilience,
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making us less vulnerable to the whims of fate and the uncontrollable forces of nature.
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If Epictetus had witnessed King Canute's attempt to control such a mighty external force like the sea, he would probably have called him a giant fool.
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Suppose the king would also try to control the wind, the people around him, or the aging of his body.
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You would find out that the wind is completely elusive, many people are wayward and disobedient, and his body lives a life of its own.
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So the more he tries to control the universe, the more the universe shows him how little control he actually has.
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What a humbling experience that would be.
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The story of King Canute and the teachings of Epictetus remind us of the importance of acknowledging the limits of our control.
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By focusing on what we can control and accepting the inevitable uncertainties and uncontrollable aspects of life, we can develop a more balanced,
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resilient, and fulfilling approach to living.
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Many centuries ago, there was a Taoist farmer whose horse ran away, and so his neighbors visited to console him.
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But with Taoist wisdom in mind, the farmer responded by saying, Who knows what's good or bad?
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The next day, the horse returned, taking a wild mare, so the neighbors congratulated the farmer who responded with the same word.
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Who knows what's good or bad?
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Later, the farmer's son tried to ride the wild mare but fell, breaking his leg, and so the neighbors came again to console him.
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Again, the farmer responded, who knows what's good or bad?
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Then the army came to the village to conscript young men for war, but they skipped over the farmer's son because of his broken leg.
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Happy and relieved, the neighbors congratulated the old farmer, but his response remained the same.
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Who knows what's good or bad?
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The story illustrates the paradox of control in that we often try to control outcomes in our lives, thinking we know what is good or bad for us.
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Our attempts to control the course of events are often futile as the outcomes we perceive as negative
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or positive may turn out to be the opposite over time.
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The story encourages us to adopt a more humble and accepting attitude toward the unpredictability of life and the interdependence of events.
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It also shows us that the importance we attach to the desired outcomes of our attempts to control is oftentimes baseless.
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Another example.
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Suppose someone is extremely fearful of losing her job.
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But after years of stressing out about it, she is laid off.
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After the initial grief and despair, she decides to take her dismissal as an opportunity to pursue what she always wanted.
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own coffee shop.
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To her surprise, and with some help from fate, her enterprise becomes a huge success.
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Now, she not only realized that being sagged was a blessing in disguise, but also that all those years of worrying,
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tears, and sleepless nights were pretty pointless.
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Moreover, if she had been able to exert enough influence to keep her job, she would then have prolonged the torture of desperately trying to hold her employment,
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as the capriciousness of fortune would not yet have revealed itself to her.
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So what we perceive as fortunate may be unfortunate, and what we believe is unfortunate may be fortunate.
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There's no way of knowing beforehand, as life can only be understood backward.
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This idea may seem daunting.
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Will we ever make the right decision?
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We may.
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We may not.
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But the positive side of being aware of the universe's unpredictability is
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that one might loosen one's grip on outside circumstances as a consequence.
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So, what's the paradox of control?
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How does it work?
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And what can we do about it?
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The paradox of control boils down to the notion that when we try to control the uncontrollable,
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We basically give up our behavior and happiness to something unreliable and out of control.
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We let this thing influence our mental state, because our desire for control often leads to anxiety,
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stress, and frustration and can make us feel powerless when we are unable to control the outcome.
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In other words, our desire for control can become a source of suffering.
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When we try to control something, we attach ourselves to it.
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We want to push it in a certain direction.
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If this external thing does what we want, we're happy.
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But if it doesn't, we tend to be frustrated and angry.
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So the thing we try to control is now controlling us, as we have attached our mental state to it.
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An example of this is raising children.
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The more we wish to control them, the more they control us.
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Children are unpredictable and have wills of their own.
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So the instances they won't do what we want will be plenty.
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We'll have a horrible time if we attach our mood to their whims.
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According to Epictetus, when we try to control the uncontrollable, which is almost anything external, we're in for a rough ride.
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We'll be perpetually frustrated with other people's actions.
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We'll be full of anxiety about what will happen and what won't, and hit by grief and anger again and again.
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But many people still have a strong desire for control.
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As if, without it, they feel insecure or perhaps naked in the face of destiny.
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So their attempts to control the world around them create an illusion that easily bursts.
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Alan Watts once stated, The desire for security and the feeling of insecurity are the same thing.
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To hold your breath is to lose your breath.
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End quote.
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So could it be that our desire for control comes from insecurity?
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And if so, what are we insecure about?
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Is it because the idea of not controlling virtually every aspect of the external world is too daunting for us?
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And if that's the case, what can we do about it?
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Our desire for control indeed seems to stem from an underlying sense of insecurity.
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We fear the unknown, the unpredictable, and the uncontrollable aspects of life.
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As a result, we try to exert control over the external world,
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clinging to the illusion that we can somehow protect ourselves from the chaos and uncertainty that life brings.
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But in doing so, we often overlook the fact that true security
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and peace of mind cannot be found in controlling the external world,
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but rather in cultivating an inner resilience and acceptance of the uncontrollable nature of life.
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As American writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
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Embracing the reality of life's unpredictability, instead of trying to control it, can help us build a more resilient mindset.
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When we accept that there are aspects of life that we cannot control, we can focus on what we can control, such as our thoughts, emotions, and actions.
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As the ancient Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca stated, we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.
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So by recognizing and letting go of our imagined need for control, we can free ourselves from unnecessary suffering and anxiety.
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By learning to embrace the uncontrollable, we can generate the security and peace of mind we try to enforce through our attempts to control.
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Rather than obsessing over what we cannot control, we can focus on cultivating inner resilience and adaptability.
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This requires us to develop a mindset that values flexibility, openness, and a willingness to change course when needed.
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As the famous Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung once said, I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.
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As we embrace the unpredictable nature of life,
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we can let go of our need for control and instead focus on our inner strength and courage necessary to meet fate.
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As Seneca stated, our lack of confidence is not the result of difficulty.
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The difficulty comes from our lack of confidence.
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Лексика и советы по произношению к этому уроку
Этот урок разговорной практики уровня C1 построен на видео «What You Try to Control, Controls You». Чаще всего повторяются слова: attempt, uncontrollable, desire. В этом видео 136 предложений и 2093 слов для шедоуинга. Речь длится 13:55. Говорящий говорит в естественном темпе, около 150 слов в минуту, близком к повседневной речи. 83% слов входят в 3000 самых частых слов английского языка; остальные стоит разобрать перед занятием.
Ключевая лексика этого видео
Самые сложные слова из видео (15), с произношением и значением:
| Слово | Произношение | Значение |
|---|---|---|
| uncontrollable прилагательное | неуправля́емый, неконтроли́руемый | |
| paradox существительное | /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/ | парадо́кс |
| unpredictable прилагательное | непредсказу́емый | |
| futile прилагательное | /ˈfju.taɪl/ | бесполе́зный, тще́тный |
| resilient прилагательное | /ɹɪˈzɪl.jənt/ | ги́бкий, эласти́чный |
| unpredictability существительное | непредсказу́емость | |
| whim существительное | /wɪm/ | капри́з, при́хоть |
| insecurity существительное | небезопасность, комплекс | |
| resilience существительное | /ɹɪˈzɪl.ɪ.əns/ | психологи́ческая усто́йчивость, усто́йчивость |
| limitation существительное | /lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/ | ограниче́ние |
| philosopher существительное | /fəˈlɑsəfɚ/ | фило́соф |
| attach глагол | /əˈtæt͡ʃ/ | прикрепля́ть, прикрепи́ть |
| illusion существительное | /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/ | иллю́зия |
| cultivate глагол | /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/ | выра́щивать, вы́растить |
| daunting прилагательное | /ˈdɔntɪŋ/ | пугающий, устраша́ющий |
Фразовые глаголы, которые вы услышите
| Слово | Значение |
|---|---|
| find out глагол | узнава́ть, узна́ть |
| give up глагол | сдава́ться, сда́ться |
| lay off глагол | увольнять |
| run away глагол | сматываться, убега́ть |
Фразы, которые стоит повторять
Короткие законченные фразы из видео, которые пригодятся в повседневном разговоре:
- We never know what's coming.
- Who knows what's good or bad?
- Will we ever make the right decision?
- We'll be perpetually frustrated with other people's actions.
Грамматика в этом видео
Конструкции, которые говорящий использует чаще всего, с точными словами из видео:
| Конструкция | В видео |
|---|---|
| Пассивный залог be + причастие прошедшего времени — важно, что происходит, а не кто это делает | wasn't prepared · was forced · be confronted |
| Present Perfect have/has + причастие прошедшего времени — прошлое действие, важное сейчас | we've buttressed · have called · have prolonged |
| Придаточные определительные who / which + предложение — уточнение о человеке или предмете | man who lived · uncontrollable, which is |
Произношение, на которое стоит обратить внимание
Говорящий использует 13 сокращённых и редуцированных форм, например we'll, don't, we're. Произносите их коротко, так, как слышите.
- Звуки «sh» и «zh»: limitation /lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/, illusion /ɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/, aversion /əˈvɜːʒən/, cautionary /ˈkɔʃəˌnɛɹi/, delusion /dɪˈl(j)uːʒ(ə)n/
- Длинные слова — следите за ударением: resilience /ɹɪˈzɪl.ɪ.əns/, limitation /lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/, philosopher /fəˈlɑsəfɚ/, congratulate /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒ.ʊˌleɪt/, uncertainty /ʌnˈsɜːtənti/
Звуки, трудные для русскоязычных:
- /w/ — губы округлены, это не /v/: whim /wɪm/, consequence /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/, wayward /ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/, backward /ˈbækwɚd/, willingness /ˈwɪlɪŋnəs/
- /h/ — лёгкий выдох, а не русское «х»: humility /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/, beforehand /bɪˈfɔɹhænd/
- Звонкие согласные в конце слова — не оглушайте их: tide /taɪd/, perceive /pɚˈsiv/, elusive /ɪˈl(j)u.sɪv/, oftentimes /ˈɔf.ənˌtaɪmz/, sandbag /ˈsændˌbæɡ/
Как заниматься с этим видео
- Прослушайте всё видео один раз молча и выпишите незнакомые слова.
- Начните со скорости 0,75×, повторяйте предложение за предложением и вернитесь к обычной скорости, когда станет легко.
- Запишите себя и сравните с оригиналом, обращая внимание на такие слова, как uncontrollable, paradox, unpredictable.
Что такое техника Shadowing?
Shadowing — это научно обоснованная техника изучения языка, изначально разработанная для подготовки профессиональных переводчиков и популяризированная полиглотом доктором Александром Аргуэльесом. Метод прост, но эффективен: вы слушаете аудио на английском от носителей языка и немедленно повторяете вслух — как тень, следующая за говорящим с задержкой в 1–2 секунды. В отличие от пассивного прослушивания или грамматических упражнений, Shadowing заставляет мозг и мышцы рта одновременно обрабатывать и воспроизводить реальные речевые паттерны. Исследования показывают, что это значительно улучшает точность произношения, интонацию, ритм, связную речь, понимание на слух и беглость речи — что делает его одним из самых эффективных методов для подготовки к IELTS Speaking и реального общения на английском.