#12 It’s a strange world: Workaholism

❓You work, earn money and use that money to enjoy your life with your family. That’s how it works, right?

❗️Not for some people who work endlessly and forget their friends and family. We call these people “workaholic” – people for whom working is an addiction like drinking alcohol. Find out more about what it’s like when you don’t work to live but live to work.

⛓https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workaholic

▶️ Here’s a YouTube video about the psychology behind workaholism:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU3_S9YgRBc

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#13 It’s a strange world: Enclaves & Exclaves

❓Have you ever wondered about these strange pieces of land that belong to one country but are surrounded by another country?

❗️There are actually two words: “Enclave” and “exclave”. An enclave is a territory enclosed by another country; an exclave is a territory separated from the main part of the country. One territory can actually be both, depending from where you stand. Sokh, for example, is an exclave of Uzbekistan enclaved by Kyrgyzstan. But it gets even more, fascinatingly complicated than that! Check it out!

⛓https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enclave_and_exclave

▶️ Here’s a YouTube video about a town in Holland and Belgium that’s full of enclaves and exclaves:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP4OL2i6t-Q

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #geography

#14 It’s a strange world: Big Mac Index

❓Did you know that fast food can help us understand the world economy?

❗️There are rich countries and poor countries and the same price for some product could seem cheap in one country but expensive in another. Meanwhile, thanks to global chains (=a company that has many shops or restaurants) like McDonald’s, Burger King or KFC the same fast food is enjoyed pretty much everywhere. And here’s the interesting part – how much does the exact same Big Mac cost in different countries? The prices can tell us something about different price levels and global income disparities (=differences).

⛓https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mac_Index

▶️ Here’s a YouTube video explaining the Big Mac Index:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XdYbmova_s

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #economics

#15 It’s a strange world: Whataboutism

❓Do you also get annoyed when you talk about a problem and someone tells you but what about this and what about that?

❗️This is the logical fallacy (=false belief) called “Whataboutism”. It appears in big issues but also when couples argue. Here are two easy examples:

Husband: Hey wife, the soup is too salty again!
Wife: What about yourself? You can’t even cook!

Or…

Biden: Mr Trump, you have harmed the American people!
Trump: Look at North Korea. Their president is much worse than me!

Both cases show how the accused (=person who is blamed) is trying to escape the criticism by pointing at someone else’s even bigger problem. But actually it doesn’t make their problem go away. Watch out for whataboutism in discussions and debates!

⛓https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

▶️ Here’s an explainer from the BBC on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WqI16Ppte0

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#16 It’s a strange world: Procrastination

❓Do you sometimes find yourself pushing important tasks away and enjoy a good movie instead?

❗️This is called “procrastination”. Many of us avoid doing what needs to be done, just because it’s difficult or confusing or because something else is more fun. Procrastination is especially prevalent (=common, widespread) among students having to do homework. Procrastinators are not always lazy people – some of them start cleaning the house or reading up on (=read a lot about sth you need to know) something interesting but unrelated to the task. Get to know your own bad habits in order to change for the better!

⛓https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procrastination

▶️ Here’s an interesting TED Talk about procrastination:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#17 It’s a strange world: Guilt vs shame culture

❓What are you more afraid of? That you do something morally wrong or that people see you doing something wrong?

❗️The answer may be in your culture. If you come from a Western country you're more likely to care about your conscience, not so much about what other people think or say. Non-Westerners, on the other hand, may feel that avoiding shame is the most important thing.

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt%E2%80%93shame%E2%80%93fear_spectrum_of_cultures

▶️ Here’s a video about guilt and shame cultures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR37k_cuOjw

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #culture

#18 It’s a strange world: Nudging

❓Why is it that every time we go to a supermarket we end up (=finally doing sth) buying more than we planned?

❗️The truth is we are gently pushed, or “nudged”, to buy things that we don’t actually need. So gently, in fact, that we don’t even realise it. And not only in supermarkets – there are countless examples of psychological tricks used in other businesses and public life, too.

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_theory

▶️ Here’s a video about nudging:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lha5tQO0H-8

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#19 It’s a strange world: Murphy’s Law

❓Have you had one of those days when simply everything seems to go wrong?

❗️Your feeling can actually be explained scientifically with Murphy’s Law which says “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Read and watch to be in the know (=knowing more than most people)!

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy's_law

▶️ Here’s a video about Murphy’s Law:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1pRE0Ykbbg

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#20 It’s a strange world: Planned Obsolescence

❓Have you been wondering why electric appliances always break before too long (=soon)? Or why smartphones have become harder to repair?

❗️ The reason might be “Planned Obsolescence” – when companies create products in such a way that they don’t last too long and customers are forced to buy replacements.

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

▶️ Here’s a video about Planned Obsolescence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzWU7D0S9_8

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #economics

#21 It’s a strange world: Not In My Back Yard

❓A new shopping mall, a new prison, a new railway line, a new military base, a new power plant, a new airport – all good and necessary, you will probably say. But what if any of this is built right where you live?

❗️ Local residents often protest against such projects and politicians, planners and businesses have a hard time (=find it difficult) convincing them. The term “NIMBY” is an acronym (=a word creation in which each letter stands for one word) for “Not In My Back Yard” and is used to dismiss (=refuse sb’s idea or opinion) local opposition (=being against) against large construction projects.

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIMBY

▶️ Here’s a video about NIMBY in a city in Texas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2rD8RLNqJQ

❗️ Mondays are for discussions and debates. Discuss about today’s topic in the Afandi English Chat group. Questions will be provided there!

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #politics

#22 It’s a strange world: Pyramid of Needs

❓Can we be nice and kind to each other if we don’t have food or a house?

❗️ Possibly not, because all humans have some basic needs that have to be satisfied first, and there they come in a particular order. A model was proposed by Maslow, an American psychologist, and is well-known popular science.

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs

▶️ Here’s a video about Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0PKWTta7lU

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

#23 It’s a strange world: The Overton Window

❓How is it possible that public opinion can change over time?

❗️ The key to understanding this is the “Overton Window” which describes the range of acceptable ideas. It can move, expand and shrink through cultural change but also manipulation (=making people change their ideas or behaviour without realising it).

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window

▶️ Here’s a video about the Overton Window:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQvKxGehKok

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #politics

#24 It’s a strange world: Singularity

❓Are computers smarter than humans? If not, will they be? If yes, when will they be?

❗️ Most experts agree that we’re not far away from this moment, the moment that is called “singularity”. Probably within our lifetime even! So it’s good to know a thing or two (=a couple of things) about it, right?

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity

▶️ Here’s a TED Talk about the Singularity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnT1xgZgkpk

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #technology

#25 It’s a strange world: Stockholm Syndrome

❓Imagine this: You’re at the bank and suddenly a bunch of masked robbers come in and take you hostage (=keep you as a security while threatening to kill you). These are bad guys and you would hope for the police to come quickly and free you, right?

❗️ The reality is more complicated. In some situations people strangely develop positive feelings towards those who hurt or threaten them. Why on Earth does that happen? Read and watch! 👇

⛓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

▶️ Here’s an explainer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWk3tiN7S3Y

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world #psychology

It’s a strange world: The End

▶️ Over the past 1.5 years Afandi English has supplied you with (=given you) background information about 25 interesting phenomena. Time to review!

#1 A Long Place Name
#2 Animal Cafés
#3 Deep Fakes
#4 A Visa-Free Island
#5 The Word “OK”
#6 Polyandry
#7 An Underground Town
#8 Digital Nomads
#9 Veganism
#10 Basic Income
#11 Vertical Farming
#12 Workaholism
#13 Enclaves & Exclaves
#14 Big Mac Index
#15 Whataboutism
#16 Procrastination
#17 Guilt vs Shame Culture
#18 Nudging
#19 Murphy’s Law
#20 Planned Obsolescence
#21 Not In My Backyard
#22 Pyramid of Needs
#23 The Overton Window
#24 Singularity
#25 Stockholm Syndrome

❗️Mondays are still for world knowledge! Keep tuning in to the best of documentaries, infographics, statistics, articles and maps!

👉@afandi_english👈 #strange_world