Jack and his guests discuss the challenges of dealing with a selfish friend who only talks about themselves and never listens. They explore the concept of friendship and selfishness, and debate whether to end the friendship or have a conversation to address the issue.

In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack discuss the following question: Are you good in stressful situations or do you freak out? Transcript:00:00:01JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast, where Jack and Social take you on a journey from learning the basics to mastering the nuances of the English language. Our podcast is designed for non-native speakers who are looking to improve their English skills in a fun and interactive way. Each episode covers a wide range of topics.00:00:23JackFrom grammar and vocabulary to slang and culture to help you navigate the English speaking world with ease.00:00:35JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast. My name is Jack and I am one of the hosts of the podcast and I'm here with my co-host, social and today we're going to do a question and we'll answer the question for you. The question is, are you good in stressful situations or do you?00:00:54JackFreak out and social. Why don't you define freak out for our listeners out there in case they don't know what that means?00:01:02XochitlSpeak out is like completely start panicking and lose your ability to think things through rationally and you kind of become a liability for yourself.00:01:14XochitlAnd everyone around.00:01:15XochitlYou in a special.00:01:18JackYeah, if you freak out, just lose your lose, your cool. We say in English, right. You kind of, you kind of go crazy, you freak out.00:01:28JackLet me see here. Are you good in stressful situations or do you do?00:01:32JackYou usually freak out.00:01:35XochitlI was just thinking about this the other day because I was watching a Netflix show where like their plane crashes into a lake or some like huge lake in Alaska and like.00:01:47XochitlThe guy starts freaking out and ends up like.00:01:51XochitlRuining everything by opening the plane door and like the water, all rushes in and like girls, like really feel like she's had her head on straight.00:02:01XochitlAnd keeps thinking rationally and and me personally, I think it probably is going to depend on the situation, but I tend to. I don't like freeze. I tend to go into action and I was trained that way from an early age because my parents only said.00:02:23XochitlNo one else is gonna. You have to assume that no one else will do anything, so you have to. If you see someone bus or head open on the sidewalk or something, you have to assume that no one else is going to call the ambulance. You need to call the ambulance like you need to get it together. So because my parents kind of really put that in my head.00:02:36JackRight.00:02:44XochitlFrom an early age, I feel.00:02:46XochitlI it really stuck and I do kind of always like react quickly in a bystander situation or like a personal crisis.00:02:56XochitlYeah. I appreciate my parents for that because I learned about the bystander effect in psychology and.00:03:01XochitlA lot of people.00:03:01XochitlWill literally just stand by and stare and not do anything.00:03:04JackRight. What is the? How would you describe the bystander effect? I think that's a good, good one for our listeners to learn.00:03:12XochitlBystander effect is like, let's say that you see a car crash and the person stumbles out of the car and it's like bleeding everywhere and there's a big group of people all staring, but no one is calling the ambulance. No one.00:03:24XochitlIs coming in.00:03:24XochitlTo help, and the reason for that is because.00:03:28XochitlWe all like there's a psychological principle.00:03:30XochitlWhere we think someone.00:03:31XochitlElse is doing it or is going to.00:03:33XochitlDo it so we kind of freeze collectively.00:03:37JackRight. Because I think the guy next to me is going to call 911. He thinks I'm going to call 911.00:03:42JackOr 119 whatever.00:03:44JackYour country, you're in and.00:03:45JackNobody does it. So it's like you got.00:03:47XochitlYes. And then in two weeks, so they're all.00:03:49JackA whole group of people, yeah.00:03:51XochitlWaiting for someone.00:03:51XochitlElse to do it, yeah.00:03:52XochitlYeah. Hope you're just standing around.00:03:54XochitlSo how about you, Jack?00:03:55XochitlAre you good in stressful situations?00:03:57XochitlOr do you tend to panic?00:03:58JackI think so. I think I'm. I think I'm pretty good in, in stressful situations. The funny thing is I do suffer from panic. I get panic. I have panic disorder.00:04:10JackAnd I I don't mind sharing that with the the listeners out there. It started, yeah, it started in 2006, but they it never happens in stressful situations. It only happens in like normal situations where we have this.00:04:13XochitlYou get like panic attacks.00:04:27JackThis this expression in English or or condition or whatever we call it fight or flight right? It's like when you feel actually it's there's three right it's fight freeze or flight.00:04:39JackAnd so, in a stressful situation, do you fight, do you, or do you take action? Do you freeze?00:04:45JackOr do you run away?00:04:47JackAnd me, I would get into these, you know, because I I have this condition, I would feel that.00:04:57JackFear the the the fight, the the, the fear feeling of the feeling of fear. But it would be just in a normal situation. So. But The funny thing is it's it's very odd.00:05:09JackOr ironic? Is that in really stressful situations?00:05:15JackI'm actually pretty cool.00:05:17JackI'm pretty chill. I don't freak out. Uh, I had a a pretty.00:05:22JackBig car accident a few years ago.00:05:25JackAnd I remember.00:05:27JackLosing complete control of my car on the freeway, I was hit by a truck.00:05:32JackAnd I went.00:05:33JackAll the way across the freeway, sideways and smashed into the retaining wall totaled my car.00:05:42발표자I was pretty.00:05:44JackKind of. Just like in shock, but I I I didn't start screaming or yelling or jump out of my car or run around. I was just very much like, OK, let's do an assessment. Wear arms and legs. Do I have my arms? Do I have my legs? Yes. Am I in pain? No, I'm not. Dude, I have my seat belt, you know, saved my life.00:06:04JackAll those things I was able to.00:06:06JackKind of in that.00:06:08JackDo an assessment and see where I was and I was actually thinking very clearly. I think maybe it has to do with the adrenaline in your body is it's kind of allows you to to to it. It's like a it's like a shot of energy. And so in that situation I thought I played it pretty cool and so.00:06:28JackIt wasn't until maybe like one or two hours later, when I kind of freaked out a little bit, but in the moment of stress, I'm actually pretty good. I'm pretty dependable and I take.00:06:40XochitlJack, I have kind of a theory and a question related to that theory. Did you grow up like around a lot of stress or like stressful situations and stuff like that? Like, did you?00:06:54JackOhh that's a good question. Uhm, no, actually, you know.00:06:57JackI grew up in a pretty.00:07:00JackI'm trying to think like.00:07:02JackDid I have a lot of stressful situations?00:07:05JackNo, no. I would say I grew up in a pretty sheltered, you know, pretty, pretty, you know, pretty sheltered existence. You know, with the caring parents, you know, they were they they were watching out for us, but they were giving us enough.00:07:21JackYou know, room to invent, you know, find adventure and and have fun. So I didn't really experience a lot of stress as a young person.00:07:31XochitlThat's interesting. I definitely feel I experienced like a lot of stress and trauma in my younger years.00:07:39XochitlAnd I think that that is why.00:07:43XochitlI'm like, chill in high stress situations, but kind of also suffer from like anxiety and soul part. And just like normal everyday situations. Because I feel that my brain was primed to see like stress.00:08:03XochitlAnd intense situations as normal.00:08:10XochitlThen whenever I'm in a relaxed, calm environment for too long, I get like really anxious because I think it's like my brain's like, OK, where's what's?00:08:20XochitlThe danger here?00:08:22XochitlI think that's weird.00:08:22JackThat's funny. I'm the same.00:08:24JackWay. I'm like we in English. We say I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's like nothing is scarier for me than no crises occurring at any moment. If I'm crisis free.00:08:38JackThen I'm just in a state of waiting for the next horrible thing to happen, and I'm just waiting. Always, like, OK, what's things are too good right now? They're too good. Something bad needs to happen, and it's it's just such a like it's it's such a a kind of negative way of.00:08:58JackYou know, we just talked about the power of positive thinking.00:09:00JackI think that's like the.00:09:01XochitlRight.00:09:03XochitlPower of negative thinking and the fact that.00:09:04JackThe power of negative thinking.00:09:05JackYeah, like that's it, it does. It's just like it's it and my brain is just, you know, I can't change it. I'm just, I'm just that way. And so yeah, very simple situations. I'm like, I I have panic. And yet in the most stressful situation, I'm.00:09:14XochitlRight.00:09:23JackCool as a cucumber.00:09:24XochitlYeah, it's like you were expecting that to happen. Yeah. I think there's, like, a lot that goes into it. I think it can either be that we grew up in a in an environment that was very like tumultuous, which for our listeners who don't know, it's like a really chaotic or intense environment.00:09:42XochitlAnd I think another thing is that for our survival.00:09:46XochitlWe have, like you know, Caveman brain. Those our brain in a.00:09:51XochitlWay like we have evolved and developed.00:09:55XochitlOver hundreds and thousands of years, but at the same time, I think there's still parts of our brain that are primed to.00:10:06XochitlSearch for danger because we did not always have the kind of comfort that we do now, like the kind of comfortable life or safety that is so widespread these days.00:10:16JackYeah. When we lived in the forest or on the Savannah, you know where there were large cats and things like that. You know, our ancient ancestors, it was good to be always on alert. Cause you're like lying cheetah, you know, like a wild boar.00:10:35JackWe we were the.00:10:36JackOnes that survived.00:10:37JackYou know, and the the, I think the problem is that we we're we're we're very much like attuned our brains are attuned for a hunter gatherer kind of lifestyle.00:10:50JackYeah. And we, but we live in a mode.00:10:53JackAnd, you know, comforts, you know, we live in the modern comforts of of modern society. And so.00:11:01XochitlAnd I I do.00:11:02XochitlThink that a lot.00:11:03XochitlOf the way that our society is structured now, just like leads our anxiety to get worse in a lot of ways because we're a lot more isolated than previous generations. We have a way more hectic work.00:11:20XochitlSchedule and life.00:11:21XochitlWork life balance and previous generations did.00:11:24XochitlAnd we exist in a society where we're all connected to social media constantly, and I'm not one of those social media haters. Oh my God, I don't like.00:11:33XochitlPeople like that, I do.00:11:35JackUmm, no, I I use it. It's very.00:11:37JackUseful for our podcast, you know.00:11:38XochitlYes, awareness of all the bad things happening all the time through social media is something that.00:11:47XochitlIs not good for mental health.00:11:49JackYeah, no, I we're inundated with like, sorry, I'm using big words here. Inundated means we are our minds are filled with images and headlines of all the tragedies across the entire world of which there are many. And I don't think that's a healthy thing that we're. I don't think we.00:12:09JackWere supposed to.00:12:11JackKnow everything.00:12:13JackEverywhere, all at once. You know, it was when I was a kid, it was like, you know, my neighborhood news. That's what I would get, you know, the newspaper, the local news. Now we just get, like, I can if there's something bad happens, you know, on the other side of the globe, you know, I hear about it. The.00:12:33JackIce caps are are melting the UM, you know, the sea level is rising. There was an earthquake here and a tsunami over there, and a tornado over.00:12:43JackHere and a hurricane.00:12:44JackAnd over there, and it just feels like the world is collapsing and it's just like maybe it's always been that way. But there's we're just getting more information, and I'm not a climate change denier. I certainly accept climate change here. I just want to make that clear. But I just think that we're not meant to know everything.00:13:04JackAll at one time.00:13:05XochitlIt can be too stressful, especially when we don't really have anything we.00:13:08XochitlCan directly do about it.00:13:10JackRight.00:13:10XochitlYeah, it does get overwhelming.00:13:14XochitlSo yeah, let us know, Jack, what was the?00:13:19JackNo. Yeah, yeah, I'll. I'll help you. OK. Our website, our website is A-Z, englishpodcast.com.00:13:26XochitlNo, no, no. What's the ending? The.00:13:30XochitlTo let us know whether you're.00:13:32JackOhh let us know.00:13:33JackWhat you think on our uh, on our our website?00:13:38JackIs that what you mean?00:13:38XochitlNo, they they what was the original topic?00:13:44JackOh, oh, yeah, yeah.00:13:46JackYeah. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, OK?00:13:48JackOh, yes, so let me help you with that, OK.00:13:52JackOK.00:13:53XochitlSo funny, you should almost leave. This is funny.00:13:56JackWell, maybe I will. OK. Yeah. We forgot our topic cause soch and I are, we'd love to chat. Are you good in stressful situations or do you freak out?00:14:00XochitlLadies with sloopers?00:14:06XochitlWe both forgot the topic. All right, let's. Yeah, I'm really laughing, OK?00:14:08JackYou're freaking out now.00:14:14XochitlLet us know.00:14:15XochitlIn a comment at A-Z englishpodcast.com.00:14:19XochitlShoot us an e-mail or join our WhatsApp group and shoot us an e-mail at AZ englishpodcast@gmail.com and let us know whether you are good in stressful situation or whether you tend to freak out. See you guys.00:14:30XochitlNext time, bye bye.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/a-to-z-quick-chat-97-are-you-good-in-stressful-situations-or-do-you-freak-out/Social Media:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok:@atozenglish1Instagram:@atozenglish22Twitter:@atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ADonate to the show: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsRobin and Jack started a new You Tube channel called English Word Master. You can check it out here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2aXaXaMY4P2VhVaEre5w7ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/eaters/simian-samba/audrey-horne/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack discuss three common synonyms for the word "intelligent:" smart, bright, and cunning. Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/a-to-z-quick-tips-29-3-synonyms-for-intelligent/Social Media:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok:@atozenglish1Instagram:@atozenglish22Twitter:@atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ADonate to the show: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsRobin and Jack started a new You Tube channel called English Word Master. You can check it out here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2aXaXaMY4P2VhVaEre5w7ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/eaters/simian-samba/audrey-horne/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The hosts discuss the concepts of being chill and uptight, exploring the challenges of interacting with uptight individuals. They clarify the distinction between being chill and uptight, highlighting the struggles of high-strung people. The differences between being chill and uptight are explored, along with the benefits and downsides of both approaches. The hosts analyze the pros and cons of being too chill or too uptight, emphasizing the potential for being taken advantage of or experiencing excessive stress.

In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, XOchitl and Jack discuss the following question: Are you a night owl or an early riser? Transcript:00:00:01JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast, where Jack and Social take you on a journey from learning the basics to mastering the nuances of the English language. Our podcast is designed for non-native speakers who are looking to improve their English skills in a fun and interactive way. Each episode covers a wide range of topics.00:00:23JackFrom grammar and vocabulary to slang and culture to help you navigate the English speaking world with ease.00:00:36JackWelcome to the 80s English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm here with my co-host social. And today we are going to answer a question and discuss the question. And the question is, are you a night owl or an early riser and social? Maybe you can.00:00:54JackJust help define our terms a little bit here what is a night owl?00:00:59XochitlA night owl is a term for someone who is more active at night because we see that owls, they're birds of prey and they tend to be more active in the nighttime hours. So and I know someone who is, like, groggy in the morning and not focused in the morning and then they feel really productive and they feel alert later into the evening.00:01:19XochitlAnd night.00:01:20XochitlHours, right?00:01:21JackRight. And what what's an early?00:01:24JackRiser then how would you describe an early riser?00:01:27XochitlEarly riser is the person is a morning person like a typical person who wakes up in the morning energized and ready to.00:01:34XochitlNo, but they usually start nodding off into the evening hours and they can't stay up and they can't stay alert right past, you know, maybe like 9:00 PM.00:01:47JackYeah, at 9:00 PM, you see their, their eyes are droopy and their their head starts falling forward.00:01:56JackOK, So what about you? Are you?00:01:57JackA night owl or an early rise?00:02:00XochitlYeah, I am a night owl for sure. I think when I was little when I was a little kid, I was famous in my family for being an early riser and I was like, insufferable, basically because I would go and wake up my parents and cry their eyes open and say that it was time to wake up.00:02:20XochitlBecause I could see the sun rising, which is like 5:30 AM.00:02:27XochitlAnd I was just so excited for the day to start. Isn't that so funny? Like, I would just. I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. And and and then.00:02:38XochitlWhen I got into my.00:02:39XochitlTeenage years, I definitely became a night owl, but my parents got some payback and they never let me sleep in, so I had really truncated sleep hours.00:02:47XochitlWhen I was a teenager, which was so bad for my mental and physical, and now I'm definitely a night owl, still I go through phases where I'll wake up early and.00:02:59XochitlLike go to.00:02:59XochitlSleep early but.00:03:01XochitlIf I'm left to my own devices and I don't have a routine, I just naturally tend to be in.00:03:05발표자Yeah, well.00:03:07XochitlHow about you, Jack?00:03:09JackI was a night I well, when I was younger. So in my 20s in my teens, I was 100% a night owl. I just.00:03:20JackIn English we say I.00:03:21JackI didn't want to give up the ghost.00:03:24JackAs we say.00:03:25JackRight. And so I just, I would just fight sleep, you know, like it was just a battle. So I would stay awake as late as I could and I would fall asleep with the TV on watching something at 1:00, two, three in the morning.00:03:41JackBut then.00:03:43JackI couldn't wake up. I did not want to wake up. I was always late for school. Always I would.00:03:51JackI would sell.00:03:51JackMy soul to the devil for an extra 5 minutes of sleep. Basically in the morning like I would do anything for 5 minutes more of sleep and.00:04:03JackWell, suddenly in my 30s, I don't know.00:04:05JackIt's just an age thing, I think.00:04:08JackIt just flipped.00:04:09JackAnd I started waking up early and earlier and earlier, and I would get up at six, six, you know, 530-6630, something like that. I would just kind of, we say, putter putter around the House, you know, everyone else is sleeping. My daughter's sleeping. My wife is sleeping. And I would just, you know.00:04:28JackKind of walk around with my coffee and in my bathrobe and and just, you know, watch a little bit of news, read the paper.00:04:37JackWhatever. And so I just turned into an old man, basically in my 30s, and now I'm. I'm kind of an early riser. So yeah, that's what I am.00:04:48XochitlDo you like those, like moments of silence early in the morning before your wife and daughter? Get up. I'm not saying you don't like to spend time with them, but I'm just saying, like those moments of, like, total alone time. Like, is that one of the reasons you like to get up early?00:05:03XochitlDo you?00:05:04JackI think so. I think that's I think that is like a.00:05:06JackBig a big added benefit. Maybe that's the whole reason that they do it. I think. I think I think it's very common for men to start to wake up early and and just kind of putter around the house and you feel like you're.00:05:22JackYeah, it's, it's, it's almost like a a flashback to when you were single or something to a time where you had less responsibility. You weren't, you weren't.00:05:33JackYou weren't responsible for.00:05:35JackThe safety and well-being of a family and so you, you kind of feel like, oh, this is what freedom felt like, you know, it's just just for a.00:05:39XochitlRight.00:05:44JackMoment and then.00:05:45JackYou have. Then you remember you're like, ohh, OK. I have a family. They start waking up you, everybody becomes active and they start making breakfast and stuff. But for those, that one.00:05:55JackHour where you just get up. Really.00:05:57JackEarly you do kind of feel like.00:05:59JackThe whole.00:06:00JackYou. It's your Kingdom.00:06:02JackThis is all.00:06:02XochitlRight.00:06:03JackMine for one hour. Yeah.00:06:04XochitlThat's nice. I think that's one of the reasons I used to stay up really late in college. I would step into like 4 in the morning or five in the morning and it's because like 4:00 AM was the perfect hour because 3:00 AM. It's like people are still partying 5:00 AM.00:06:21XochitlThose psychos who get up and like run.00:06:24XochitlLaps at 5:00.00:06:25XochitlIn the morning.00:06:27XochitlBut at 4:00 AM.00:06:28XochitlThere's no there's like the no one there. Like just the few people who had it in them to hang in there until. And so it's really quiet and really peaceful. And I remember I really enjoyed that because.00:06:41XochitlIn America, when we go to college, we stay on campus like in dorms usually. And because of that, you have like roommates, and there's a bunch of people living in your dorm building. So, like, you have a bunch of neighbors, kind of.00:06:57XochitlAnd it can get really noisy.00:06:58XochitlThing and stuff like that. So I felt like I had the same kind of peace and freedom that you feel waking up at like 5:00 AM, like 4 and staying up until 4:00.00:07:07JackYeah, yeah. And and and in my, you know, in my teens, in my, in my.00:07:12Jack20s I was the guy that would stay up till 4:00. You know, I I.00:07:16JackJust thought like.00:07:18JackSomething exciting is going to happen, so I better stay awake as if like.00:07:22XochitlRight.00:07:23JackYeah, it's a, it's a big.00:07:25JackLike FOMO kind of feeling. I I was a FOMO person. A fear of missing out.00:07:33JackSo I'm going to stay up all night in case something interesting happens, and I'm not going to miss it. And nothing interesting ever happened. Nothing good ever happens that nothing wholesome happens at 4:00 in the morning.00:07:45XochitlNo, usually not.00:07:47JackNo and and I never. You know, I didn't. I didn't miss anything and there was no reason for me to stay up that late. But it was just a, a kind of I've always been.00:07:57JackI've always had a fear of missing out, even when I was a kid, I wanted to know what are my parents doing in the living room? What are they watching on TV? Like why am I going to bed at 8:00 when there's still things happening and I it really drove me crazy. So I think in my teens in my 20s.00:08:15JackI wanted to get revenge.00:08:16JackYou know, for all the stuff.00:08:17JackI missed out on.00:08:19JackWhen I was a.00:08:19JackKid. And so I went the whole other direction, which was not a healthy choice either. So I think now it's much better. I get like 8 hours of sleep and I wake up at a a good hour and go to sleep at A at a.00:08:33JackThat hour.00:08:34JackAnd yeah, relatively healthy.00:08:38XochitlYeah. All right. So if you're a night owl or a morning person, an early bird, let us know in a comment on A-Z, englishpodcast.com shoot us an e-mail at AZ englishpodcast@gmail.com and join our WhatsApp group and we'll see you guys next time. Bye bye.00:08:55발표자Bye bye.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/a-to-z-quick-chat-95-are-you-a-night-owl-or-an-early-riser/Social Media:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok:@atozenglish1Instagram:@atozenglish22Twitter:@atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ADonate to the show: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsRobin and Jack started a new You Tube channel called English Word Master. You can check it out here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2aXaXaMY4P2VhVaEre5w7ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/eaters/simian-samba/audrey-horne/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The hosts explore the impact of positive thinking and the law of attraction, delving into the role of privilege and circumstances in maintaining a positive outlook. They discuss the harm of solely focusing on positive thinking and the importance of recognizing luck and privilege in success. The discrepancy between hard work and financial success is also explored, challenging common beliefs and highlighting unfairness.

Learn the correct usage of 'literally' and 'figuratively', explore the misuse of 'ironic', and understand the difference between 'bemused' and 'amused'. Discover examples and relatable situations while engaging with the hosts through audience participation.

Jack and May discuss whether they'd prefer a partner who can cook but can't clean or a neat freak who can't cook. They debate cooking preferences and cleaning aversions, sharing thoughts on trying new dishes and contemplating ordering food to avoid cooking and cleaning. The speakers also delve into partner preferences in regards to cooking and cleaning.

The hosts explore the debate of whether people are born good or bad, considering the influences of nature and nurture. They discuss the consequences of bad decisions and the potential for personal growth. The complexities of human nature and the possibility of transformation are examined.

In this Quick Tok episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Jack is joined by May, Layla, Hendrick, and Salimeh. The five of them discuss the following Would you rather? question:Would you rather live in a world where everyone is always happy or always honest? Transcript:00:00:01JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast, where Jack and Social take you on a journey from learning the basics to mastering the nuances of the English language. Our podcast is designed for non-native speakers who are looking to improve their English skills in a fun and interactive way. Each episode covers a wide range of topics.00:00:23JackFrom grammar and vocabulary to slang and culture to help you navigate the English speaking world with ease.00:00:33JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm one of the hosts of the podcast. However, I am without social today, but do not fret because I've got some wonderful friends with me. I've got selime from Iran. I've got Leila from Saudi Arabia may from Malaysia.00:00:53JackAnd Hendrick, from Indonesia, guys.00:00:55JackHow you doing today?00:00:59HendrickGood. Alright, I'm doing good.00:01:02JackOK, I'm doing pretty well actually I'm doing. I'm doing good. Yeah. And what I've got for you today, we're going to do a would you rather episode? And so I'm going to read you a. Would you rather question and then we'll go in a circle and I'll let you guys answer however you want to.00:01:02SalimehThanks. What about you?00:01:22JackAnd then I will share.00:01:23JackMy answer as well, so here is the.00:01:26JackWould you rather question?00:01:28JackWould you rather live in a world where everyone is always happy?00:01:36JackIn a world where everyone is always honest.00:01:42JackThere we go. So let's start with. Well, May is the one who came up with this one. So I'm going to give may the 1st crack at.00:01:44MayThis is.00:01:52MayThis is interesting. This is an interesting question for me. I will definitely go on.00:02:05MayFor me if.00:02:08MayEveryone in this world is honest means.00:02:14MayThere is no lie, no unfaithful, no doubt so.00:02:20MayIf all this situation, everyone.00:02:24MayI don't have to feel.00:02:26MayBeing cheated or being betrayed. So everyone will certainly live happily.00:02:34JackOhh so you think honesty will lead to happiness?00:02:35MayYeah, for all this.00:02:37JackSo maybe you're trying to have. You're trying to have your cake and eat it too, huh? You want to have it both ways, happiness and honesty.00:02:38MayYeah, because the.00:02:46JackThat's a very may answer.00:02:50JackAlright, good. Good. I like it. I like it. OK, we'll go on a circle here. We'll go to Hendrick next. Hendrick, what do you think? World of happiness or world of honesty?00:03:02HendrickSo for me, I think I would rather to choose.00:03:06HendrickTo live in the.00:03:07HendrickWorld, which is the people, are happy because. Yeah, I mean like what we are looking for in this life is that happiness, happiness is the number one. Yeah, I mean like.00:03:22HendrickAs as long as we are happy, I mean.00:03:26HendrickLike that's good.00:03:28JackOK. Even always happy though, even if something bad happens, you're happy.00:03:34HendrickExactly. That's the worst.00:03:35JackAll right, all right. He's sticking to it. He's sticking to his guns. All right. One for honesty, one for happiness. Let's jump over to selime. What do you think? Would you rather live in a world where everyone is always happy or everyone is always honest?00:03:52SalimehAnd then I would like to live in a world where people are always honest, because as I mentioned, honesty is being honesty can bring happiness and our kind of, you know, realistic person. So if you still if now people.00:04:10SalimehHonest with each other and I really appreciate this personality of all people. So unlike happiness too. But if something happened, bad thing happened in the world, then people still are happy. This is kind of awkward. So I don't like. I don't like this.00:04:25SalimehSo yeah, I'm.00:04:26SalimehDefinitely with honesty.00:04:29JackI mean, these are two kind of very strange choices, right? Like if you get in a car accident and you're like, thank you for.00:04:34JackHitting my car. I'm so happy, you know.00:04:37MayYou can't. You can't be laughing at that woman, right?00:04:45JackBut what about? OK, I'm going to give.00:04:47JackI'm going to give Salima a hard time because this is her first.00:04:49JackTime on the show.00:04:50JackSo alright, husband and wife wife says, do I look, do you like this dress? And I don't like the dress.00:05:01JackBut I have to live in.00:05:02JackA world of honesty.00:05:04JackIs that? Do I tell the truth?00:05:07MayYeah, definitely it's.00:05:08SalimehOK, after you say you're the honest answer, you know the husband, they can have fives. It's.00:05:16MayOK.00:05:19JackRight.00:05:21SalimehYeah, the normal thing, you know the my life.00:05:21JackOK, OK, alright.00:05:25JackI don't. I don't like that dress. Yeah, I don't like your. You're bald. You know that? That's what she could say to me or something, you know. OK, Layla, let's, let's hear your.00:05:36JackYour answer here.00:05:39LaylaIn my opinion, I would rather have to be in in the world with the honestly.00:05:47LaylaYeah, because in case everyone is honest.00:05:53LaylaThat will help each other with us to improve ourselves because we will know other mistakes from others. They already will tell us we do mistakes or do something not appropriate. Something like.00:06:10LaylaLike that. But in case we live in a world in a, in a world, in a world, how people there are heavy, they will never help to develop our community and we will just think that we do the right thing, but we in reality.00:06:30LaylaWe don't do it so with honestly, maybe some people will will not like.00:06:40LaylaThat, and maybe they will get upset about it, but eventually, honestly will be the good way to to reach the the good results and to be in a good community. And I think as the.00:06:59LaylaAnd the main mission we will be happy eventually because of our honesty.00:07:06JackOK, OK. So just like really pure honesty leads to to happiness. Alright, here's my I'm on the fence. This is a really tough one, actually. This is really tough because I'm not sure I like either world. I might. I might. I wish there were, like a third choice that I could live in.00:07:26MayWhat's your choice?00:07:28JackOK, well here's here's my problem with the world of happiness. If you have. If you have only happiness.00:07:35JackCan happiness exist if there's only happiness? Do you know what I mean? Like I only feel happy because sometimes I feel unhappy.00:07:44JackLike if I always feel happy, then happy is like my normal state, right?00:07:49JackAnd so then it becomes boring. And so you never get to really enjoy anything because life is always like a roller coaster ride or a theme park or something, right? You're just always happy.00:08:02JackHowever, like Layla said and uh.00:08:06JackAnd may and Selime mentioned.00:08:08JackIf people are always honest with me sometimes.00:08:11JackI don't want.00:08:11JackTo hear the truth.00:08:14JackYou know what I mean? Like.00:08:16JackWe say in in English we have an expression called. Ignorance is bliss, which just means like not knowing is is happiness, you know. And once you learn something, then you can't unlearn it. And so.00:08:31JackThat way that can really make you unhappy too. But if I'm going to be honest, no pun intended with my answer.00:08:40JackI have to say I agree with Layla may and selime that I think honesty living in a world where everyone is honest is better than living in a world where where everybody is always happy, because that would be a crazy that would be awful. That might be hell.00:08:59MayDon't you?00:08:59MayI mean, I don't think that situation will happen. Yeah, anyway, because that doesn't make sense.00:09:09MayWe went like laughing every day 24/7 without any sadness or any, you know, anything incomplete that will never happen. There must be some excitement.00:09:22JackYeah, I agree.00:09:25SalimehIt's like, yeah, it's like bunch of crazy people just gathering and laughing, you know, actually.00:09:30LaylaThis is.00:09:33JackIt is scary. It might be like a horn.00:09:38JackYeah, people are dying.00:09:39JackAnd everyone's just.00:09:40JackLaughing and yeah, they're they're so happy.00:09:45MayMakes sense?00:09:46JackYeah, I I think it's kind of like the do you guys know the yin Yang Yin Yang sign? You know, it's like a circle and then there's like, kind of a squiggly line through the middle. It's a it's a Chinese symbol. It's a circle, but it has the yin is the is in the top and the Yang is the bottom. The Yin Yang sign.00:10:04JackSome some of our listeners might know what what I'm talking.00:10:07JackAbout I think you know.00:10:08HendrickYeah, it's.00:10:09SalimehI've heard.00:10:10JackYeah, you can't really have happiness without sadness. I don't think one can exist without the other. It's they're two sides of the same coin.00:10:20JackBut a world of honesty, I think is possible if everybody decides we're going to be honest with each other, brutally honest. At least we know how what people are thinking. And so I think that would be a better choice. Yeah.00:10:34MayYeah, at least we can still see a smile on someone's face.00:10:40SalimehWhen we tell the truth.00:10:42MayYou know any self the person on the other side know that we don't. We are.00:10:47MayNot lying to that.00:10:49JackThere's too it could be.00:10:49JackLike, hey, I like that shirt. I like that dress. And then you feel good.00:10:53MayThat we.00:10:54JackAnd you know they're.00:10:55JackHonest. They're not just, they're not.00:10:56JackJust shining you on.00:10:57JackThey're telling you the truth, yeah.00:10:57MayYes, even if the clothes doesn't look look nice. Maybe you can replace the sentence and leave it.00:11:07MayAnd if you wear blue dress, it will look better on you compared to this red event.00:11:18JackIt looks good on you.00:11:18LaylaWe could.00:11:19JackThough, yeah, there you go. OK.00:11:21MayRephrase the sentence.00:11:23JackThere you go. OK.00:11:24SalimehPsychologists usually recommend that you know, instead of using the negative sentences, you can change that to a positive way. So it's more you know.00:11:34SalimehEffective and better for communication.00:11:35MayWe provide a suggest.00:11:36MayAnd on top of the site just complaining, I mean just what should we say? Condemning you offer a suggestion?00:11:37발표자OK.00:11:38발표자Yeah, yeah.00:11:46JackRight, and being honest doesn't mean you have to say something every time either. My mom used to.00:11:51JackSay if you don't.00:11:53JackIf you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at.00:11:56LaylaJust. Yeah, just.00:11:56JackAll that's what my mom told me.00:12:01JackBut in the happy world, Hendrick, in Happy world, everyone is a little bit crazy and cuckoo. Do you want to revise your answer or are you going to stick with your your answer?00:12:11MayOK.00:12:12HendrickOh no, I'm. I'm still sick with my answer. Yeah, I I still want to live in the happy life. That's what I want it because I think, yeah.00:12:19HendrickSometimes you know.00:12:20HendrickLike being honest, it's also, you know, hurt people's feelings. It's not just always about, like, being happy also. For example, like when you tell someone that you don't like.00:12:32HendrickHim or you don't like her? And I think that people.00:12:37HendrickThe people that say that the thing the people wanna, you know, like like other thinking and maybe yes, they'll start, you know, like depressed because you know, like how people just because these people like I really know that, you know like people.00:12:56HendrickI mean like other people don't like him. Yeah.00:13:00JackYeah, it'll hurt. You'll hurt people's feelings for sure. If you're. If we're always honest. But.00:13:06JackHonesty is the best policy as we.00:13:08JackSay in English.00:13:09JackSo all right, there we go. I think honesty wins the day today. Honesty is the winner, the clear winner. Hendrick, we still love you. It's OK. Even though you're wrong. I'm just kidding. Yeah. How's the?00:13:22JackLove you guys.00:13:23MayAre you feeling happy now?00:13:25HendrickYeah, I'm happy.00:13:28JackGood, good. OK. Well, I'm happy because I got to hang out with you guys so. And that's the. And I'm being honest and I'm happy. So there we go. All right.00:13:37LaylaThey are too.00:13:39LaylaHappy and honest.00:13:40JackListeners out there. What do you think about this? Would you rather live in a world where everyone is always happy, or a world where everyone is always honest? Let us know what you think by sending us an e-mail at A-Z, englishpodcast@gmail.com or leave a comment on our website A-Z englishpodcast.com.00:14:00JackAnd don't forget to join our WhatsApp group. We've got great things happening in the WhatsApp group, lots of different groups. What do you guys think about the multiple groups like the news?00:14:10JackGroup and the.00:14:11JackI don't know what there's so many right.00:14:14SalimehAnd my my favorite one is the only version.00:14:18SalimehI'm more active in like I love that.00:14:21JackYou'd like to, but yeah, I.00:14:22SalimehLike steak?00:14:23SalimehOK. Yeah, I like speaking. I'm too lazy to write and I hate grammar. I'm selling things. So yeah, now I'm working on the part of my says that I'm better. So speaking either I prefer speaking so I'm more active in the only voice in school. This is a test.00:14:39JackOnly voice. And actually, that's my new habit, is to only reply in voice notes. Now because I'm so lazy, I've got fat thumbs. I can't type very fast. I make a lot of mistakes.00:14:46MayYeah. Yes, like I notice that you prefer voicemail. Sorry. Voice not these days.00:14:55JackYeah. Yeah, it's it's a pure laziness. It's just pure laziness. So.00:15:00JackYeah, I have.00:15:00JackTo leave voice notes. All right, well, like I said, listeners out there, if you want to enjoy conversations with this group right here, these guys are really active in the WhatsApp groups. Join our WhatsApp group. We'll move you into the main group.00:15:16JackAnd you can even join two weeks of free online zoom lessons with yours truly. I'm the teacher in the group, and you can join VIP status if you want to continue past those two weeks for just $10 a month.00:15:30JackSo it's a, it's a great deal you get.00:15:34JackWhat are we up to 16 lessons?00:15:35JackA month now.00:15:36MayYes, including Sweden. Sweet, I think.00:15:37JackYes, yes.00:15:41MayWe get 20.00:15:43JackI think it's 20.00:15:43JackI think there are 20 classes. If you if you count the student LED class on Tuesdays, so Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Yeah, it's fantastic. It's a great deal and.00:15:54JackIt's all on online.00:15:54SalimehIt's various topics.00:15:56JackVarious topics, yeah, we we had a a wild conversation yesterday.00:16:00JackSo yeah, anyway it's it's great fun in there and guys, thank you again for joining me. I really appreciate it. And we'll see you everyone next time. Bye, bye.00:16:13MayBye bye.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/a-to-z-quick-tok-39-always-happy-vs-always-honest/Social Media:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok:@atozenglish1Instagram:@atozenglish22Twitter:@atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ADonate to the show: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsRobin and Jack started a new You Tube channel called English Word Master. You can check it out here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2aXaXaMY4P2VhVaEre5w7ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/eaters/simian-samba/audrey-horne/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy