#26 The Dark Side of Self-improvement
Starting Point. Read the list of ideas for improving your life.
- taking up meditation
- getting counselling or therapy to deal with a personal problem
- training to run a marathon
- fasting or doing a radical detox program
- doing voluntary work with the elderly, sick, children, etc.
- taking up yoga or tai chi
- taking up something artistic such as painting or creative writing
- having acupuncture to deal with health problems
- having cosmetic surgery or laser treatment
- doing boot-camp style fitness training
- becoming a vegetarian or vegan
- climbing a high mountain or taking up a high-risk sport
- giving up your job to work with poor people in a developing country
- going on a religious retreat
- joining a dating agency / website
- taking up a musical instrument
- having hypnotherapy to give up smoking, lose weight, etc.
- getting a massage
Work in groups and discuss the questions.
Which of these activities are popular in your country at the moment?
Are any other forms of self-improvement popular?
Focus on Vocabulary. Match the words with the correct meaning.
Focus on Listening.You are going to watch a TED talk about the dark side of self-improvement.
Focus on Comprehension. Answer the questions below about the video.
Focus on Speaking.
Read the comments below and decide if they describe benefits of self-improvement or doubts about it? Which could be both?
- It helps you relax.
- It doesn’t work (for me).
- It improves your self-esteem.
- It broadens your horizons.
- It helps you to see a way forward.
- It gives you a sense of perspective.
- It might do more harm than good.
- It improves your physical well-being.
- It improves mental well-being.
- The benefits are pure psychological.
- The benefits are superficial.
- It develops self-discipline.
- It’s very difficult to keep it up.
- It makes you believe in yourself.
- You might feel overwhelmed.
- It develops your spirituality.
- It makes some people uneasy.
- It makes you think more about others.
- It suits some people more than others.
- It pushes you and tests your endurance.
Which activities from the first question would you describe using these phrases?
