They fail to recognize shaving as an art form, as opposed to a daily chore in grooming. And that's ok, but hopefully some of your subscribers will give it a try as the once "father to son tradition" was lost amidst the evolving of technological advancements of our modern world. And maybe they to could trip over a new fulfilling hobby and skill. Very helpful thank you
I know you are a linguist and that with the exception of this one your videos are based on language learning but this video inspired me to take up traditional shaving with a double edged razor.
A year and a half later I've never looked back! What you say here is very true!
I had a very similiar experience after reading Love Busters: Protecting Your Marriage From Habits That Destroy Romantic Love. The thought occurred to me that we all have parents and are part of families and want relationship, so we think that 'life' is enough to make us experts. But after reading the book I realized how beneficial the modern research and focused work of marriage counseling has, through it's many flaws, produced a book who brings such key insight into a foundational topic.
There are some very profound insights in you video, and I'll try applying that to my foreign language studies. I like how you said "You could commit suicide with that" so nonchalantly. By the way, someone could probably just start watching this video from 14:39 to get to the main point.
Cool realizations, thanks for sharing! Our current system is resulting in products being made cheaper and cheaper and more and more disposable. This is why I support an Equal Money System, so we can have Quality products that last, and not destroy the planet, which we require to live, with this un-beneficial unnecessary over-consumption.
Hello professor. I discovered your videos recently and I am trying to implement the shadowing technique to learn German language. Also, it might be something wrong with my lap-top but I can't hear your voice clearly.It is too silent. I am using headphones at this moment.
However, I have patience and I am willing to hear every video from beginning until the end.
I like this video a lot. Nevertheless I think it you should be called "The paradox of the razor". You definitely have a methodic personality, patience and the spirit of the collector. I am not surprise that you are very successful at what you do. It's truly amazing to me.
The other guy is right about how you ramble. You talk in circles and don't come to the point quite as quickly as we would like. You are a gifted linguist, and I think you should talk to the rest of us in a manner that would respect our intelligence. You don't need to go on and on about a simple concept. You have a lot of interesting info to share, don't bog it down with a lot of extra professorial yap yap.
@robertogan Here's my opinion: it is clear that he may ramble in his speech (one way of seeing it), or that he may be very descriptive and would not like to leave any detail out of his message, in order to make it complete and unreserved (a second point of view).
Be it as it may, I think the watcher should necessarily prepare himself for a video of this type the moment he knows it lasts around 20 minutes. He should not be expecting to see a short a very concise video.
I really like the way you made the analogy of how shaving tools and language learning material and their methods have a lot in common. Half way through the video I keep asking myself where is he going with this, I was kept in suspense like a good mystery novel only to learn the answer at the end.
I found it interesting that the point you made was that what is new is not always better but in this case your new way of presenting language learning might be. Great video
Bravo! Probably one of the most informative, interesting, and entertaining videos I have seen on this site. As Niiauyr said below, you are a delightful man and I find a lot of comfort in your voice. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching more of your videos. Have you used the straight razor much yet? I'm fairly new to it but I have been practicing a lot. As you said in your video it does take some skill.
I couldn't talk for 18 minutes about realising old razors can be a lot better than new ones if you prepare yourself to make them that way.
Good job. You are verbose, as the guy below me said, but very few are in their videos and I only like them more for it. It keeps them interesting. As well as a developed trainee of many foreign languages you're a master of English.
In hindsight, perhaps "verbose" shouldn't be used in this case as it was originally meant as an insult. To clarify, all I mean is that you have an impressively large vocabulary and you make effortless use of it.
I like shaving IN the shower b/c of the steam that surrounds my face. I find that this gives me the smoothest shave, and I don't have to clean up the sink.
Thanks. After hearing this parable,I now longer lust after the Rosetta stone. I prefer to shave before showering and use the Kyle methode even though it takes more time.Thanks and enjoy your shaves.
Your articulate way of speaking reminds me of my eleventh grade English teacher and my twelfth grade creative writing teacher, Mr. Cannon.
Those are fond memories, he was probably one of the most dedicated and cultured teachers I ever had in my high school years so that is a compliment on your part!
I'm enjoying your videos and your insights, but I must say, you have suuuuch a tendency to ramble and talk in circles that it becomes difficult to sit through the entire video.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going crazy trying to pin down your accent, too! Though I think the problem is more of tonality... it sounds as if you're pushing your voice lower than it naturally wants to be.
None of my real life teacher evaluations over the past 12 years have ever indicated that I have anything like a tendency to ramble. It must be the medium. On the one hand, you probably have a short attention span. On the other hand, I get no feedback at all when looking towards the camera. It has already been suggested, as I move more and more into this format, that I give live video lectures. That way people can ask questions and otherwise interact as I present. What do you think?
Personally, I hang on your every word, and IMHO you do not ramble. But to answer your question, if you were presenting to a upper level class, where people were focused and on topic, they might ask questions that we would have as well. But I would hate to see you totally diverge from this format. Perhaps it could be context dependent. or mixed. Maybe use this format for the presentation part, and include clips of relevant q&a sessions after. Thanks again.
@ProfASAr I agree, it is more likely that Karma1 has a short attention span, since I neither thought you rambled, or were boring. I thoroughly enjoyed this video, as I find shaving to be a fascinating hobby/requirement, and I thought it was very wise how you tied the two together. I understand completely that, as you said, you recieve no feedback from a camera, which can alter your teaching style, but I would personally be very interested in you holding live video lectures. Thanks for your time.
@ProfASAr As someone who does not have a short attention span, I do find your videos to be longer than they need be (although always very informative). You speak eloquently, and I should probably make an effort to adopt some of your speach patterns in my everyday; however, I watch and I believe most everyone else watches your videos to learn about OTHER languages. That considered, I believe it would be a greater service to make consice, clear videos than eloquent, academic ones. Thank you
Your mind is a source continuous fascination. While you developed a valid analogy here, I believe there was a bit of tongue-in-cheek undercurrent at play. I suspect you have a killer sense of humor, when you let yourself go. You would be a hoot to party with :) . Many thanks for your wonderfully enriching videos.
Interesting topic. BTW, I'm 33 and been using the Gillette Sensor Excel for the last decade. I cannot recall the last time I cut myself! I don't do the triple to sextuplet blades....all you need is a good quality double razor blade. I don't shave every day, but I do shower first and even apply hair conditioner on the face while I do the hair. And yes, it needs to be AFTER a shower, that's for sure. I think Professor is wrong on this one.
I apologize for this next comment having nothing to do with the video... Could anyone tell me how long it would take for someone age 17-21 to be able to read, write, and speak Japanese? I plan to learn it eventually. Thanks for any legitimate answers.
depends how hard you work on it, but if you work really hard about 6 days per week you can knock it out in know time. its persistence with a total focus that will get you there fast. you would actually be surprised how fast you can learn it.
Hey, women shave too, prolly even more than most of us guys! Personally I just use one of those electric clippers, it's super easy and leaves a perfect 1 mm stubble. That way I always look like I shaved a couple days ago. I always like the very beginning of yer videos when you look at the camera silently. You should do a video where ya just stare at the camera without speaking for like 5 minutes, that would be cool!
Soften the beard/stubble with soap, wait 5 minutes, & rinse. Then shave. It's a smoother shave, if you have the patience. I stick to Bic's single-blades myself. I don't look forward to shaving, but I don't really mind it either. You feel fresher, that's for sure.
Speaking of shaving and techniques which are not perfected. Have you thought about the fact that after 10000 times shaving, you should be able to shave WITHOUT ever needing a mirror.
Our constant reliance on the mirror for feedback is a hindrance to our technique, don't you think?
I really enjoyed this video, as I do with all off them. What a great reflection to something wich one does every day, and perhaps never give any notice to. I come from Norway, and I was learned by my grandfather to use a knife to shave, and it is similiar to the one that you show in the video, the best shave a man can get.
I love your videos, but god this one could have been 10 minutes shorter. I think you should look into building your own language learning system, I think I've mentioned that somewhere before, but to keep telling us to find old stuff is really a bit too hard.
I wish someone who works for a publisher would watch these videos and maybe an edited version of this one.. :0 ) Thanks for everything Prof A
Aaand he's back! My first thoughts were: What in the world is he up to now lol! Ok, so older language learning material from the fifties and sixties might be better than the new stuff, but if those aren't available in the shops, what good does it do us to know that?
B) Make a general effort to track it down before it disappears
C) Let publishers know that you are aware of this and that you are not satisfied with their current offerings but would prefer they returned to the higher substantive standards of the recent past
i highly doubt it; language is the basis of social interaction (roughly speaking) and someone with a wide knowledge of languages, spoken and non-spoken, would consequently probably have a wide and varied understanding of each respective culture's social sphere. anyway, what do you base that on?
Very insightful and informative in the both aspects, now I shall take a different approach to shaving, thus I have taken a lot of your videos and have found the content very truthful and have gone to acquire some of the older language learning methods.
I thought I might not like this video, especially daunted but the length coupled with the title. But I was pleasantly surprised. Another great video. Thanks for your thoughts professor. :-)
not blasphemy at all. Real language acquisition is NOT primarily an intellectual activity..but more "biological". Something we are wired to do. Proof? Almost all children are completely fluent by the age of three and a half and that with no instruction and little or no correction--the bases of, for example, Rosetta which is based on the belief that you can acquire a language by trying to memorise grammar rules and being corrected every time you screw up.That's the blasphemy
You always shave very nicely and you take really nice care of yourself. Hey, you would look really nice in a hawaiian shirt :) lol just a random thought
Post #2 read below first ))
They fail to recognize shaving as an art form, as opposed to a daily chore in grooming. And that's ok, but hopefully some of your subscribers will give it a try as the once "father to son tradition" was lost amidst the evolving of technological advancements of our modern world. And maybe they to could trip over a new fulfilling hobby and skill. Very helpful thank you
JustonB841 2 weeks ago
Great video, but for those with a short attention span, go to around 15:00 for the conclusion of the parable.
KimCyunHi 2 weeks ago
What a wonderful well presented video!
I know you are a linguist and that with the exception of this one your videos are based on language learning but this video inspired me to take up traditional shaving with a double edged razor.
A year and a half later I've never looked back! What you say here is very true!
wks1978 1 month ago
I enjoy your sense of humour, sometimes I wonder if you're even aware that you're funny.
SmokenTotalled 1 month ago
This is awesome
Blinkerlightfluid 2 months ago
08:56
The mirror's all fucked up?
WackoX1337 9 months ago
I had a very similiar experience after reading Love Busters: Protecting Your Marriage From Habits That Destroy Romantic Love. The thought occurred to me that we all have parents and are part of families and want relationship, so we think that 'life' is enough to make us experts. But after reading the book I realized how beneficial the modern research and focused work of marriage counseling has, through it's many flaws, produced a book who brings such key insight into a foundational topic.
evolvinConstant1 1 year ago
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.
MagicMaximo 1 year ago
electric razors ftw!
tmp011007 1 year ago
There are some very profound insights in you video, and I'll try applying that to my foreign language studies. I like how you said "You could commit suicide with that" so nonchalantly. By the way, someone could probably just start watching this video from 14:39 to get to the main point.
ShazMan4D 1 year ago
This entire concept is something I've endeavored to "preach" my entire life. Thanks for such a great video to reinforce my philosophy.
kalebman5000 1 year ago
Cool realizations, thanks for sharing! Our current system is resulting in products being made cheaper and cheaper and more and more disposable. This is why I support an Equal Money System, so we can have Quality products that last, and not destroy the planet, which we require to live, with this un-beneficial unnecessary over-consumption.
KellyPosey 1 year ago
i really enjoy your videos, thanks so much for contributing.
nicrochenov 1 year ago
Hello professor. I discovered your videos recently and I am trying to implement the shadowing technique to learn German language. Also, it might be something wrong with my lap-top but I can't hear your voice clearly.It is too silent. I am using headphones at this moment.
However, I have patience and I am willing to hear every video from beginning until the end.
verapamil07 1 year ago
I wish you taught at U of L, I would definately take your courses.
HanStanwell 1 year ago
I like this video a lot. Nevertheless I think it you should be called "The paradox of the razor". You definitely have a methodic personality, patience and the spirit of the collector. I am not surprise that you are very successful at what you do. It's truly amazing to me.
Jate0000 1 year ago
now you've got me interested in wet shaving :D
LOLHICRONO 1 year ago
you are simply an huge genious! funny yet invaluably smart parable!
awfulguitarplucker 1 year ago
At 6:44 I laughed out loud.
I bet you couldn't wax poetic about shaving like that in another language. With that said, I would love to be proven wrong .
mackyouaccount 1 year ago
how funny what you say about injuring yourself ^^
xoxTOWELIExox 1 year ago
The other guy is right about how you ramble. You talk in circles and don't come to the point quite as quickly as we would like. You are a gifted linguist, and I think you should talk to the rest of us in a manner that would respect our intelligence. You don't need to go on and on about a simple concept. You have a lot of interesting info to share, don't bog it down with a lot of extra professorial yap yap.
robertogan 1 year ago
@robertogan Here's my opinion: it is clear that he may ramble in his speech (one way of seeing it), or that he may be very descriptive and would not like to leave any detail out of his message, in order to make it complete and unreserved (a second point of view).
Be it as it may, I think the watcher should necessarily prepare himself for a video of this type the moment he knows it lasts around 20 minutes. He should not be expecting to see a short a very concise video.
Thanks for reading.
AlePNieto 1 year ago 4
I really like the way you made the analogy of how shaving tools and language learning material and their methods have a lot in common. Half way through the video I keep asking myself where is he going with this, I was kept in suspense like a good mystery novel only to learn the answer at the end.
I found it interesting that the point you made was that what is new is not always better but in this case your new way of presenting language learning might be. Great video
langcurious 1 year ago
please forgive me as i am of low intellect.. however.. what is the purpose of this video?
vthomlinson 1 year ago
Merci Professor Argulles
jceja24 1 year ago
Bravo! Probably one of the most informative, interesting, and entertaining videos I have seen on this site. As Niiauyr said below, you are a delightful man and I find a lot of comfort in your voice. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching more of your videos. Have you used the straight razor much yet? I'm fairly new to it but I have been practicing a lot. As you said in your video it does take some skill.
MrJwarembourg 1 year ago
I couldn't talk for 18 minutes about realising old razors can be a lot better than new ones if you prepare yourself to make them that way.
Good job. You are verbose, as the guy below me said, but very few are in their videos and I only like them more for it. It keeps them interesting. As well as a developed trainee of many foreign languages you're a master of English.
PaulyPlz 1 year ago
In hindsight, perhaps "verbose" shouldn't be used in this case as it was originally meant as an insult. To clarify, all I mean is that you have an impressively large vocabulary and you make effortless use of it.
PaulyPlz 1 year ago
This has to be the best video I've ever come across on youtube. Thank you!
lauraleesmithagain 2 years ago 4
Why don't you try shaving some time off of your videos. Your message is worthy, but you are WAY to verbose.
B1K1N1B1K1N1 2 years ago
I like shaving IN the shower b/c of the steam that surrounds my face. I find that this gives me the smoothest shave, and I don't have to clean up the sink.
koreankayagum 2 years ago 2
He reminds me of Glenn Gould in regard to the way he speaks-long, complex sentences with few hesitations and little backtracking.
koreankayagum 2 years ago
Thanks. After hearing this parable,I now longer lust after the Rosetta stone. I prefer to shave before showering and use the Kyle methode even though it takes more time.Thanks and enjoy your shaves.
gammondog 2 years ago 2
Such a delightful man. I could listen to you talk all day.
Niiauyr 2 years ago 22
Great lesson! I agree.
Soleado123 2 years ago
At least 11,000 times you've shaved.
HappenStance 2 years ago
Have you guys not figured it out yet>>>> its just an animation,,,,,,,its a whole project designed to see how far you can go in today's world.
The is no Prof Alex.....hes just a cgi
been fooled
Many people have aldready,,,,,ie, theres a wikipedia article about him.
folkard84 2 years ago
You're basing whether or not this guy exists on a webstie where ANYONE can go on and write WHATEVER they want?
UJS8X 2 years ago
Your articulate way of speaking reminds me of my eleventh grade English teacher and my twelfth grade creative writing teacher, Mr. Cannon.
Those are fond memories, he was probably one of the most dedicated and cultured teachers I ever had in my high school years so that is a compliment on your part!
DerPoltergeist13 2 years ago 2
what about disposible razors
darthvaderyoda 2 years ago
haha a scar worthy of the "Prussian officer corp."
Quaddrator 2 years ago
I'm enjoying your videos and your insights, but I must say, you have suuuuch a tendency to ramble and talk in circles that it becomes difficult to sit through the entire video.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going crazy trying to pin down your accent, too! Though I think the problem is more of tonality... it sounds as if you're pushing your voice lower than it naturally wants to be.
karma1apple 2 years ago
None of my real life teacher evaluations over the past 12 years have ever indicated that I have anything like a tendency to ramble. It must be the medium. On the one hand, you probably have a short attention span. On the other hand, I get no feedback at all when looking towards the camera. It has already been suggested, as I move more and more into this format, that I give live video lectures. That way people can ask questions and otherwise interact as I present. What do you think?
ProfASAr 2 years ago 22
Personally, I hang on your every word, and IMHO you do not ramble. But to answer your question, if you were presenting to a upper level class, where people were focused and on topic, they might ask questions that we would have as well. But I would hate to see you totally diverge from this format. Perhaps it could be context dependent. or mixed. Maybe use this format for the presentation part, and include clips of relevant q&a sessions after. Thanks again.
lowde2000 2 years ago
@ProfASAr I admire your achievements but with that answer you show a bit of arrogance, don't you think?
hugocaracol 1 year ago
@ProfASAr I think you should try shorter videos.
hugocaracol 1 year ago
@karam1apple
Stop being so bloody rude. The gentleman is taking his time to help and teach people here and you're being extremely disrespectful.
AstuteClass 1 year ago
@ProfASAr I agree, it is more likely that Karma1 has a short attention span, since I neither thought you rambled, or were boring. I thoroughly enjoyed this video, as I find shaving to be a fascinating hobby/requirement, and I thought it was very wise how you tied the two together. I understand completely that, as you said, you recieve no feedback from a camera, which can alter your teaching style, but I would personally be very interested in you holding live video lectures. Thanks for your time.
CorpusChristi83 1 year ago
@ProfASAr As someone who does not have a short attention span, I do find your videos to be longer than they need be (although always very informative). You speak eloquently, and I should probably make an effort to adopt some of your speach patterns in my everyday; however, I watch and I believe most everyone else watches your videos to learn about OTHER languages. That considered, I believe it would be a greater service to make consice, clear videos than eloquent, academic ones. Thank you
756millatime 1 year ago
@karma1apple ウィｔｈ亜ｌｌ杖れｓぺｃｔ、Ｉ agree that ｈｅ ｔｅｎｄｓ ｔｏ ｒａｍｂｌｅ..
TutorialesBilingues 1 year ago
Your mind is a source continuous fascination. While you developed a valid analogy here, I believe there was a bit of tongue-in-cheek undercurrent at play. I suspect you have a killer sense of humor, when you let yourself go. You would be a hoot to party with :) . Many thanks for your wonderfully enriching videos.
lowde2000 2 years ago
Interesting topic. BTW, I'm 33 and been using the Gillette Sensor Excel for the last decade. I cannot recall the last time I cut myself! I don't do the triple to sextuplet blades....all you need is a good quality double razor blade. I don't shave every day, but I do shower first and even apply hair conditioner on the face while I do the hair. And yes, it needs to be AFTER a shower, that's for sure. I think Professor is wrong on this one.
longbeachmex 2 years ago
Very Interesting. Excellent Analogy. Thank you.
senore01 2 years ago
I apologize for this next comment having nothing to do with the video... Could anyone tell me how long it would take for someone age 17-21 to be able to read, write, and speak Japanese? I plan to learn it eventually. Thanks for any legitimate answers.
ubersouthpark 2 years ago
depends how hard you work on it, but if you work really hard about 6 days per week you can knock it out in know time. its persistence with a total focus that will get you there fast. you would actually be surprised how fast you can learn it.
jeffpack1 2 years ago
I think this a great presentation. Nice job!
ubersouthpark 2 years ago
Hey, women shave too, prolly even more than most of us guys! Personally I just use one of those electric clippers, it's super easy and leaves a perfect 1 mm stubble. That way I always look like I shaved a couple days ago. I always like the very beginning of yer videos when you look at the camera silently. You should do a video where ya just stare at the camera without speaking for like 5 minutes, that would be cool!
alto5alto 2 years ago 4
Brilliant. Thank you.
uvindian 2 years ago 3
Very insightful video actually o.O
Yurkora 2 years ago
whaaat accent is that
ShirayuriSky 2 years ago
thanks! I really enjoy your videos. Where are you teaching now?
somethingsmatter 2 years ago
hi,professor.i have 'never' shaved - But i have learnt a lot!!! Tack!
dekekyo 2 years ago
maybe i should look into that stuff. my electric shaver sux.
greenghost2008 2 years ago
Soften the beard/stubble with soap, wait 5 minutes, & rinse. Then shave. It's a smoother shave, if you have the patience. I stick to Bic's single-blades myself. I don't look forward to shaving, but I don't really mind it either. You feel fresher, that's for sure.
SonicMountain 2 years ago
Speaking of shaving and techniques which are not perfected. Have you thought about the fact that after 10000 times shaving, you should be able to shave WITHOUT ever needing a mirror.
Our constant reliance on the mirror for feedback is a hindrance to our technique, don't you think?
mishels 2 years ago 6
I really enjoyed this video, as I do with all off them. What a great reflection to something wich one does every day, and perhaps never give any notice to. I come from Norway, and I was learned by my grandfather to use a knife to shave, and it is similiar to the one that you show in the video, the best shave a man can get.
biggimonnen 2 years ago
Ive been traditionally wetshaving since 2007. Best switch ive ever made.
daysin1234 2 years ago
I love your videos, but god this one could have been 10 minutes shorter. I think you should look into building your own language learning system, I think I've mentioned that somewhere before, but to keep telling us to find old stuff is really a bit too hard.
I wish someone who works for a publisher would watch these videos and maybe an edited version of this one.. :0 ) Thanks for everything Prof A
blindside70 2 years ago
Thank you, Professor! It was a very fascinating insight into habits and language learning - I found it interesting and worth remembering.
customic 2 years ago
Aaand he's back! My first thoughts were: What in the world is he up to now lol! Ok, so older language learning material from the fifties and sixties might be better than the new stuff, but if those aren't available in the shops, what good does it do us to know that?
anne241163 2 years ago
A) Shop in used bookstores rather than new ones
B) Make a general effort to track it down before it disappears
C) Let publishers know that you are aware of this and that you are not satisfied with their current offerings but would prefer they returned to the higher substantive standards of the recent past
ProfASAr 2 years ago 4
@ProfASAr Funnily enough I've done this with Linguaphone - needless to say, I received no reply from them.
storebror21 1 year ago
I've been able to find some of the things that the professor suggests for cheap on E-bay.
thelinguistblogger 2 years ago
Indeed.. I just thought the Prof had lost his marbles initially ;-)
eejot14 2 years ago
great video
upyr1 2 years ago
Do you have Aspergers?
matlock044 2 years ago
i highly doubt it; language is the basis of social interaction (roughly speaking) and someone with a wide knowledge of languages, spoken and non-spoken, would consequently probably have a wide and varied understanding of each respective culture's social sphere. anyway, what do you base that on?
defdeezy 2 years ago 2
Very insightful and informative in the both aspects, now I shall take a different approach to shaving, thus I have taken a lot of your videos and have found the content very truthful and have gone to acquire some of the older language learning methods.
Thanks.
concertmatell 2 years ago
I thought I might not like this video, especially daunted but the length coupled with the title. But I was pleasantly surprised. Another great video. Thanks for your thoughts professor. :-)
jonmahoney04 2 years ago
Are you said that Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone aren't the best methods out there? Blasphemy!
saxquiz 2 years ago
not blasphemy at all. Real language acquisition is NOT primarily an intellectual activity..but more "biological". Something we are wired to do. Proof? Almost all children are completely fluent by the age of three and a half and that with no instruction and little or no correction--the bases of, for example, Rosetta which is based on the belief that you can acquire a language by trying to memorise grammar rules and being corrected every time you screw up.That's the blasphemy
CobinRain 2 years ago
amen
defdeezy 2 years ago
what rosetta stone are you using? I don't remember ever seeing grammar rules laid out for memorization.
pdawg2005 2 years ago
wow thank you Professor! I truely did enjoy this video!
Theta910 2 years ago
You always shave very nicely and you take really nice care of yourself. Hey, you would look really nice in a hawaiian shirt :) lol just a random thought
edscissprs08 2 years ago