2. Listen
We’re going to watch a video from the YouTube channel of “The School of Life”, a self-help and business training organisation co-founded by the author Alain de Botton.
Listen to the introduction to de Botton’s reflection on decision-making, and answer the questions below. Play the excerpt (0:00 – 0:40) several times if you need to.
a. According to de Botton, what is the enemy of good decision-making?
b. How does he describe the typical ways that humans make decisions?
c. “When faced with a large decision, we lack rituals and procedures.” – What rituals and procedures might de Botton be referring to, when he says this?
d. Match up the beginnings and endings of these phrases from the excerpt:
| Beginnings | Endings |
|---|---|
| the fruit of… | …the kind of careful attention it requires |
| we typically… | …an unexamined solution |
| accord the business of decision-making… | …procrastinate |
| a lack of sufficient perspectives… | …a succession of good decisions |
| rush headlong into… | …on a problem |
e. At the end of the excerpt, de Botton states: “We should systematically think through any issue from five distinct angles”. Can you predict what some of these angles might be?
Englishin3d 
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
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Thank you, Janell! I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson.
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A very rich and resourceful lesson plan. I love the way you move towards getting students to think and analyse for themselves.
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Thank you so much, Liz! It was my aim in this lesson to get the students to generate ideas, so I’m very glad to receive this feedback.
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