Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 23 - Trapped in the comparison game

Susan: Every time I check my Facebook or Instagram feed. There are these updates that make me feel envious, or make me feel as if my life paled in comparison.

Sarah: Yeah; we can be easily trapped in the comparison game. I avoid mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds as much as possible. I almost always regret it when I let my guard down and start scrolling. I’ll inevitably see something that makes me feel bad about my life.

Susan: Yet there most people are constantly bragging about this or that, or asks you questions about your life that are designed to make you feel inferior. Countless situations helplessly cause me to play the comparison game big time.

Sarah: It’s evidently hard to use people’s outward appearance to judge the reality of their life. People carefully curate the social media versions of their lives.

Susan: Right; I happened to see a couple on Instagram that appeared to be happy and solid to announce their divorce after a short while say a day or two. Isn’t that wired?

Sarah: Well; dear. If someone or something triggers that ugly feeling of negative comparison, just be grateful for what’s good in your life. This makes you far less vulnerable to comparison.

Vocabulary;

pale in comparison: to be or seem less important, impressive, or otherwise deficient when compared to someone or something else.

be trapped: to be in an unpleasant situation in which you lack freedom, and you feel you cannot escape from it.

mindlessly: in a way that does not involve thought or mental effort.

let one’s guard down: to stop being cautious about potential trouble or danger.

inevitably: (adverb) in a way that cannot be avoided.

brag about: to boast about someone or something; to talk proudly about someone or something.

inferior: (adjective) not good, or not as good as someone or something else; less important.

big time: on a large scale; to a great extent.

curate: to select things such as documents, music, products, or internet content to be included as part of a list or collection, or on a website.

happened to do (something): to do something by chance.

trigger: to cause something to start.

vulnerable: (adj) to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. There were two witnesses who .......... to be standing by when the accident happened.

2. These products are .......... to those we bought last year.

3. The racial killings at the weekend have .......... off a wave of protests.

4. "How was the interview?" "Terrible, I messed up .......... time”.

5. I can't stand being around Marcus ever since his company became such a massive success. The guy just can't stop .......... about it!

6. There will always be people in this business looking to exploit you, so you can never let your down.

7. Tourists are more .......... to attack, because they do not know which areas of the city to avoid.

8. You need to check with Peter. He’s the one in charge of .......... the content of our page.

9. Though that issue is indeed serious, it pales in .......... with the threat of drug abuse that is tearing the country apart.

10. Do you feel .......... or anxious when unforeseen incidents intrude on your day?

11. It is a sickening sight seeing someone's pride and joy being .......... damaged for no purpose whatsoever.

12. The investigation into the air crash would .......... apportion blame to certain members of the crew.

1. happened 2. inferior 3. triggered 4. big 5. bragging 6. guard 7. vulnerable 8. curating 9. comparison 10. trapped 11. mindlessly 12. inevitably