マンデラの生涯
Welcome everyone to the Deep Dive. Today, we're doing something a bit special.
We're exploring a really powerful English quote.
That's right. From an amazing leader, Nelson Mandela.
Exactly. And we want to connect his incredible life story to, well, to your own journey.
And learning English, facing challenges in life, that sort of thing.
Yes. Nelson Mandela. Maybe you know the name.
He was the president of South Africa.
But he's also famous because he spent 27 years in prison. A very long time.
All for fighting against injustice.
A symbol of strength, really.
And the quote we're looking at today is this.
I never lose. I either win or learn.
Win or learn.
So our mission, let's say, for this Deep Dive is to understand that quote through Mandela's life.
And, you know, see how it can maybe inspire you. Inspire your English learning.
Definitely. To get that, maybe a little background.
Mandela, he was born way back in 1918. He lost his father quite young.
And he saw a kind of traditional democracy, you know, from tribal elders.
But then he grew up facing apartheid, a really, really unfair system in South Africa.
Like people just weren't treated as equals.
Yeah.
So he became a lawyer. He wanted to fight it. Bravely, too.
マンデラの教え
But in 1962, when he was 44, he was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Life.
Wow. 27 years. Can you even imagine?
He was in this tiny cell. I mean, maybe the size of a small bed.
And the conditions were really harsh.
Very difficult.
But here's the amazing part. Thinking back to his quote, he didn't lose hope. He chose something else.
He actually used that time. He studied law more. He talked with the guards, sometimes argued, sometimes just talked.
Right.
And he even started study groups with other prisoners. They called it the Robben Island University.
That's famous. Yeah.
So even in the absolute worst place, he was learning. He chose learning.
Which brings us right back to that quote.
Yeah.
I never lose. I either win or learn.
See, what's so interesting is most people think win or lose. That's it, right? Two options.
Yeah, sure.
But Mandela, he has this third way. Learn. So for him, a challenge, a difficulty.
Yeah.
It wasn't automatically a loss. It was a chance, an opportunity to, well, to learn something.
Setbacks became steps forward.
OK. So how does that connect to us? To learning English? Because, you know, sometimes it feels
really hard when you make a mistake, maybe say the wrong word or you just forget something.
失敗から学ぶ
It can feel bad, right? Like you lose.
Mm-hmm. It can feel like failure.
But what if, what if you used Mandela's idea? What if you chose to learn instead?
Maybe that mistake, that grammar point you don't get. Maybe it's not a loss.
Maybe it's just a chance to understand better, to grow.
Exactly. It's a mindset shift. And think about this too.
After those 27 years, Mandela could have been so angry, he could have wanted revenge.
You'd understand if he did.
Absolutely. But he chose reconciliation.
Unity for South Africa. He said something very powerful.
Hate and resentment would mean I was still in prison.
Wow. Meaning the anger would trap him, even if he was free.
Precisely. Holding on to that negativity keeps you captive.
That's, that's really deep.
And it connects to English learning too, doesn't it?
Sometimes we get frustrated with ourselves, angry even, like,
why can't I remember this or why do I keep making this mistake?
Yes, that internal struggle.
We can feel like our struggling self is the enemy we need to beat.
But maybe Mandela's lesson is reconcile with that self.
Don't fight the mistakes, but embrace the process.
Focus on the progress, the learning, not the failure.
It's about freeing yourself from that internal prison, that self-criticism.
マンデラの教え
It's so inspiring. And, you know, in 1994, he was 75 years old
and he was elected president.
South Africa's first election where everyone, all races could vote.
Incredible.
And he started the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Again, choosing forgiveness, understanding, not revenge.
His life really shows that power of choosing growth.
So the big takeaway for you listening right now,
Mandela's life, his words, they teach us something important.
When you face something difficult, maybe it's big, like a life change,
or maybe it's just your daily English study, feeling stuck.
You have a choice.
You can feel defeated, feel like you're losing,
or you can choose to learn, choose to grow from it.
Every challenge is an opportunity.
Let's just hear those words one more time.
Nelson Mandela, I never lose. I either win or learn.
So think about it.
The next time you face a challenge, maybe in English, maybe in life,
what will you choose?
Will you choose resentment, feeling stuck,
or will you choose learning and growth?
Something to think about.
Thank you so much for joining us for this deep dive.
Try to carry that spirit, that choice into your own learning.
We'll talk again soon.
