24-01-09
Isn't success just fan-frickin-tastic!? After all winning is what it's all about right? In my opinion success is indeed what it's all about but the right
answer is well, it's a little more complicated than that.
Don't bother watching that video past 14:15, if you didn't get the joke you might laugh at this
For those uninitiated, alljapaneseallthetime.com commonly known as AJATT for short, was a website that changed language learning indefinately. It's ideas were largely remixed (stolen) from a website called Antimoon, created by two Poles documenting their unconvential process of English aqcuisiton. Japanese has been a popular language of interest in the western world since the 80's due to >*cultural exports*.Needless to say it wasn't long until the AJATT blog created an army of AJATTeers, a group of people who conducted the largest scale self inflicted psychological operation known to mankind.
The rules were simple, do everything in Japanese ALL THE TIME. Including social relations, media consumption and even sleeping! Although there is discrepancy as to whether sleep listening actually had any effect on acquistion. Needless to say,the linguistic results of AJATTing 24/7 were impressive, the psychological wellbeing of practioners perhaps questionable. But sure enough it worked.
The summer of 2020 is when AJATT started to go mainstream, or at least Youtube-niche-stream. Matt Archer, known as > Matt Vs Japan on youtube was the first AJATTeer to reach a wide audience of language learners, myself included.
Pre-COVID Language learning Youtube was largely a space dominated by 'language hackers' and 'polyglot' youtubers, the exact opposite of the immersion based approach offered by Matt Vs Japan. Many of us unintiated were truly unaware of the lies we were being told (and sold). So we did as any normie internet user does and just believed the traditonal learners at face value. Read any linguistics book and it will tell you why 'studying' and classroom-based learning simply does not work. Polyglot Youtubers had us believe otherwise. After all, Duolingo has millions of users so it must be good right? (*Very wrong*)
That was until a select lucky few, who had been presented with nothing but broken dreams and failure for years, implemented the advice fed via the grapevine sourced from real linguists. Dr. Steven Krashen being the main man.
For 2 years I was super hardcore about maintaining my immersion environment. Every day included Anki reps, Active immersion, Earbuds in class for passive listening, Making new cards after school all just to repeat it again the following day. I was a mental bodybuilder living the golden days. I even went as far as swearing off any 'foreigner' friends while in Korea. Something I would never reccomend for psychological health but the point is I was REEEEEL SERIOUS BUD.
If you want to know more about my experience it's well documented on my Youtube page which you can find >here. Tldr; It was a long process but I got 'there' (yes, fluency is a social construct) and I enjoyed the ride. Now I speak both Korean and to real women. I vouch for you to do the same!
Hardcore language learning taught me all about success. Life is about success and I clearly have all the answers. I mean just look at me: 
Here are the key takeways that 2-3 years of All Korean All the Time-ing taught me:
George's AKATT Success Principle #1
IT TAKES LONGER THAN YOU THINK TO 'GET SOMEWHERE'
George's AKATT Success Principle #2
SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT SHOWING UP. START SMALL, BUT SHOW THE F*** UP!
George's AKATT Success Principle #3
SHOWING UP MUST BE FUN. YOUR FEELINGS MATTER SO NEGOTIATE WISELY.
George's AKATT Success Principle #4
IF IN DOUBT, CREATE AN ANKI FLASHCARD.
Geoge's AKATT Success Principle #5
DO EVERYTHING FOR THE RIGHT REASON. NOT JUST TO GET GIRLS/A TRAD K-WIFE.
Yeah, even I'm not too sure about that last one but I'm leaving it in because it makes me look morally resposible.
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