Learning Chinese Rewires Your Brain | John Dankowski on Language, Culture & Mindset

Video Description

In this fascinating episode of Tell Them Podcast, we sit down with John Dankowski, former NASA employee and lifelong learner, to explore how learning Mandarin Chinese transformed his thinking. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - Why and how you decide to learn chinese? 03:20 - Is this your choice? 08:34 - What is the reason to learn chinese in modern world with AI and translator in smartphone? 10:45 - Will people still be learning languages even if AI can help them with it? 12:10 - Languages develop peoples brain 12:50 - When did you realize - Wow, I think in Chinese 13:45 - Teaching it Taiwan 14:41 - The difference between Chinese and Taiwanese 27:17 - Funny uses of the Chinese language 32:57 - What is blow your mind in Chinese language? 38:10 - How the Chinese Language Changes the Way We Perceive the World 42:34 - Chinese is full of idioms 44:19 How did your knowledges of Chinese language help you understand what they are thinking about western people? 51:51 - Chinese language make brain more developed and that's why they are strong in math? 53:15 - Different of education concept between China and USA 55:04 - Talking about Taiwanese newspaper 59:40 - Can you be accepted by locals if you speak their language? 1:01:00 - What mistake foreigners do with Chinese language? 1:05:14 - Concept of the "face" and "connections" in asian culture 1:09:07 - What we can use from Chinese language in english? 1:10:43 - What words sound the same as english but has different meaning John shares his personal journey of teaching in Taiwan, diving deep into how the Chinese language influences mindset, enhances brain function, and shifts your perception of the world. We discuss the philosophy behind Chinese characters, the mental rewiring that comes with tonal language learning, and how immersion in Taiwanese culture shaped his view on communication, identity, and intelligence. If you’ve ever wondered how learning a complex language like Chinese can impact your brain — or what it’s like to teach abroad — this episode will surprise and inspire you. 📌 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more deep, uncensored conversations. 🍍 Podcast filmed at Ananas Video Studio https://ananas.video/ #TellThemPodcast