I’m not convinced. People don’t mean the same thing when they say “internal monologue” so it’s not that clear whether the differences are that big.
Is an internal monologue like having a narrator talking constantly? Is it actually like hearing an external sound, or is it an awareness of the concept of the sounds and words along with all the other bits of meaning and fragmented thoughts that run through my brain? If you don’t have any sort of internal monologue how do you ever manage to speak or write? Does writing something down feel like someone else has taken control of your hands and leave you surprised when you read it, because you don’t have the idea in your head forming words first?
For me it works very like Pratchett’s Third Thoughts. I find myself watching my own reactions and speech as if they were happening to other people. And adding footnotes inside my head about what I really intended to mean/say/do (never spoken or I’d be tarred and feathered and run out of town probably). That’s the short version - the longer more accurate version WOULD get me tarred & feathered etc. I think.
I suppose for me the odd one is the image thing. Can you visualise, in your minds eye… a (something absurd say a giraffe headbutting a panda)? Some people just can’t.
I don’t know if I can visualise it. I don’t “see a picture” or run a video in my head. Thoughts are a complicated web of interlinked ideas that constantly change as you focus on them. Telling me to visualise something like that brings up lots of ideas which include what giraffes and pandas look like, but also thoughts about how levers work, links to zoos where I have seen giraffes and pandas, the panda toy I had (and lost) as a kid, a whole mess of things that are definitely not visual, And it’s all simultaneous, it’s not like one single thing.
Yeah. Same. The pictures on the radio are so, so much better than the ones on the tv or movie screen. Also, the revelation I had when I realised that not everyone keeps a history timeline in their head - that really shook me. I’ve read a lot of history over the years, and that timeline just keeps getting more and more detailed and multibranched. I can’t imagine living without it now. It gives me perspective and I really value that. Can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to not have that context - particularly nowadays.
I have books, files and filing cabinets in my head. I just find the file and turn the pages. New information is catalogued. This is also how I perform in exams, I just read the pages in my head. Unless it’s analysis or calculations and then I plan the problem solving.
It’s fascinating how different peoples brains work. I too was astounded when I found out some people couldn’t imagine images. Exactly like what you said, what’s it like to read a book? But I guess if you don’t know any different then it’s just fine. Brains are wild.
Today I found out that some people don’t see images in their head or have an internal monologue.
Wild.
Couldn’t imagine reading a book without it playing like a movie in my head.
Or the definitely funny internal commentary I’m making about my daily life lol
Ooh aphantasia (and hyperphantasia)…
Such an interesting thing.
I’m not convinced. People don’t mean the same thing when they say “internal monologue” so it’s not that clear whether the differences are that big.
Is an internal monologue like having a narrator talking constantly? Is it actually like hearing an external sound, or is it an awareness of the concept of the sounds and words along with all the other bits of meaning and fragmented thoughts that run through my brain? If you don’t have any sort of internal monologue how do you ever manage to speak or write? Does writing something down feel like someone else has taken control of your hands and leave you surprised when you read it, because you don’t have the idea in your head forming words first?
For me it works very like Pratchett’s Third Thoughts. I find myself watching my own reactions and speech as if they were happening to other people. And adding footnotes inside my head about what I really intended to mean/say/do (never spoken or I’d be tarred and feathered and run out of town probably). That’s the short version - the longer more accurate version WOULD get me tarred & feathered etc. I think.
That’s a good point.
I suppose for me the odd one is the image thing. Can you visualise, in your minds eye… a (something absurd say a giraffe headbutting a panda)? Some people just can’t.
Well, I’m not sure a giraffe could headbut a panda, the angles are all wrong.
aha! so you can visualise a giraffe’s head missing the panda!
it’s a very complex topic lol.
I don’t know if I can visualise it. I don’t “see a picture” or run a video in my head. Thoughts are a complicated web of interlinked ideas that constantly change as you focus on them. Telling me to visualise something like that brings up lots of ideas which include what giraffes and pandas look like, but also thoughts about how levers work, links to zoos where I have seen giraffes and pandas, the panda toy I had (and lost) as a kid, a whole mess of things that are definitely not visual, And it’s all simultaneous, it’s not like one single thing.
Yeah. Same. The pictures on the radio are so, so much better than the ones on the tv or movie screen. Also, the revelation I had when I realised that not everyone keeps a history timeline in their head - that really shook me. I’ve read a lot of history over the years, and that timeline just keeps getting more and more detailed and multibranched. I can’t imagine living without it now. It gives me perspective and I really value that. Can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to not have that context - particularly nowadays.
I have books, files and filing cabinets in my head. I just find the file and turn the pages. New information is catalogued. This is also how I perform in exams, I just read the pages in my head. Unless it’s analysis or calculations and then I plan the problem solving.
I love reading plays and screenplays , always have had . I play them in my head. 😊
so, Oliver Sacks has a whole book on the subject ( he had mild face blindness ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mind's_Eye_(Sacks_book)
I used to think everyone was the same but it’s actually pretty rare. ( hyperphantasia )
It’s fascinating how different peoples brains work. I too was astounded when I found out some people couldn’t imagine images. Exactly like what you said, what’s it like to read a book? But I guess if you don’t know any different then it’s just fine. Brains are wild.
evoke
and there is recall of images
and creation of images, making a new picture