Our Inner Voice
In what might be a somewhat controversial topic as of late, its something that has been on my mind (no pun intended) for some time now. With so much information at our fingertips, and the growing trend of quicker information delivery (and shorter attention spans), it leaves me questioning if there is a correlation between the two.
A persons internal dialogue isn't a new concept, and in most cases isn't something that needs explaining. For most, its the reminder not to forget something, or the voice of doubt in those nervous moments. Often considered the way our subconscious raises information to the consciousness, its considered a standard part of being human (and possibly something taken for granted).
At the same time, there is an old phrase that I recall being told on numerous occasions; "its so loud I can't hear myself think!". Describing a moment where the sounds presented to your ears are louder than your inner voice (leaving it inaudible), is something that I question the safety/sanity of (and not just because of hearing damage). Considering the same concept of being unable to speak in a group because of no breaks in a conversation (we've all been there), what happens when this becomes continuous, and acts as conditioning?
Adding science into the equation for a brief moment, a vital part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is to recondition your inner voice to be less critical of yourself (something I'm intimately familiar with). Training yourself to be positive towards yourself rather than negative / criticising at every step is a big part in seeking happiness, and it works (with plenty of supporting evidence to verify this). At the core of this is the requirement to hear ones own voice, and without it, leaves the potential for much worse. In may ways, hearing our internal voice acts as a sounding board, allowing us to question if something is right or wrong before taking action. In some cases this takes a few seconds, in other cases a lot longer. This internal processing is vital to our cognitive function and being rational.
While all of the above sounds like how things have always been, consider how the improvements to information delivery have had a fundamental impact on humanity. For example, so much world news is available at the touch of a button that its impossible to listen to it all (even if you could go without sleep indefinitely). More online news articles are shorter in length, not due to a lack of information, not due to a lack of printing space, but because the preference is slowly moving towards bite-size articles / stories that are easily digested (with less thought required). Our workdays are more complex / more stressed / longer in duration, further reducing the time available to properly digest the information (and even think to ourselves how a situation is dire / what could be done to help).
Many years ago I knew someone who listened to the radio 24/7, with no breaks (even to sleep). As a visitor it was frankly distracting, but it always made me question the rationale behind it. They weren't lonely or restricted to their house, they didn't have OCD, it was simply their thing. As the years went by I began to notice that everything outside of the radio broadcast was something they weren't aware of, and that they would always share the same opinions of the radio presenters. This became apparent one visit when I decided to listen to the same station for the drive there, and was greeted with information the station had broadcast over the last 90 minutes (and with matching views, without question or hesitation).
Thinking back to those visits, I always questioned the impact listening to the radio 24/7 had on them, and if they had "given in". With so much information being available today (especially with mobile devices), and the obsession with short video clips trying to show how to do something, is society going down the same path? Are we listening to so much external stimuli that we don't listen to ourselves any more? What impact does this have on us? Do we lose part of who we are?
Over the years I've been told (by people much smarter than I), that as a child we are impressionable as our brains are a sponge. We learn by what is around us, what we hear, what we see. Our appreciation for life is guided by our experiences and those around us, as are our emotions and our patience. While our brains may not absorb information as fast in their later years, we still learn, we still grow, and we still change. Attention spans have reduced as an average, patience disappears by the day, and our ability to apply rational thought to serious topics appears to be on the decline.
My feelings / thoughts on this? Technology is a useful tool that provides us with a wealth of information (and also misinformation). Reading the highlights and skim-reading stories will never give you a clear picture / all the facts, just another persons summarised views so you don't need to process / question (even though you should). Spend the time to learn about issues, to read the details, and most importantly, to think...