Minichan

How does one think abstractly? What's the difference?

@previous (beckyderp !Hi.HILLARY)
Maybe abstract was not the right word, but what I mean is that when you, for example, want to get some water. You don't initially say in your head "Hey, I should get some water". You just kind of know you want water, and that you should get it. So a bit more practical, when planning out the day you might have an internal monologue "First I should go do X, then I should do Y and finally I should do Z". But instead of putting that into words (inside ones own head) you can also just think about doing X, Y and then Z without using words. Not sure if this is making a lot of sense.

Abstract thought usually. I find a monologue is helpful if I'm trying to calm myself down/reason thru things or work thru a problem

depends. if i'm thinking about something it's usually monolog, but if i'm doing design work or fabrication then it's abstract. so instead of talking to myself about steps or method of manufacture i quickly build and interate on designs abstractly. then once i have a design working in my brain then i talk to myself about how to approach construction or whatever.

doesn't everyone do this?

(Edited 22 seconds later.)

@previous (squeegee)
probably, but its hard to find out without asking. and people usually look at you funny when you ask about stuff like this.

@previous (A)
I'm looking at you funny right now

@previous (beckyderp !Hi.HILLARY)
me too, thanks

@667,254 (A)
i had a high school english teacher who told us to all "visualize an apple" in our minds, and then asked if we could "see it." and yes, like a photograph in my brain i can conjure up an image of an apple that i can "see." then the teacher explained that he could not "see" the apple, and that he wasn't able to have an "internal snapshot" like most people. it was a pretty weird conversation, and i'm still not convinced the teacher was actually having a problem.

because the images or snapshot or conjured up visuals don't have any presence or persistence. it's not like i can turn off what i see, and turn on my "minds eye" and see those images like i see with my literal eyes. it's more like i can see the impression of an apple, and i know it's red and round and shiny and it's like... i'd say the image is overlaid, but you don't really "see" it, you experience it kinda. it's hard to explain how you "see it" without really "seeing it" but i think my teacher was confused and thinking everyone was, like, watching a movie in their minds or something. like a manifestation behind our eyelids that runs like a movie. i'm probably explaining it very poorly, but when the teacher explained how he perceived things (he claimed he had no "minds eye" and instead had some kind of just intellectual understanding of things) he wasn't really able to make it sound much different than the kinds of impressions and images everyone else was describing.

tbh i think he was full of shit, but i have no idea. trying to describe thought is pretty challenging. i can't do it justice.
too much going on.

but for what you're talking about, i think i'd best describe it like a busy restaurant or something like that. a frenetic environment with a whole bunch of things all going on simultaneously. all the various people and groups are like different trains of abstract thought. and i exist as the slowed down monolog in the middle of the restaurant walking around doing whatever needs to be done and interacting with trains of thought that i need to interact with. And there's like TVs all over the place throwing images everywhere and some dick keeps playing the same song on the juke box for hours on end. usually i don't pay attention to all the random noise and focus on doing whatever i'm doing. but sometimes i'll be doing something and one of the groups will get my attention and be like, "if you'll remember the last time you were doing that you found it easier to do it like this," or i'll be trying to figure out some solution and one of the groups will just stand up and present their solution to the problem and i'm like, "oh, yeah, ok i'll just do that then." other times i'll be sitting there minding my own business watching one of the TVs when one of the groups changes the channel to an embarrassing video of something i did 5 years ago and i get made fun of and called a dumbass. usually though it's pretty quiet and i can't really make out all of the various conversations (trains of thought) but i occasionally catch a word hear and there and can certainly focus on whatever catches my attention. but usually i just try and ignore things and mind my own business. because i learned a long time ago if i walk into the middle of the room and say, "attention everyone, i really need your help on this it's super important," then everyone panics and flees; leaving me alone and with the same song on repeat.

that's why i like to really fog the place out and get everyone good and stoned.

@previous (squeegee)
I think you did a very good job of describing thought processes there.

@previous (FuckAlms !vX8K53rFBI)
it's a lot less like being schizophrenic than i described, i think
but as i was writing it my brain kept saying, "that's not how it is, you fuck."
and i was like, bullshit it's not

(Edited 43 seconds later.)