I think not having an inner monologue is far rarer than people make it sound, and that discussions about mental visualising and vocalisation etc. contain a lot of miscommunication and people talking past each other while meaning the same thing.
People are typically not very good at describing inherently personal or very abstract concepts. And are also not usually that good at understanding what someone else actually means when they describe it.
For eg. I’ve seen and heard several people who thought they didn’t have an internal monologue because they assumed people meant they actually “heard” the monologue like an outside voice – in the exact same way as a physical person talking to them irl.
Now that’s quite a large misunderstanding, but I think issues and miscommunications like that are more common than we think.
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It’s like trying to ask someone who thinks they have aphantasia what happens if they picture an apple in their mind. Do they assume you physically see one as if it’s tangible and there right in front of them, or that you just know what an apple looks like and can pretend there’s one somewhere, or you can infer what it WOULD look like. It’s all very subjective.
There have been actual studies on this, we don’t have to guess. I can’t look it up right now but you can if you want. it’s extremely common to not have it.
I think this quite often cause how tf do people read or have thoughts? lol
The issue I’ve personally run into with this is that people will often describe their thoughts as a “stream of consciousness” or “my brain won’t shut off” as if they have a constant monologue going on in their brain. I don’t have that at all, my mind is quiet most of the time unless I’m actively thinking on a specific task. I won’t go as far to say I don’t have an internal monologue (as I can absolutely read words “aloud” in my mind) but my experience does appear to me to differ from a lot of other people’s.
One thing I can say with certainty is I do not experience intrusive thoughts at all. That seems to freak people out more than the internal monologue discussion.
While most people have an internal monologue at least occasionally, research suggests that not everyone does. Some studies estimate that 30 to 50% of people regularly experience inner speech. This means that a significant portion of the population may not have an internal monologue, or may experience it in different ways.
I don’t have an internal monologue and I struggle to see how most people do to be honest. Not saying that I think you’re wrong I mean, really just that it seems like it would be very overwhelming and annoying to have a voice in your head 24/7.
I think a lot of people don’t understand what’s normal or not and have trouble communicating it. So I wouldn’t be surprised if an inner monologue was similar, though it can be represented in the media to some degree, like a voice over.
Sometimes it’s as you’ve said, it’s the way it’s described for it to finally click.
I was diagnosed later in life (30) and recently found out about hunger signals. Apparently there’s a sensation of feeling empty. I don’t get that. So when people say they’re hungry I’ve always assumed that their stomach is growling, cramping or feeling nauseous, why would I believe otherwise? It’s the only thing I’ve ever known? Probably the same with the inner monologue.
I narrate things in my mind as I do things, or the things I’m trying to remember to do (now or later or even say my observations in my head first before I speak then allowed (most of the time). I presume that’s what people mean by an inner monologue but that doesn’t actually make what I’m doing and what they’re doing the same thing.
Repeating back the grocery list in your head when shopping. I’d consider that a part of my inner monologue. Someone else might not so they don’t consider themselves to have one.
So Kudos, interesting observation, not sure how unpopular but super cool thought provoke