How much time do you spend just thinking? Is mere thinking valuable

[amorphous_constellation]

The more think about this question, the more complicated it gets. But consider that thinking is usually an unconscious process, even when you have nothing else to do, and you do it. It is a sort of glue that connects together everything that you are doing.

I guess my question has to do with conscious thinking, or sessions of conscious thinking. Why would you do that? Well I think maybe, all thinking must be a kind of mental digestion, or mental processing, of your reality. So I guess if go and think, and you become conscious of it, then does that facilitate your thinking, as a process

For example, as to why this might be useful, is that I like to listen to podcasts, and read books. But then what if I find, that I actually need to put additional energy, and time, into understanding and processing those media. Like maybe I need to boil off the waters I put into my mind

But perhaps for some people, thinking is a source of anxiety, discomfort, or even punishment? It occurred to me, as I was thinking about how to write this post, that prisoners are apparently condemned to think, for many years. So does that mean that society deems thinking as curative, or as something that is a sublimation of pain

I find that I need to think about things, and even let the mind wander a bit, while I think. If I finish a book, or podcast, I might cease the consumption of new media for a while, and go to the woods and lie there, looking at trees and squirrels, and whatever else. In tandem with this, I may try to feel fulfilled, or reach that state

Then I might continue that process, of eating new media, having digested what I had before

 

[John53]

It's probably impossible not to think. Maybe with meditation but I've never tried it so wouldn't know.

 

[Nimos]

The more think about this question, the more complicated it gets. But consider that thinking is usually an unconscious process, even when you have nothing else to do, and you do it. It is a sort of glue that connects together everything that you are doing.

I guess my question has to do with conscious thinking, or sessions of conscious thinking. Why would you do that? Well I think maybe, all thinking must be a kind of mental digestion, or mental processing, of your reality. So I guess if go and think, and you become conscious of it, then does that facilitate your thinking, as a process

For example, as to why this might be useful, is that I like to listen to podcasts, and read books. But then what if I find, that I actually need to put additional energy, and time, into understanding and processing those media. Like maybe I need to boil off the waters I put into my mind

But perhaps for some people, thinking is a source of anxiety, discomfort, or even punishment? It occurred to me, as I was thinking about how to write this post, that prisoners are apparently condemned to think, for many years. So does that mean that society deems thinking as curative, or as something that is a sublimation of pain

I find that I need to think about things, and even let the mind wander a bit, while I think. If I finish a book, or podcast, I might cease the consumption of new media for a while, and go to the woods and lie there, looking at trees and squirrels, and whatever else. In tandem with this, I may try to feel fulfilled, or reach that state

Then I might continue that process, of eating new media, having digested what I had before

Einstein is quoted as having said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” The point he makes is important: preparation has great value to problem solving.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

It's probably impossible not to think. Maybe with meditation but I've never tried it so wouldn't know.

I have met some people that must be doing the impossible then.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

The more think about this question, the more complicated it gets. But consider that thinking is usually an unconscious process, even when you have nothing else to do, and you do it. It is a sort of glue that connects together everything that you are doing.

I guess my question has to do with conscious thinking, or sessions of conscious thinking. Why would you do that? Well I think maybe, all thinking must be a kind of mental digestion, or mental processing, of your reality. So I guess if go and think, and you become conscious of it, then does that facilitate your thinking, as a process

For example, as to why this might be useful, is that I like to listen to podcasts, and read books. But then what if I find, that I actually need to put additional energy, and time, into understanding and processing those media. Like maybe I need to boil off the waters I put into my mind

But perhaps for some people, thinking is a source of anxiety, discomfort, or even punishment? It occurred to me, as I was thinking about how to write this post, that prisoners are apparently condemned to think, for many years. So does that mean that society deems thinking as curative, or as something that is a sublimation of pain

I find that I need to think about things, and even let the mind wander a bit, while I think. If I finish a book, or podcast, I might cease the consumption of new media for a while, and go to the woods and lie there, looking at trees and squirrels, and whatever else. In tandem with this, I may try to feel fulfilled, or reach that state

Then I might continue that process, of eating new media, having digested what I had before

I spend too much time thinking. I am more interested in turning that time into doing. I'll have to think about how though.

 

[John53]

I have met some people that must be doing the impossible then.

Thinking wrongly still counts. I worked with a bloke who said "I thought it was wrong but I went ahead and did it anyway" everytime he stuffed up, which was frequently.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Thinking wrongly still counts. I worked with a bloke who said "I thought it was wrong but I went ahead and did it anyway" everytime he stuffed up, which was frequently.

I've done that. Unfortunately. Usually a woman was involved somewhere in the process.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

It's probably impossible not to think. Maybe with meditation but I've never tried it so wouldn't know.

You mean thinking as like a background process, but I wonder if people commonly use it as a foreground program

 

[Dan From Smithville]

You mean thinking as like a background process, but I wonder if people commonly use it as a foreground program

I spend a lot of time thinking about all sorts of things. It appears to be something I do. It is just part of my nature to think and evaluate what I observe or concepts I am interested in.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

I spend a lot of time thinking about all sorts of things. It appears to be something I do. It is just part of my nature to think and evaluate what I observe or concepts I am interested in.

And for you, what is that, how do you think - do you have a sort of self-conversation in your mind, do you "concentrate," and what is it to concentrate , does it mean to hold a concept in one's head, and then flex the brain upon it, like it were a bicep, and how much time does that take, and energy

 

[PearlSeeker]

"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates)

 

[amorphous_constellation]

"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates)

I was thinking about this thread again today. Thank you for that