[HN Gopher] What my stroke taught me (2017)
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       What my stroke taught me (2017)
        
       Author : blegh
       Score  : 44 points
       Date   : 2025-04-14 19:17 UTC (3 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (nautil.us)
 (TXT) w3m dump (nautil.us)
        
       | JanSolo wrote:
       | Beautifully written. Especially when you consider that the author
       | suffered a brain injury to her language centers. Fascinating
       | insights to how the mind works and how we process our world. I
       | was supposed to be working, but I read the whole thing.
        
         | JKCalhoun wrote:
         | Yeah, I was struck by the thought of my child-self, perhaps 2
         | years old before I had a good grasp of the words I heard around
         | me. Before I had language myself.
         | 
         | I scarcely remember but a couple things anyway, but even into
         | the early years when I could speak, understand language, the
         | memories of those times are as though of a time that seems not
         | within the current continuum. It's like I was seeing the world
         | but only through a small B&W TV.
        
       | JohnMakin wrote:
       | Well written - I do not possess an internal monologue (which
       | apparently isn't uncommon), and a common thing people think is
       | that it is like this author's description of "quiet" - yes, there
       | is not a person "talking" in my head, but my head is anything but
       | quiet most of the time. It just doesn't take the form of
       | words/sound.
        
         | LoganDark wrote:
         | a long time ago, we actually had to practice in order to be
         | able to speak in our head without speaking out loud. so, in a
         | way, we sort of used not to have an inner monologue, and had to
         | develop one on purpose. now we do have one (though often it's
         | more of an inner dialogue, because DID...)
        
         | aucisson_masque wrote:
         | Don't you ever think to yourself when waking up 'time to wake
         | up' ?
         | 
         | Or when you see someone you don't like 'oh here is that
         | motherfucker' ?
         | 
         | I mean the inner voice isn't like a deep discussion between you
         | and you, its spontaneous stuff you just wouldn't say out loud.
         | I have a hard time believing some people don't have it.
        
           | Baeocystin wrote:
           | Not the person you're asking, but as someone who also doesn't
           | have an inner monologue, no, I literally never think either
           | of those two things you gave as an example. I feel the
           | feelings they describe, but they never bubble up to my
           | thoughts in word form.
        
         | RGamma wrote:
         | I can't quite get my head around not having an inner monologue.
         | Mine's been around since I can remember. Its absence sounds
         | quite scary to be honest.
        
           | groby_b wrote:
           | I feel the same way about having somebody constantly chatting
           | in my head :) I'd assume for both of us it's mostly fear of
           | the unknown.
        
         | the_gipsy wrote:
         | I know it's bad to say this - lile telling someone who is ill
         | that they are not - but I cannot believe that someone truly has
         | no inner monologue and at the same is capable of expressing
         | complex ideas in writing or speech.
         | 
         | What IS there then, if it's not quiet like the author
         | describes?
         | 
         | Could it be a lack of introspection? Have you been examined by
         | any kind of specialist or is it self diagnosed?
        
       | aucisson_masque wrote:
       | That's so beautiful and deep.
       | 
       | No one knows how he would deal in such a situation and cope with
       | it, some would give up or even kill themselves, other fight to
       | come back.
       | 
       | Being able to reflect on that traumatic experience in such a calm
       | and thoughtful process is inspiring.
       | 
       | Side note, could it be possible that the 'inner voice', which the
       | author lost during a while is what separate us from animals ?
       | 
       | She mentions being at peace, calm without it. Not thinking about
       | the past nor the future, just present.
       | 
       | I kept thinking this experience made her behave just like an
       | animal : can't speak, extremely limited thought process, basic
       | instinct. Is that what separate us from ape ? A small part of the
       | brain that gives consciousness.
       | 
       | Edit: author seem to have written a book called 'a stitch of
       | time', if you enjoyed the reading.
        
       | ngruhn wrote:
       | That's both creepy and extremely interesting. It almost sounds
       | like an acid trip.
        
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