Treatise on Thought

The biggest crisis of the modern world is that we don’t have enough time to think. Or is it that we don’t take time to think?

We’re surrounded by endless distractions, resulting in what the author of Driven to Distraction calls “culturally generated ADD”. We struggle to focus. And worst of all, we perpetuate this trend by ensuring our content is “optimised” for modern attention spans. Short. To the point. No superfluous information, no unnecessary descriptions.

It’s something I’ve been struggling with. The older I get, the less intelligent I feel, and it’s primarily to do with the pressure of providing an immediate response to any and all stimuli without having enough time to crystallise my thoughts. 

So what causes the pressure? A heavy workload, misplaced priorities? I decided to look deeper into the issue and what I found is both shocking and somehow expected.

Back in 2014, the New York Times had an article dedicated to the same topic called “No Time to Think”. It discussed a recent – at the time – finding that people preferred to give themselves electric shocks rather than spending time in a room with nothing to do but think.

Why? 

Psychologist Steve Taylor believes we perceive ourselves as trapped within our heads. And if we’re trapped, we’re lonely, because we have no one to share the burden. To avoid dealing with this reality, we focus on external distractions.

A complementary hypothesis suggests that we fixate on the negative when we turn our thoughts inward. We ruminate, replaying our mistakes and breeding feelings of inadequacy. External distractions are an easy escape.

So what’s happening and why is it a problem?

An oft-repeated quote by French philosopher Blaise Pascal posits that “all of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

And actually, studies suggest that not having time to think and reflect impairs our ability for empathy. So while Steven Pinker’s argument in The Better Angels of Our Nature that violence in society has declined may be true, mental health issues are on the rise. 

The overabundance of distractions combined with constant demand on our limited time not only impacts our health, but reduces our productivity and capacity for thought. 

So what do we do? 

Most solutions tend to centre around mindfulness. A number of leading companies are championing mental health, starting with meditation. It’s especially relevant for customer-centric businesses, which need to tap into employee creativity to develop solutions that wouldn’t be possible without the space for employees to make neural connections.

Some people are put off by the concept – but it’s not necessarily about sitting still. It’s about giving yourself time to be present. It’s about intentionality. 

While I was writing this, I was thinking of a good friend I’ve known for most of my life. We see each other quite rarely, but I highly value each meeting. This is the one friend with whom I’m guaranteed an intellectual debate. And most importantly, I never feel like I’m rushing anywhere with my thoughts – I have the freedom to fully consider my position before responding. 

That’s the kind of space I need to make within myself. That’s the time I need to give myself on a regular basis. So maybe it’s time to practise what I preach and direct my attention inwards. Here’s hoping it will make me feel more intelligent again.