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The broadcaster Jenni Murray lives in author Hannah Begbie’s brain. Well, not Murray exactly, but a facsimile of Murray, with the same kind but quizzical
by titusjohnson 5y ago
The broadcaster Jenni Murray lives in author Hannah Begbie’s brain.
Well, not Murray exactly, but a facsimile of Murray, with the same
kind but quizzical voice, and a scarf flung loosely over her shoulder.
“My inner voice is a duologue, like I am in a constant state of
interviewing myself,” says Begbie, who is 44 and lives in London.
“The interviewing always happens in a plush radio studio,” she says.
“There’s nice rich crushed-velvet walls. There’s a warmth and a colour to it.”
I must just not understand what they're talking about? I have an inner dialog, but I'm very aware that it's just me. In my head I can rehearse things I want to say, or argue a topic back and forth, but it's exactly the same as playing chess against myself. I know what I'm saying and I have infinite knowledge into what the "other side" will say because it's just me. At no time are there other voices, no unexpected insight posited by an old radio announcer.
For the most part I also feel fully in control of my inner dialog. Any time I'm not in control, as in the thoughts are racing and my mind keeps skipping from topic to topic and maybe circling back to a specific topic, that means I'm having some kind of anxiety episode. I probably need a glass of wine or a smoke, and some quiet time to mull over what my brain is trying to get me to process (aka meditation lite).
The very first thing I think of when reading this article is that everyone interviewed except Hopkins is having near-constant auditory hallucinations. An inner voice that consists of an old Italian couple arguing in the kitchen? Really? Am I that disconnected from this concept?
- floatingatoll 5y agoThere’s no other self in my head to debate with. Except when I’m specifically thinking about what someone else would say, in which case I can get fragments of phrases enough to sort-of rehearse different branches of a conversation. I also can’t play chess against myself, because I can see my own logic on both sides, and it nullifies.
- titusjohnson 5y agoWell, I don't have an "other self" to debate with, I know it's just me. It's like a verbal exercise, where you go through a conversation and prepare responses to expected objections or questions. Similar to playing chess against myself, there's only use if I am super strict about trying to make "each side" as honest as possible.
- floatingatoll 5y agoI am terrible at the verbal exercise you describe, so I just end up mapping it out as branches and look for any that trigger a question mark and look for patterns between the question marks and see if anything shows up.
- sammalloy 5y ago> The very first thing I think of when reading this article is that everyone interviewed except Hopkins is having near-constant auditory hallucinations. Agreed. The closest I’ve come to this kind of thing is when I take more than 400 mg of caffeine in a single day (I’m genetically sensitive to caffeine). If I do that, then yes, my inner voice will become quite strange.
- gala8y 5y agoMy reaction to caffeine is very strong. Can you tell me anything more about genetic sensitivity to caffeine? Did you have it tested/determined?
- sammalloy 5y agoYes, but only on 23andMe. I’ve also known I had an issue with it most of my life. https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/caffeine-consumption https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/caffeine-consumption People who don’t have this sensitivity can drink coffee at any time. I can only drink early in the morning, and if I have it after noon, I’ll never get to bed.
- gala8y 5y agoThx. It's just difficult for me to stay away from coffee sometimes, even if it gives me shakes.