I saw something on the internet recently that had a profound effect on me. It was about the idea that our thoughts occur in a mental "space" and that space vari

I saw something on the internet recently that had a profound effect on me. It was about the idea that our thoughts occur in a mental "space" and that space varies in size moment-to-moment. This space can reference a physical space or something more abstract like a social connection space. For example, let's say I ask you "do you matter?". Here's what you might say depending on the size of the space your brain currently occupies. The room you occupy - Yes I matter greatly to my girlfriend and my cats. Your neighborhood - A little bit, my neighbors seem to like me and probably appreciate that I'm courteous. Your city - A tiny amount, my taxes help pay for stuff I guess. The planet - A very tiny amount, I contribute to society and that counts for something. The universe - I'm a spec of dust in an endless void. My existence is meaningless. My hypothesis is that intelligent people are attracted to larger spaces, but larger spaces tend to be more depressing and meaningless. On the other hand, a less intelligent person might only think about what's immediately around them, and as a result they are more present in the moment. This also helps explain why meditation can be helpful, it's practice for shrinking your mental space.