Do you think it would be better if it was acceptable to talk to yourself (think out loud) in public?

Was that supposed to be an example of annoying? A kid should be able to engage a parent in fanciful imaginative conversation, and a parent should either say "I'm busy right now" or draw herself into the kid's questions. A kid trying to engage mom in imaginative conversation is a different thing than some guy on a bench telling incredibly loud jokes (that only he understands) to strangers and laughing hysterically. (Or some such situation)

I actually listened deeply to every word my talkative kids uttered. and no, actually it was alluding to your line of fascination/questioning than the guy on the bench.
I cauld have substituted phrases like 'what if people told themselves jokes in public', 'what if people looked at you whenever you talked', 'what if no one was allowed to comment on what others did'... None of your questions are unreasonable, but on the whole I somewhat wonder why you go there. For me, it's stuff that almost doesn't even exist unless you make an issue out of it, much like the alternative lifestyle issues of pokeman. I can imagine my concern for theosophical cosmology strikes others the same way, but from where I stand, just like your issues for you, it's a predominant issue of practical aware being.

and how is the guy telling jokes to strangers different than the kid tugging their moms skirt with questions? Are they not both in their little worlds trying to draw the outside world in?

OK, that all makes sense. Those are my kinds of topics. I "going there." I know most people aren't half as interested in all of that than I am. Most of those situations are hardly ever an issue in real life. Those things hardly ever come up, but I'm totally absorbed in them when they do, Even when it isn't happening to me. Like the suspicious activity on the airplane. I say SHEESH... OK, it was an airplane, and people are understandably a little more aware of what people are doing in airports and on airplanes lately, but still I say SHEESH. I don't know whether this should lead people to walk on eggshells more, or to just relax more. If I relax and decide not to worry if my behavior is making people edgy, I might make people edgy. If we all take more care about how we are being perceived, then the slightest deviation could set someone on edge.

The guy telling jokes might not be trying to draw everyone in. He might be in his own world, but not necessarily trying to get anyone's attention. Also: It's part of a mom's job to pay attention to her kid. Passers-by have no responsibility to pay attention to a guy telling jokes.

Thanks!! I really thought I was the only one here that did that.You see,I NEVER EVER hear or see anyone else in stores or other wise talking to themselves.....so that's why I thought I was a one of a kind.You made my day.

Besides???? Isn't it a parents job to embarrass their teenagers sometimes, anyway??? Yes!!! I love being my age!

Wheeeeeeew! I feel a whole lot better.....now.

You are one of a kind, though! Just not in an insane, talking-to-yourself way!

Thanks!! I knew you'd understand where I was coming from.

Sometimes I talk to myself and have long drawn out conversations, but then again i also have a friend named bob that somehow nobody is able to see but me.

I see him! I see him! Hi Bob!!!

You said earlier: "Their culture taught you to pay attention to every detail. If you did that now, it would take weeks to travel the aisles of a supermarket, and you'd have to instant replay several times to catch all that went on in a TV commercial. You've lived in a different culture since birth. 95% of all you hear and see probably is irrelevant. It's not 'don't waste your time listening to the snake oil salesman on his soapbox', but ignore most of your mail, most of your calls, most of the tv, your brothers video game, all the bus benches and store windows. I'm still adapting to the times."

I have been thinking about that. For example, I never realized that the colors you wear make a difference in how you blend in or stand out. Have you ever been riding your bike and noticed someone who appears they don't want to be noticed? Before you told me that, I thought everyone should be able to be themselves and there should be no such thing as 'standing out' if you don't want to stand out. I didn't have the foggiest idea how NOT to stand out while still maintaining individuality. Now that I know a little bit more about how other people perceive things, I can at least experiment. For example: If I am wearing bland, neutral colors, like gray and brown, I can act sillier without people getting as distracted by me (maybe?)

I have a friend named bob too.
He's watching us right now...I feel it in my bones!

My friend named Bob doesn't converse with me. Just listens to my monologues. What good is a real friend if he interrupts you with train of thought derailments, unsolicited advice, distracting input and contradictory feedback? Imaginary friends rock!

Actually, my bob isn't imaginary at all but he is full of lemony goodness and needs to comment on surveys more and stuff

Again, you've got me wondering if you're pulling my leg. When people don't want vibrant attention, so they can casually concentrate and reserve energy (and not do their hair perhaps), like at school, they wear a dingy blue-gray usually. The scarlett cocktail dress, hot-pink short shorts, or even the yellow sweatshirt or lavendar dress are high energy colors. I don't even think about others, just how much energy I'm up for, but the others are still part of it. I don't wear bold colors unless I have the energy to meet all those who will look to me expecting high energy. Someone wearing tan may have energy, but prefers to be approached quietly. Black keeps to themself, but has a solid foundation if you do approach them. White can be too out there to stick with anyone in particular for more than a glance. Oranges are a caution sign, they do whatever they please without reservation. Magentas and limes have that energy but keep a bit more self-involved. Turquoise has that energy but with lofty detachment. Lavendar only has energy for the sweeter things. Dark earthtones firmly have their own agenda. Dark royal purple is the color of reserved statesman. There's a different personality expressed by every garment I own. Some are sunday picnic, country dancer, desert or moutain sage, old-world vogue, play in the sun, dig in the museum books, etc. There are times I intentionally dress cartoon slut to throw people off guard when they talk to me and discover metaphysical minister instead. It's a device to blow open their paradigm. I suppose it'd be lost on someone who didn't see fashion as a social language. If you go wacko while wearing a nun's garb or elegant business attire, you'll attract even more discordance than if you just wore dance club attire. A pair of plain worn blue-jeans is your standard 'just part of the crowd' statement. Throw in a tee-shirt with an ad for packing materials and you're basically saying you don't care what you wear. I don't leave the house with tee-shirts, and those I have commemorate important stories in my life or would have been tossed. Browns are often warm, natural, easy going. I can't imagine you in them. I imagine you in slightly sharp jeans, and maybe ribbed tees in blood-red, or a few stripes of different primary colors. Possibly skirts or drawstring pants in earthy shades of jewel-tones solids with a bit of satin sheen, with a cartoony french-cut tee.

No, I'm not pulling your leg at all. I'm not out to attract attention. I'd rather people not notice me as I be myself. I wear jeans and sweats, t shirts and sometimes sweaters. I have a few reds, but rarely wear them. When I have energy, it's for myself, not to attract attention. I want to 'blend in' but the last thing I would want to do is conform, if that makes any sense.
Maybe my trouble is that I want too badly to change other people's perceptions. If it appears that I care too much what people think, it's because people who don't care what others think are considered "rude." I almost want to revert back to my old old self, where I was totally oblivious to how people perceived me. I want to be totally completely myself, individual amongst conformists. (I'm not a rebel/non-conformist, like those who might dye their hair purple or have multiple piercings) I appear like everyone else, I just think different, and sometimes talk and act different.
As for browns: I have a brown coat I like a lot. I am warm, natural and easy going sometimes.

I think you meant that reply for Kristal

blah blah blah yak yak chatter chatter mumble mumble noise noise

Maybe I should walk around saying "What's everyone looking at? Why is everyone looking at me like I'm nuts? I'm just thinking out loud fer crying out loud. People are so weird. They walk around acting all conformy normal like, with these high standards on people..." Just kidding.

But seriously, I'd like to walk around thinking to myself (aloud) about why my friend turned out the way he is, or the kinds of things people I know like to do, or why certain aspects of the world are the way they are, or how someone I know likes to talk his way into priveleges, or what it would be like to set up a humor drive, or any other deep ponderous type of thing. Silently = harder to think. Saying things to other people = too much feedback and interruption. People don't listen. So what's the alternative?

oops. see my accidental reply to mandy

Dagnabbit. I thought my Bob was a listener. I wish he would shut up so I can think.

I meant pulling my leg as far as not knowing people pay attention to what clothes say. There was a time I made sure I didn't dress like anyone else, but now I dress however I want, excepting I won't wear hot pink short shorts to business meetings (usually). On the other hand, I have sundresses I wear as blouses because they are way too short, but when the dancing gets hot, the pants come off anyhow.

Here's a fun question for you. If you take up talking to yourself (fine with me), would you mind others joining the conversation?

Hello.
(Gettin totally off the subject - sorry to interrupt)

Question. Do you believe in Totems? Someone told me my totem was a snake. It feels right. Doing some research we have very similar characteristics. What is your view on it.

I knew people paid a certain degree of attention to what clothes say, but I never thought about casual clothes as making a difference on days off. When I see people out and about, I usually don't even notice or remember later what color they were wearing. It was only a couple of days ago that I consciously decided *not* to wear red and orange that day, because I didn't want to stand out.

Sure, they could join in, but if they distracted me from my train of thought, it would defeat the purpose. I almost wish I could hire a person to go wherever I go, and nod in agreement and reinforcement with everything I say.
I noticed a long time ago that people in general aren't good listeners. I stopped having serious, complex discussions with the general population face to face because of it. (Internet is different.)

Invite your totems as you drift off to sleep in meditation to find who they are. Mine are giant (2M) river otters, giraffes, white owls, and tree kangaroos. I don't give giraffes a second thought in my life, and really only this moment bothered to imagine why they are a totem of mine, certainly not because they're a favorite.
For you, I could imagine a snake or tortoise, maybe a mink or seagull. If they ever come to you in meditation, let me know who shows up.
Are you saying you're similar to a snake, or me? I'm perky or contemplative, you're broody. I mirror people, including people that are much different from you. And you are a bit more inclined to confuse your projections of others with who they are elsewhere. (you're talking about the snake, aren't you¿)

Orange and red? Like road warnings and stop signs? I wouldn't worry about whethar or not you stand out, but those are vibrant high energy colors, and will stand out anyhow. Have you ever had your eyes drawn to someone because of their clothes, say a passion-flower blouse, and see a wishy-washy wall flower looking person wearing them. It's like an unsatisfying non-sequiter. When you see intense clothes, you sort of expect to find an intense person there to gaze on.

I've talked with my friend on metaphysical time travel based on consciousness and einstein. I left her for the bus-stop and picked up the conversation with a person there just where I left off, and he of course was capable of a deep technical and metaphysical dialogue. That's the advantage of realising you are talking to God, not a bunch of strangers. Your problem is that you need to be understood. Surrender that need and your relationship with God, yourself, and others will all improve.

Yes, the snake. When I said 'we' I meant me and the snake. Sorry for the confusion.
I shall give your suggestion a go.

cool

Not everyone wears clothes to match their personality. Some people wear what's given to them, what other people bought for them, and whatever is comfortable. I never paid attention to colors before. Have you seen a shy person wearing red? That's because they like it, not because they want to display it. They might not even know their clothes stand out as being intense. I never did, until recently.

I want to get back to being closer to what I used to be. In high school I didn't care how I was perceived, but then, I was totally oblivious to it. Now that I'm aware of it, I care too much. It would be perfect if I could know, but not care. I'm like that to a degree, but not enough, yet. I think getting rid of a need to be understood would get me headed in that direction.

i've thought out loud in public and made a living at it .. as a college professor. -- perhaps we sanction arenas for such discourse? perhaps the acceptance depends upon the strength and coherence of the expression and the strictures of the audience?

What if the speaker has no intended audience?

Yes, Gosh yes. My life would be so much happier... I wouldn't have to hide the fact that I talk to myself when I'm all alone, muahahaaaa

Umm..I talk to myself all the time.
I didn't know it was frowned upon..

yes, then I'd get to here what other people are thinking.

I often do. Wouldn't it be great if their were 100 people just like me in WAL*MART saying, "YES! THIS IS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!".

It would be great if everywhere you went, people were thinking outloud. The lady in the blue coat is griping about her neighbor. The guy with the beard is talking about what classes he wants to take in college. The guy with the backpack is complaining about people in general. The lady on the bench is deciding how to handle a particular situation. I wish more people would think outloud. It feels better.

Kind of like... right here.

You mean like here on internet? I think it would be cool if it were the norm everywhere.

Some nasty alter egos appear online, but all in all we can be pretty honest safe behind our computers, true to ourselves.