A shower thought on shower thoughts

[Glen Compton]

I once had a history professor named Robert Money(R.I.P) who came into class one day angry. He told us that we all were over stimulated by electronics and were incapable of handling boredom. That we do not stop for a second and give ourselves time to be thoughtful.
In the moment, with my DS in my pocket, I took it for the ramblings of a bitter person from a previous generation.
Fast forward, and I am now an application developer long out of college. I use going on walks to break away from everything and take some time for undirected thought. Frequently, amidst pointless thoughts I find answers to issues I am having in design or solutions for pervasive bugs.
I can't help but think Professor Money was right.
Is the reason we call these clever ideas shower thoughts because we do not actually give ourselves time for free thought? Do we rush between websites, netflix, videogames, phones, and other forms of stimulation so frequently that the only time we are forced to spend with our thoughts is in the shower?

 

[Mezahmay]

That is certainly possible. I also heard about a study a few years ago suggesting that young people today are not bored enough. By bored, I mean they were not devoid of external stimuli long enough to begin thinking with their imagination and doing other creative things. I don't usually hear the term "shower thought" though. I'm more familiar with fridge logic.

 

[BubbleBurst]

Maybe, maybe not. I think creativity (or just creative thought) has two basic ingredients: precursors, and time to form. Modern society gives us plenty of the former, maybe more than ever before, but I understand the argument that we have less of the latter.

That being said, it's still there. I've heard a bunch of people I really respect refer to shower thoughts, and of course I've heard of fridge logic. For me, it's usually driving thoughts, when part of my brain is focused on not crashing and the other can just ruminate.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I experience the immediacy and ubiquity of the internets as a form of writer's block. You end up bleeding your creativity in little dime-store blurbs because it's quicker and easier than actually developing your thoughts any further.

 

[Vault101]

I spend a lot of time bored and thinking, and sometimes when I get thinking I put together all the parts of whatever "thing" I'm working on...I need a "scene" to be able to put pen to paper

I also sometimes keep a journal, which helps put your thoughts down and deal with issues....

sometimes though I think too much and get depressed, I have to book a haircut today but thorught to myself [I/]"a haircut? what an insignificant thing...when the worlds going to end..."[/I] <-but then I think its just that time of the month or something,

but yes I'm not completely adverse to the idea we don't allow ourselves time for quiet contemplation

EDIT: and if I recall correctly this might be an actual studied phenomenon...I find a way to combine/fix plot points or "scenes" come to me when I'm just thinking rather than when I'm staring at the page

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

To me it sounds like a baseless value on the process of thinking. Where in any thought multiplied by time spent thinking of it or any other thought equals gold star for the day. It is absurd to think that you are not with thought at all times, of the day. It is absurd to think that thoughts have value just for being thought. Time spent without other stimuli has no inherent value.

If your thoughts should lead to the completion of: a painting, book, videogame, application, then are you not contributing to the obstruction of someone else's gold star for the day earnings?

Should you speak with another person, is that not an impedance with their valuable thought? What if you were to be more intimate than just words?

Possibly I am missing the concept, but it sounds just like some throw away thought, glorifying thinking.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Er, young people today don't spend nearly enough time hunting mammoth (is the plural of mammoth also mammoth?). It's going to ruin society any time soon.

 

[Nikolaz72]

Personally I don't get much enjoyment from binge gaming sessions or binge distraction. Without some sort of other activity I feel as if I don't properly enjoy relaxation, I've had gaming feel more like myself forcing myself to play simply not to waste time rather than to enjoy myself even with the games I should be enjoying a lot.

Simple bikerides or giving myself time for 'Shower Thoughts' helps immensely on my enjoyment at other times.

Milage may vary, I know this works for me but I can't say it applies to everyone else.

 

[Fappy]

It definitely has some truth in my life. Can't speak for other though.

I realized a long time ago that I do most of my brainstorming on writing when I am occupying myself physically but not mentally. This could be walking, taking a shower/poo, or driving. I do a lot of driving and I'd be willing to bet I do a majority of my brainstorming each month behind the wheel.

 

[happyninja42]

I think it's just a common side effect of any activity that is a muscle memory action. Where you don't actually have to devote your higher brain functions to doing it. Like showering, or exercise, etc. For me, it was doing martial arts forms. After you learn the pattern, you don't actually think about doing it, you just do it. So it would free up your brain to just randomly sift through the data it's got to go through. That's what a lot of people think meditation is really good for. The actual benefit of meditation being a period of quiet reflection for your brain to sort through stuff.

I think it's a pretty valid point, though if I went by what I usually think of in the shower, it would be MST 3K movies and favorite quotes from it. I usually re-enact clips from the show audibly while I'm cleaning, and then giggle like a madman at the jokes.

 

[Glen Compton]

Well I CERTAINLY didn't expect everyone to agree. I know I didn't always!

I can only speak for myself, but I find the level of thought running in the background when being exposed to external stimulus tends to be shallow. It tends to be focused more on what is DIRECTLY in front of me, rather then the big picture. I rarely think about abstract concepts or make connections between old and new ideas. I guess i am saying my self reflection is notably diminished, when I am engaged. I am swept away with the spectacle of the moment, and have little time to process the substance.

Now comparing that to my previous idea of free thought. I find myself frequently, and a lot of the time inadvertently, creating complex mental models and making abstract parallels between these new concepts and my existing knowledge base. This may take the form of design structure for an application I am working on, a solution for a problem I am struggling with, a new approach to one of my creative project, or (to a much lesser extent) this topic we are discussing now.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

Is this topic in any part inspired by last night's The Colbert Report?

Stephen Colbert's guest was Leon Wieseltier, Literary Editor of the New Republic. Leon expresses the opinion Too much digital-not enough critical thinking-more physical reality, when asked of his critique of current culture (in ten words).

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/7swpxt/leon-wieseltier
the related interview

In my opinion, the big picture very much involve the shallow thoughts. I do not know exactly know what thoughts you are assigning as shallow, I wage that I can apply more value than you credit them though. As I wage I can knock, whatever you assigned as a big picture thought, down a peg.

I will submit this.

Upon seeing my reflection cast on the surface of an outdoor window. Armed with only my mind, past experience, and cigarette in hand. I pondered the course of human evolution, that presented me with the hairs on my lower face. While enviable to many a younger man and men whose race derives of warmer climates, the fullness of my beard was not the abundant solid unit that is other men's facial decor.

Climate, I ascertained, climate has definitive influence upon the evolution of my wild whiskers.

My farcical chin endowment. Deceive the masses, for though thy thin of structure, evermore is the claim to this one's chin.

Oh Siren, threshed succubus, how you once mused a mask all your own.

What is evolution's motives?

Never concern of a signal fallen, just the accumulation of current trend.

 

[Glen Compton]

Is this topic in any part inspired by last night's The Colbert Report?

Stephen Colbert's guest was Leon Wieseltier, Literary Editor of the New Republic. Leon expresses the opinion Too much digital-not enough critical thinking-more physical reality, when asked of his critique of current culture (in ten words).

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/7swpxt/leon-wieseltier
the related interview

Wow! No I do not have cable, but it is extremely uncanny that that happened almost simultaneously to me creating this thread! I am kinda' blown away. I wouldn't even blame you if you think I am lying, but I assure I am not.

I really appreciate you sharing that though, as it adds nicely to this discussion!

In my opinion, the big picture very much involve the shallow thoughts. I do not know exactly what thoughts you are assigning as shallow, I wage that I can apply more value than you credit them though. As I wage I can knock, whatever you assigned as a big picture thought, down a peg.

I think I understand where you are going with this, but I may be wrong. That large thoughts are built with smaller ones, perhaps?

My usage of "shallow" and "big picture" ideas was more of relation of scale to one another and not necessarily intended to invalidate or inflate the importance of one over another.

It is like I take in all these smaller packets of information over a period of time, then when I am walking I put them together and apply them to my model of knowledge. Challenging my understanding on some ideas, building on my understanding of others, and applying new perspectives on information I have taken for granted. Also if I don't take time to do this mental unpacking,I feel like very little is gained from my experience.

Now, it may just be me, that these moments only happen when I am not engaged in a focused activity. Then again, perhaps I am just a dimwit and require more time to be "thoughtful" to build a perspective on events.

I will submit this.

Upon seeing my reflection cast on the surface of an outdoor window. Armed with only my mind, past experience, and cigarette in hand. I pondered the course of human evolution, that presented me with the hairs on my lower face. While enviable to many a younger man and men whose race derives of warmer climates, the fullness of my beard was not the abundant solid unit that is other men's facial decor.

Climate, I ascertained, climate has definitive influence upon the evolution of my wild whiskers.

My farcical chin endowment. Deceive the masses, for though thy thin of structure, evermore is the claim to this one's chin.

Oh Siren, threshed succubus, how you once mused a mask all your own.

What is evolution's motives?

Never concern of a signal fallen, just the accumulation of current trend.

Very nice! Did you write this, or was is a quote?

 

[dragoongfa]

Your professor was right, at least his words ring true from my personal experience.

I am far more productive, intellectually active and downright creative when I let my mind wonder through 'boredom'.

 

[Silvanus]

I think he may have been on the Money [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShTJ90fC34].

Seriously, though, I do have trouble concentrating sometimes when I'm away from electronic devices.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

Glenn Compton

Thank you for the kind words. I did write that. I honestly expected to have to support it's validity to the topic, more than hear appreciation of it. Haste thought quickly proved wrong, right?

The mind is a great and powerful piece of evolution. One that does not always allow your conscious in on what's going on. This is where the unpacking you bring up comes in. It is the desire to be let in on the process. Terribly inefficient to the mind. Valuable in the way of keeping the conscious happy, and sane. Valuable to the individual. Neither, is all that important to the function of the mind or evolution. An aware intellectual conscious, is not more than your brain providing stimuli in such a way. Aware of society, intelligent in it's development. This is the importance and desire of the conscious.

I ask, why the persecution of the digital age? When it is the achievement of the accumulation of all conscious' desire. I dare speculate that, if we are to evolve to the new medium and those that are yet to come, we must manage not only our conscious desire to be let in on the process, but also our ability to step aside from the process. One such practice would to not overvalue thinking, or old media. And it may hurt. The happiness and sanity of a new civilization the evolution of our spices, may be hindered by the conscious' selfish need to be the main character.

This includes perceptions of valuable thought. I am not asking anyone to give up their humanity, I just purpose that thinking gets far more credit than is deserved. All is stimuli including your very conscious. Your body has many desires. And blaming the new medium is just old fashioned fear of change.

BTW, Now accepting applications to join my hive mind cult. Yes, I did say MY.

 

[default]

Yep, I totally agree 100%. We're pretty saturated with stimulus these days, doesn't give much motivation to just go out and think when we can just go 'lol yutubez' and find a video that interests us. For my own part, I always do my best to go for long walks when I can and find a place to sit and draw for a couple of hours. I also try to meditate for 10-20 minutes a few times a week. I should be doing more, but I guess at the moment my head isn't really in a place where I WANT to be alone with my own thoughts, but it's still very important to do.