The irony is that the voice spends all day narrating your life like it’s the CEO, when it’s really just a very anxious intern trained by your parents, religion, and cable news. Alan Watts nailed it. The problem isn’t that the voice exists. It’s that we keep electing it as “me.” The moment you hear it instead of from it, the spell cracks. Not enlightenment fireworks, just less hostage-taking. Which, frankly, would already be a public service.
You’re right the observation part is hard, but it is doable. After you find you’ve returned to the present from some thought stream, just try saying to yourself, with no judgment, “Oh. That was an interesting thought stream my voice just had.”
The irony is that the voice spends all day narrating your life like it’s the CEO, when it’s really just a very anxious intern trained by your parents, religion, and cable news. Alan Watts nailed it. The problem isn’t that the voice exists. It’s that we keep electing it as “me.” The moment you hear it instead of from it, the spell cracks. Not enlightenment fireworks, just less hostage-taking. Which, frankly, would already be a public service.
That is so well put. Thanks.
You’re right the observation part is hard, but it is doable. After you find you’ve returned to the present from some thought stream, just try saying to yourself, with no judgment, “Oh. That was an interesting thought stream my voice just had.”