Introspection: Mind on My Mind

Contemplating the Value of Self-Reflection

Recently, I sat in the park and reflected. And tried asking myself what is the significance behind introspection. These are my thoughts from when I started thinking about it. I'd like to note that the following writing is purely based on my spontaneous thoughts and personal reflections. It does not contain any research or scholarly sources to support my ideas. I'm simply sharing my musings on the value of self-reflection.

Introspection: A Distinctly Human Trait?

I think the significance behind introspection is being able to recognize where our own mind pays attention to when there are no human-made distractions. I think it can be beneficial to introspect because inevitably the question of "why" tends to spring up. And "why" is an authentic question to ask repeatedly to ourselves.

But nonetheless, it's interesting to consider that introspection seems to be a distinctly human trait. I'm not sure if this is correct, but I can't think of any animals that have that same ability. Sure, animals may go outside and sit somewhere, like bears and their cubs who might look out towards the lake and admire the scenery. But do they actually introspect? Do they think about their place in the world or ponder the meaning of life? Or are they simply looking for their next meal and using their instincts to plan their next hunt? It seems to me that they don't introspect like we do. They don't have that same level of self-awareness.

But if they did, I'm not sure what they would think about, though. It's unlikely that they ponder complex philosophical questions like we do. They don't seem to ask themselves things like, "Am I autonomous because I have the ability to sit somewhere and observe my surroundings?" They just don't seem to think in those terms, at least not as far as we know.

Nature: The Ultimate Introspection Hack?

As I sat down and reflected, I couldn't help but think about how meaningless things can be at times. Even if I had everything I wanted in the world, the ideal standard of living, I'd be drawn to places that don't have anything to offer me, whether that's intrinsically or not. What I mean is, I would be compelled to go to a place where there is no inherent offer or exchange, where I'm not trying to sell anything or barter for something in return. Nothing like that.

There's no reason to be there - nature is something that people from all walks of life can simply sit and observe, even if they're in the middle of a city. It's one of those things that we'll all leave behind eventually. We're all going to die someday. And once you realize that, and you look around without being distracted by your surroundings or your attention bought by something, everything becomes so... tranquil because of the experience that being in nature provides you and the avoidance of the common truths of civilization.

And that includes work, eating, and having a roof over your head. This kind of stuff is always a trade and a barter. I think nature just makes people introspect, and that's one of the most valuable things. I'm not sure how much value introspection brings, but I feel that a lot of people can agree that being away from the constant happenings of where we think our place in society is-- not dictated by being in nature. Our place in society, when you're in nature and there's no bartering, no services, nobody competing for your attention--the antithesis of what we experience daily in our lives--is all minuscule and minimized. So we can go ahead and have some kind of tranquility. I guess being in nature by yourself gets rid of the social hierarchy. I would be willing to say social construct, but it feels too outside of focus for what I'm trying to explain and what I feel introspection provides.

But I feel that nature provides a better avenue for introspection. I wonder if it's because of our evolutionary history? For thousands of years, we didn't have cars or even permanent homes, so maybe our brains are wired to introspect more effectively in natural settings. Of course, people can introspect anywhere else, like in their cars or in their homes. Introspection is not limited to being in nature.

Maybe in the past, when we didn't have most of the modern conveniences and technology we have today, being surrounded by nature allowed us to stay more in tune with ourselves. It gives us a chance to avoid being taken away from our own thoughts and ideas, which is the essence of introspection. I think introspection involves conceptualizing our ideas in a way that resonates most with us, and being in nature provides the most accessible way for us to do that because we strip away the social amenities (like etiquette, social hierarchies, and culturral traditions) that daily life provides.

And just then, a squirrel passed by in the park. Compared to that moment, everything else just seemed meaningless. And not meaningless in a negative way, but in a "what's the big fuss of anything else" kind of way. Maybe introspection provides a way for us to loosely decouple ourselves from our expectations and from what others think of us. Perhaps introspection and nature strip away the layers of congestion we experience daily in our lives. As someone who lives in the city, it's difficult not to constantly have my mind preoccupied with something.

For example, I tend to have more conductive thoughts when I'm walking outside to buy some food. For some reason, during those few minutes, I can think very well. But that only happens within the first 10 minutes of walking. After that, my thoughts become scattered again. I think going outside after being on the computer for a while helps me to introspect. Maybe nature provides a slower way for us to introspect and decouple ourselves from racing thoughts. Maybe that's why being in nature is so valuable for introspection, but honestly, I have no clue.

Who am I when I'm not doing anything?

Maybe introspection also reinforces identity, doesn't it? So much of what we do in life is driven by a purpose. I think that's also how we find meaning, right? We take ourselves away from what we provide to the world in whatever form. When we do that, maybe we get the essence of who we are as people. Unless the value or thing we provide reinforces our identity. And I think that answering "What is my identity?" is really hard to define today. We don't even have the nuance to do so because we always need to have a purpose for "this" or "that". We don't have the nuance needed and the loose coupling that introspection provides in nature because we always need to be thinking about something else. Atleast that's what I find when I introspect.

From City Slicker to Crop Picker

This makes me think about the self-sufficiency of farmers, in a sense. And this is not me saying, "I want to live the farmer life." It's not for me, but I can respect the lifestyle because being a farmer means your crop isn't going to be ready (until it's ready) for reaping and you're going to need to use a modern tool like a tractor to harvest your crop or go through the process manually. And so I think farmers are kind of smart because they have a wider array of thinking, via introspection, than a lot of people do, especially those who live in the city. Or I could naturally be more inclined to think this way because I haven't lived in farm. Just as students who go to the Shaolin Temple may come to realize that taking advice from someone so far removed from the practicalities of their life is not practical, they may also realize that the farmer's way of thinking is valuable. Farmers are smart because they have a broader range of thinking through introspection than many city-slickers. It's possible that I have this view because I've never lived on a farm myself.

Introspection Rooms: A Necessity or a Luxury?

It makes me wonder why we need to build a designated space for introspection in the city. Isn't that backward thinking? People should be able to introspect in their own homes. Some folks have a special room in their house where they can read, and that's adaptable. We should be adaptable too, it's part of human progress. At an individual level, we need to be adaptable enough to say, "Well, there's no park nearby and I'm not going to travel there for that." That's also valuable.

All of this just makes me think about how much accessibility we have in our world, depending on the infrastructure and the place we live in. It reminds me that once our basic needs are met, there always needs to be a problem to solve, always the next thing to strive for. Once we have food, shelter, and clothing, it becomes about making our lives more convenient. We might decide we want our water closer or faster, so we get a bicycle instead of walking. But with that added convenience, maybe there's less time for introspection and thinking.

Is Modern Convenience Hindering Introspection?

It's interesting how every modern convenience either channels our introspection to a wider audience or reduces the time we have for it. I'm not sure if it's intentional, but that seems to be the effect. Either we share more introspection with the world through technology, or if we don't partake in that, we reduce the time we have for it. These are just my thoughts on introspection in regards to modern life.