Do You Have An Inner Monologue?

My husband and I were talking about this the other night, as it has only become recent information to us. Yes, apparently some people do not have an inner monologue; in fact, some experts theorize that anywhere from 30-50% of the population experiences life without one!

(Image from a quick Google search)

Which begs the question: do you have an inner monologue?

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Again, I will emphasis that this is news to my husband and I! 🤯 lol we have both had a voice inside our heads since ever. In fact, the voice can be quite resilient, very naggy and needy, never shutting the fuck up! 🥴 It can be difficult to experience a moment of peace throughout the day...

Which is, again, why this new information has thrown us for a loop! Up until recently, I had naturally assumed that everyone had an inner monologue. Everyone I associated with never made me contemplate the belief. All of the literature and movies I consumed always referenced the pesky voice...

This whole thing has disoriented me. How does this work? Am I to assume there are a majority of people who go through life without a conscious thought? Because that would explain a lot! 😂😭

(And that was just the tip lol if you're already uncomfortable, tap out now)

(Image created using an AI art generator on Night Cafe)

No, here is my problem. My entire life, I was taught to believe that our inner voice is our conscious/subconscious speaking to us. Some people would go so far as to say it is our "other self" or "soul." So if there are those who go through life without this... The NPC theory is a very prevalent theory --

How else am I meant to interpret this? From my perspective, I have had no control in forming this inner voice, and the same can be said for those without. The difference is, I am still capable of thinking in the same ways non-voice people think -- I can see in images, jot down notes, all good stuff. Now, establishing your own unique voice inside your head?? that's not an easy feat, and I don't even think it is something that can be learned.

(Source: https://www.iflscience.com/people-with-no-internal-monologue-explain-what-its-like-in-their-head-57739 )

("Voiceless individuals" when asked, "So if your boss asks you to do something right at the point you were planning to leave work you don’t think ‘Oh fucking shit balls, what a pain? in your head, while saying ‘No problem at all boss,’ out loud?”)

So my theory... I'm not going to go so far as to say these individuals are soulless!! 😈 I cannot accept that theory if the person had little control over their situation.

Rather, I believe they are individuals who experienced little critical thinking, or trauma in their infant and toddler stages -- basically, they did not experience anything to leave a prominent impression on their identity. (I know the opposite isn't true because I experienced both frequently, and again, I have an inner monologue 😅). Whether they were born without an inner monologue, or else lost it from lack of use, conditions for an inner monologue were not met, and so it was not necessary for it to form.

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Anyway, just my midnight thoughts for today! 🌙 I would love to have others' feedback, especially from those who do not experience an inner monologue.

For example, if there's no noise going on in there, do y'all just pass tf out as soon as your head hits the pillow?! 😂 It literally takes me half an hour minimum just to get my brain to shut up...