Thinking - Whats so strange about it?

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Neurotypical people probably find me odd in many ways but 1 thing they really seem to find bizarre is thinking. If I just sit on the couch thinking my brothers look at the TV and start laughing because its not even turned on they seem to think its just another crazy thing I do. When theres no TV in front of me people always assume I'm just sitting there doing absolutely nothing and they often ask me whats wrong implying that I'm depressed or something. I can see how in this society everyone seems to be doing an external task 24/7 but theres nothing stopping us from turning our attention inwards so the only reason people find me doing it strange is because I'm violating the norm. I find this pretty funny usually but when I'm on mushrooms I find it sad because I feel like the majority of my fellow man have been brainwashed to the extent that they've stigmatized introspection and thinking. How many of you like to sit there and think? I've done it my whole life I used to do it at night while I was lying in bed but nowadays I do it whenever I feel like it.

I do a lot of thinking. I don't know why NTs find it strange. I was told, by the sex crazed girls that I worked with, at the factory, that I think too much. Well, it's better than talking about sex.

cogito ergo sum


you cannot think too much

I always think to myself. And then I get the whole "WHY SO SERIOUS?" comment thrown at me :/

People who believe thinking is "weird" are mindless simpletons.

When they laugh just tell them to buzz off and quit disturbing you or you'll get the fly swatter and smack them over the head. Also, let them know that your thoughts are more significant than their peon sex and sports infested monkey brains can comprehend.

I doubt they think "thinking" itself is weird, even neurotypical people regard thinking as a constructive activity but many people don't seem to understand that constructive thinking doesn't need to be accompanied by an external activity.

The very idea of not thinking is strange to me.

I agree and this is probably where the flak is coming from. For a lot of people, myself included, thinking frequently does need to be accompanied by an external activity. If I sit still and do nothing but think, my mind starts to drift and I space out. The external activity acts as an anchor for thought. This may happen to other people too. If so, it isn't thinking they are being derisive of. It's mindlessly spacing out. Like you said, "many people don't understand that constructive thinking doesn't need to be accompanied by an external activity". And since they don't understand (or believe) that, the person who seems to be doing no activity at all and is just sitting there is presumed to be mindlessly spacing out, not thinking.

It isn't thinking that's being scoffed at. It's mindlessly spacing out, which they assume you are doing.

I prefer to pace while thinking, and I'm sure "neurotypical" people also regard that as weird. Any activity that requires more physical effort and/or concentration than simple walking is too distracting to allow deep thinking. I can't win.

Note: I put neurotypical in quotes because don't really believe this is a neurotypical vs autism thing. A lot of smart people pace. It's just simpletons calling non-simpletons are weird.

I'm not capable of mindlessly spacing out unless I'm under the influence of nitrous oxide or some heavy narcotic / anesthetic type drug, like the type they give you for surgery or dental work.

Ive had problems with this at times , and the anecdotes here are when I was in my twenties.
-Once an old employer said to my coworker , who later related this back to me , said "He is the best Ive ever seen ,BUT my brother in law doesn't like him , and I dont how to take him -whats he thinking about all the time"?
Employer later comes up to me and queried " Your different , and I just want you to know that , that you are different , are you aware of this?
-My Dads friend once said to both of us " I dont know what your son is thinking about all the time , but YOUR WEIRD" -referencing me with an eye gaze, and added "Are you building a bomb in the crawl space"?
- Once at at lunchtime, an Asian gal said to me" Your weird" as I was zoned out in thought ,sitting in a chair.
- Another time a woman asked me rhetorically" A Penney for your thoughts" whilst I was sitting eating lunch as she passed by.
The list goes on .

Its way out of the norm ,and I'm more aware my behavior now , and Ive learned to masked this to avoid the crap and the confusion that it confers.
Masked it or be constantly miscontrued is my motto.

How could I not think?

This just cracked me up. I mean, I'm with you all the way on that, but it still made me laugh. Thanks, Cockney.

What as*holes. I'm barely able to muster an ounce of pity for the human species.

I simply do not understand what NTs do in their minds all day if they're not lost in thought...I kind of picture NTs as having some sort of teleprompter in their heads that gives them precise, appropriate thoughts for the current situation.

"I prefer to pace while thinking, and I'm sure "neurotypical" people also regard that as weird. "
Actually, I'm pretty sure I've seen NTs pace while thinking, too. It's the sitting and thinking while staring off into space that bothers them.

"I simply do not understand what NTs do in their minds all day if they're not lost in thought"
I think the secret is that they think without getting lost in thought. The nice thing about being able to focus on many things at once is it allows them to follow a train of thought while keeping an eye on their environment while observing people around them and doing some sort of activity at the same time. I don't know if this affects the quality of their thoughts, but it must be handy if they're walking the streets alone at night, for instance.

Maybe that explains why, as Janissy pointed out, NTs are always doing some sort of activity while thinking.