I know that I monologue, so why do I monologue?

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matt
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14 Jun 2010, 7:39 pm

I work in a school as a computer tech, and some work can only be done during the summer when the students and teachers aren't there. For most of three months, there are less than five people in the entire school, and I can do interesting things with the computers(which are tangentially related to a subject I've been obsessively interested in for over half of my life).

Today I spent six hours working on something so interesting to me that I didn't even eat breakfast or lunch, and didn't stop even to get a drink of water. It didn't seem like six hours; it felt like a lot less time. Last summer the servers(fast computers, each used for relatively unique respective purposes) were stacked in a particular way that was not exactly the way that I wanted, and I wanted them stacked in another way and I wanted to install more memory in them. Ever since then I had been thinking about exactly how I would do it.

Afterward, I spent 45 minutes explaining the changes to someone who now that I consider the discussion I can't think of any reason to believe cares about it.

It's only after I noticed the time on a clock and so realized that I had been speaking for 45 minutes that I realized that since I had been speaking for 45 minutes the other person was probably bored and so I should probably stop talking. I am aware that I do monologue, but when I am monologuing I am not consciously aware that I have been speaking for such a long time. I don't understand why possessing the knowledge that I have a problem (monologuing) isn't enough to make me aware to prevent me from doing it.

It is so annoying to know that I do monologue, but if I know that I monologue, and I know that other people don't like it, why do I still feel compelled to monologue?



pyzzazzyZyzzyva
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14 Jun 2010, 7:57 pm

You monologue cuz nobody else is as interested in your interests as you are-- you get to listen to somebody talk about something you want to hear.

I don't think I monologue, but others near me would probably say I'm just not aware of it. :)

Anybody who doesn't think Aspies monologue should read more of WrongPlanet. Seriously, there are some people who don't read other's posts and then go on for a page or more.



conundrum
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14 Jun 2010, 10:03 pm

I don't think I've ever gone on for 45 minutes straight, but I know what you're talking about.

This came up on two other recent threads. I just can't seem to prevent what's in my head at the time (if it's a subject I'm passionate about) from coming out of my mouth. Worse yet, I talk at a rapid-fire pace so I don't forget what I'm about to say, AND constantly interject in conversations (been trying to curb that one, especially when talking with professors and supervisors :oops: ).

Knowing that you do it, in general, is helpful--some people may not notice it at all.

When you feel yourself starting to do it, remember the reactions you usually get and mentally tell yourself to stop.

It might help to write it down instead. That way, it still "gets out" and is preserved.


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The existence of the leader who is wise
is barely known to those he leads.
He acts without unnecessary speech,
so that the people say,
'It happened of its own accord.' -Tao Te Ching, Verse 17


bsuss
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14 Jun 2010, 11:00 pm

When I monologue, I'm usually either processing something or there is something about the topic that has an emotional context to me (either positive or negative) but I have a hard time expressing/talking about the emotion, so I keep talking about the facts around it.

Does that match your experience at all?
If so, maybe thinking more about why you want to monologue (what is it doing for you?), not just the content of it or the fact that you are monologue-ing might help you curb it.

Thinking aloud can be the best way for me to figure something out, but I have gotten better at using writing so I don't end up talking "at" someone at length...too often...I hope.

Hope you got something from this.