Introspection: Is Your Mind Deceiving You?

Every now and then, I find myself speaking at length with my inner being—‘Did I do the right thing? I could have done this or that; the dots could have been connected in this peculiar way.’ The situation mentioned resonates with everyone out there. The conversation that goes on within, termed as introspection, is generally defined as examining one’s mental state, reflecting on a variety of thoughts. Now whether this is simply squandering of precious time or a necessary exercise to be performed from time to time depends on how one perceives it.

Going through the annals of history, the innumerable discoveries and inventions were conceived when their respective inventors were lost deep in thought. This self-imposed seclusion, in turn, gave mankind some of its greatest achievements. The discovery of Benzene, in Friedrich August Kekulé’s own words, was, “the forming of atoms into a snake-like structure, the process continuing until the snake ultimately bit its own tail”. This vivid imagination gave him the inspiration for Benzene’s cyclic shape. The 80’s kids would still remember the frenzy surrounding the first movie in ‘The Terminator’ franchise when it hit the theatres in 1984. The movie series has gained cult status around the globe, with fans not missing the reruns of the same when it is played on TV channels from time to time. However, not many are aware of the legend that James Cameron sketched the movie’s draft from a dream that seems to have been directly taken out from a kid’s bedtime storybook. While the examples stated at first seem to be more apt to the concept of dreaming, one cannot argue that introspection and dreaming ultimately stem from the same source: the human mind. Historians point out that introspection was a cornerstone for the architects of experimental psychology such as Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Bradford, and many others. Philosophers have never shied away from acknowledging the art of self-evaluation. Plato is known to have said, “…why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?” Numerous self-improvement and personality development articles across the web shout out the same message in unison, ‘You need to understand yourself in order to change for the better!’; and frankly speaking, it’s difficult not to agree on this. Those depressing moments when nothing seems to be going as per our wishes always end up on the same note—looking at one’s reflection in the mirror, fighting the inner turmoil, conjuring up an exhaustive list of questions so as to determine the faults and flaws that led to such a grim situation, and at the same time trying to console ourselves with explanations which may or may not be relevant and accurate. However, the seraphic smile that is seen on the face after this period of turbidity in emotions is the outcome of the self-introspection one does during this fleeting phase. Also, psychologists and psychiatrists don’t hesitate in highlighting the significance of introspection, so much that it is seen as one of the methods to analyze human behavior.

However, just ruminating on the benefits of introspection won’t give the right image. A 1977 research paper disputed the very reliability of introspection. While the paper may seem outdated, it still radiates the thoughts of a certain section of the society, whose members don’t concur with the idea of self-evaluation. The cognitive bias coined by Emily Pronin as ‘introspection illusion’, has its share of admirers and critics. Whether it is accurate or not is a discussion for some other day. An interesting and thought-provoking read comparing introspection to self-obsession portrays a plausible theory. Is self-reflection merely a synonym for justifying one’s complacency? An article on the Huffington Post raises a truth with a pinch of salt: We are impervious to our unconscious being; not every part of the mind is accessible. So how are we to say that all the answers that arise from within are free from fallacies and flaws?

Thus, the perception of introspection is molded by one’s willingness to agree or disagree on the same. The voice that provides the much need state of tranquility is a tangible quantity for some while for others it’s just a figment of imagination required to prove the righteousness of one’s actions. As for me, I’ll need to have a deep conversation with myself before coming to any conclusion!