but, as far as I can tell through observing myself, the conscious stream is always one
Nope. There is profession—simultaneous interpretation. Basically you translate someone speaking naturally: the speaker doesn’t pause and you speak in a different language simultaneously with listening to the speaker. Typically you’re a sentence behind. This requires having two two separate threads in your consciousness.
It’s a skill that needs to be trained, not a default ability, though.
I am not sure that is necessarily simultaneous. Attention can be on the speaker with the response being produced and delivered automatically through lots and lots of practice. This is what I observe of myself during music improvisation. The automatic part can even have creative variations.
Another example would be to try to read a paragraph that is new to you while at the same time having a proper discussion, versus reading the paragraph while you sing a song you already know by heart. You can do the second thing because the delivery of the song is automatic but not the first because both processes deal with novel input/output.
It is pretty simultaneous because you can’t afford to let any thread fall back to “automatically” for more than a second or two. It is also a recognizable sensation of having and managing two threads in your mind. You do have some main focus which flickers between the two threads depending on which needs attention more, but both stay continuous and coherent.
It is actually hard effort to maintain the two threads and not lose one of them.
You do have some main focus which flickers between the two threads depending on which needs attention more
That is what I observe and I consider this focus to be attention. Of course it could be that I just lack the ability. If you have any kind of exercise/experiment that I can try in order to experience it please share! As long as it isn’t too much effort! (Just kidding :P)
That is what I observe and I consider this focus to be attention.
But the thing is, the focus does not switch completely, it just leans. It’s like you’re standing and shifting your weight from one foot to another, but still you never stand on one foot, you merely adjust the distribution of weight. And it takes explicit effort to keep the two threads coherent, you never “let go” of one completely.
As far as I know, the ability isn’t “natural” (or is rare) -- it needs to be developed and trained.
As to exercises, not sure. There are classes which teach simultaneous interpreting, but you probably need to be bilingual to start with.
Nope. There is profession—simultaneous interpretation. Basically you translate someone speaking naturally: the speaker doesn’t pause and you speak in a different language simultaneously with listening to the speaker. Typically you’re a sentence behind. This requires having two two separate threads in your consciousness.
It’s a skill that needs to be trained, not a default ability, though.
I am not sure that is necessarily simultaneous. Attention can be on the speaker with the response being produced and delivered automatically through lots and lots of practice. This is what I observe of myself during music improvisation. The automatic part can even have creative variations.
Another example would be to try to read a paragraph that is new to you while at the same time having a proper discussion, versus reading the paragraph while you sing a song you already know by heart. You can do the second thing because the delivery of the song is automatic but not the first because both processes deal with novel input/output.
It is pretty simultaneous because you can’t afford to let any thread fall back to “automatically” for more than a second or two. It is also a recognizable sensation of having and managing two threads in your mind. You do have some main focus which flickers between the two threads depending on which needs attention more, but both stay continuous and coherent.
It is actually hard effort to maintain the two threads and not lose one of them.
That is what I observe and I consider this focus to be attention. Of course it could be that I just lack the ability. If you have any kind of exercise/experiment that I can try in order to experience it please share! As long as it isn’t too much effort! (Just kidding :P)
But the thing is, the focus does not switch completely, it just leans. It’s like you’re standing and shifting your weight from one foot to another, but still you never stand on one foot, you merely adjust the distribution of weight. And it takes explicit effort to keep the two threads coherent, you never “let go” of one completely.
As far as I know, the ability isn’t “natural” (or is rare) -- it needs to be developed and trained.
As to exercises, not sure. There are classes which teach simultaneous interpreting, but you probably need to be bilingual to start with.
Well, thankfully I am bilingual (my first language is Greek). Will check out the techniques they are using. Thanks!