People flit from a range of practical issues to deeper contemplations. What emerges is the random and far reaching range of thoughts that come and go in people’s heads. The book examines a study in New York – where volunteers agree to download the ‘ chatter’ taking place in their heads over a period of time. Perhaps more interestingly some people hear several voices with some of them not always being their own. Many people report that their inner voice reflects the sound of their own voice while others hear a different person’s tone. All civilisations have struggled to understand and explain the existence of our ‘inner voice’ but it is a reality and we all have it – even deaf people who use sign language report an ability to communicate with themselves. Early Christians considered the voices demonic, while Chinese Buddhists referred to it as “deluded thought”. Mankind Kross says has long grappled with the concept that we talk (and listen) to ourselves. We spend an awful lot of our time talking to ourselves about the past, the present and the future – in fact Kross says that research suggests we all spend between a third and a half of our time not living in the present. We are generally reluctant to admit that we talk to ourselves, in a packed room it takes a few brave souls to admit to it for others to follow suit and confirm that the practice is pretty much universal. This book not only examines the concept of the inner voice but also gives us some practical tips and tools on how we can control our chatter and make best use of it. Our inner voice can be incredibly comforting and helpful, but it can also be problematic. Of course, our inner voice can also be our best friend in moments of need and a valuable source of comfort and support.

You know the one, the voice that very occasionally says ‘well done’, but more likely admonishes or criticises our every mistake the voice that compares us unfavourably to others and all too often its this voice that is highly critical and unreasonably judgemental of others. Ethan Kross has written an interesting book that confronts that rarely discussed subject – the voice we all have in our heads… the one where we talk to ourselves.

Chatter book ethan