I started this thread in response to a post on another thread that got me thinking about things that are "obvious" to some people and "impossible" to others. Now, a couple of posts on that thread have got me thinking about another topic in a similar vein, so off we go on another tangent...
To me, an inner monologue means that there is a voice in your head (whether or not it's "audible", but it's communicating with you in grammatically-formed sentences) telling you what to do next. Not in a psychotic kind of way, but something like what @bringinguptherear wrote here: "If you suddenly realise(*) the bins need taking out do you not think “I need to take the bins out?” In words?" [emphasis added by me]
As far as I can tell, I do not have an inner monologue. Something, somehow reminds me that it's Tuesday and I take the bins out without being aware of those words. While writing this post I got up and grabbed a few crisps from a bag, and I don't think the word "crisps" came up. When I discovered the whole phenomenon of inner monologues I was shocked, like the first time I discovered that the sun goes from right to left across the sky in Australia. (Please don't make me start yet another thread about whether you knew that! 🤣)
Anyway, this is a nice article about inner monologues, discussing how we all think in different ways. Maybe this discussion will open a few eyes, which (I think) is always a good thing.
(*) In this quote I have corrected what I am guessing was an autocorrect-induced typo. Hope this is OK, @bringinguptherear. 🙏