Is Introspection Overrated? - Weekend Debate #1

When in doubt, a lot of people would tell you that you should talk to yourself. That's what exactly Introspection is. Talking to yourself. Everybody from every phase of your life - parents, teachers and mentors will ask you to introspect or what they sometimes call SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats). Many people I find evaluate themselves from time to time. But isn't there something called 'Analysis Paralysis'?
We keep analyzing ourselves, we keep finding the small faults in our behaviour or plans and never really act.

The debate topic for this weekend is - Is introspection overrated?

Share your opinions

Replies

  • Anil Jain
    Anil Jain
    Introspection is a technique that should help someone in most of the situations; however as its said in most of the situations that crossing limits / dependencies for anything is harmful.

    One should do Introspection only at the situation it is required.
    Take a example, you are doing something for the first time, you didn't do it right (probably the reason is you do not know how to do it right) and if you think that you should do the Introspection to know what wrong thing you have done. Believe me, Introspection is not going to help you in this situation. In this situation you would require expert advice, who can help you to know what you need to do it right next time.

    So, Introspection is the most helpful technique but not always. One more thing, Introspection and SWOT analysis is not the same thing.... Am i missing something here ?

    -CB
  • Ankita Katdare
    Ankita Katdare
    Sorry if I didn't compose it well. SWOT analysis is just a fancy term and a small example of introspection.
    Talking to yourself while writing an examination paper on which questions to target - could also be introspection.
    I think introspection is always used in a philosophical context. Meaning that, a person who introspects is considered to be one with his/her inner feelings.
  • Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran
    Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran
    Glad to be a part of weekend discussion . Introspection is a special one especially needed for lonely people who want to get out of fear and problem.If we are in a position where senior advice is possible, better go for it.
    especially friends are the best enlightening tool i had seen.
  • Ramani Aswath
    Ramani Aswath
    Maybe I am old. Introspection is the only option in my opinion.
    I mean in the larger philosophical sense.
    In introspection you do not talk to yourself. You are just being yourself.
    Baghavan Ramana's teaching is exactly that:

    #-Link-Snipped-#

    Adi Shankara's 'Nirvana Shatakam' is the same thing:

    #-Link-Snipped-#
  • Ankita Katdare
    Ankita Katdare
    Do you guys regularly become a part of introspection? Does it ever harm you in over-analysis and you never get the actual work done?
  • Anoop Mathew
    Anoop Mathew
    Introspection according to my perspective is to be considered but is not always the cure! A minimalist approach to 'introspection' should be considered while attempting to do boisterous tasks that require a lot of effort - it is at this point that we often 'think' and 'introspect' ourselves (SWOT) after which most people find out that they are incompetent for the challenge ahead of them. This (in the majority of cases) weakens the human being from accomplishing what he/she really wants to do!

    For eg: If you consider that Mathematics in Engineering is really tough for you, and you analyse yourself as a low-achiever in Mathematics from your schooling years, you could probably never get over the fact that you are 'not weak' in Maths!

    Yes, no body is weak in anything. It's just that we require practice in certain fields before we can call ourselves as intermediates/experts.

    The desire to 'do' as well as to 'learn' from your mistake should surpass any form of introspection (be it advice from an elderly person as well) that limits you from accomplishing what you really want to do.

    This way you 'learn' the lesson of 'life'.
  • Anand Tamariya
    Anand Tamariya
    When one is driving (car, bike, plane, ship etc), one seldom sets it in auto-pilot mode for extended duration. Should that not be advisable in life where the visibility is much less? I don't see how introspection as form of course-correction can ever be overrated.

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