Jumping to analysis
A long, long time ago, I remember watching a TV interview with Zakir Husain, the world’s leading tabla player. He was asked how and what kind of music he enjoys. I don’t remember the exact words, but his gist was that he thought the way he approached and listened to music was very different than the layman’s. He would instinctively begin analyzing the music, its structures, its rhythm, its possibilities. To him, listening to music was an analytically intense experience. It was hard for him to let go of all that and simply enjoy the flow and emotion of the music, as he suspected most regular people did.
I suspect this happens a lot to scientists and engineers too. Almost every experience they have is analyzed. Ever been to an arena rock concert and wondered about the stage setup, the sound, the lights, the speakers, the pickups, the mics? Read something that wants to move your soul but constantly wondered about the writer and his process? Then, you too, have the curse of analysis.