Gesticulation

Why do people gesticulate when talking on the phone? It's not like anyone can see them doing it? Who does it benefit? To me it seems like a very unusual habit. Which is why I can't understand why I seem unable to stop myself from doing it.

Even as I type, I will at times pause and point at the screen with one finger to sort of get my baring and make sure I know what's going on. If I don't do this, I cannot continue. If for some reason I was not allowed to gesture with my hands, my brain would stop working. I could not think, type or talk.

As far as I can tell my brain runs on the kinetic energy. The source is generated from the motion created by my hands and arms. Without that energy, blood would stop flowing and my thought train would derail. I can go long hours without moving my arms, but subsequently no thoughts would pop into my head. Additionally I can think without talking, but I must move my arms. I can be seen in a crowd, rubbing my nose, waving my hands and gesturing at the sky. Ignore it, I'm just thinking.

It occurs to me as I write this that there might now be an explanation as to why I seldom dream. Normally I'm a very heavy sleeper and as such almost never move. I usually only dream if I toss an turn all night, but mostly this isn't the case. I cannot relay to you the number of times my wife has said to me, "I thought you were dead last night." To which I say "I'm sorry." She will then follow that up with something like, "If your back hurts today, its because I started pounding on it last night till moved."

Some people might see this as an affliction, but not me. I feel that if I have to put a little real energy into my brain to keep it cranking out the esoteric nonsense, that normally flows from it and prevent me from drooling all the time, then it is worth it. By the way, I just spread my hands open wide and beckoned to the sky with them. As if to say, "The end."

7 comments:

Stephanie said...

Ok - well at least this makes me feel better - I am not the only one - I can't seem to talk (whether on the phone, in person, or as I type) without using gestures! It is crazy and I am like you - I can't stop. Jeremy does it too - I was just telling him that as I watched him work on his sermon the other day, he would periodically stop and gesture as if he were preaching. So it is nice to know we are not alone - - -

Ando said...

Must be all the coffee.

Becca Sports said...

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one!

Peter Brown said...

SJ-

There's a joke that goes "What do you call an Italian with no arms? Mute." I think it sums up the idea perfectly, even without being Italian.

Peter Brown said...

Ando-

There is some truth to that!

Peter Brown said...

WCS-

Welcome to the club. I doing the secret handshake now...

...not that you can see it! :)

Anonymous said...

If I happen to be on the phone while driving, I will let go of the wheel to move my hand for emphasis. Do you want to drive with me now?

Also, they say really disturbed people don't dream...deep psychological problems!!!