Conversations tire me out.

I always thought it was because I am introverted, where the stimulus of my companion becomes overwhelming with time. But recently I’ve realised it’s not me at all – rather, it’s the medium of conversation that is exhausting.

Compare a live conversation with reading a book. Because the nature of a conversation allows for no dead periods, and the presence of others requires continuous responses, we often blurt out thoughtless phrases and can rarely plan an honest answer. Conversations often land on boring but familiar topics that people can quickly ping-pong opinions about, compared to finding more meaningful ground. It is no wonder most conversations are superficial; the very nature of communication forces one to find a common – usually boring – denominator.

Worse, live conversations are privy to distractions and fluctuations in mood, so one’s true opinion might change from one second to the other. And do not forget the interruptions, corrections or additions routinely found in conversation from our companions; further barriers for the clear delivery of ideas.

In contrast, books provide space for carefully thought-out phrases and the chance to undo an inappropriate, or inadequately presented thought. Whereas conversation allows no room to revise our words, writing largely consists of rewriting, where original thoughts become enriched and nuanced over time. The process of writing, reading and re-writing ensures that the final version is the best, most representative idea of the author.

Of course, conversations and human interactions have its necessary place. But as I get older and choose my friends more carefully, it is interesting to observe this gradual proclivity towards books, and away from people.