ELI5: Why do we continue reading while we are thinking about something other than what we are reading?

For me, my attention span differs between the material I read. If I think what I am reading is interesting, I can get up to five paragraphs without thinking about how I dealt with a conversation with that lady in the store a few hours ago. It went well, she said, "Go ahead, you've got less things." and I said, "No it's okay, I can wait." she then replied, "I insist, please go ahead." to which I finally agreed and with both exchanged a subtle grin. Then I left thinking about what I had to do next and I was concerned about my homework so I starting making a mental list of everything I needed done.

So here I am walking to my house when I start talking to myself. It was awkward as soon as I realized people were staring at me, wondering if I was some weirdo or if I was on a phone call. I think about other times I've done this and just looked at those people, smiled, and waved. They usually smile and wave back, as if it's a sign, "I understand, you're lonely, you have no friends. I will smile and wave to you, stranger." soon as I enter my house I think about, "Oh shit! I left the milk on the checkout stand at my grocer, I have to go back and get it before it's too late, where people forget about me.

Well anyway so I'm thinking about my homework now that I'm back, I just procrastinate, start watching Grease and think about how Travolta was supposedly in Church of Scientology, so I look that up and I never find conclusive evidence of this because hey it's the internet. Nearly unreliable, unless you know how to get information.

Then I consider all those journalists, are they all getting their news reports from other journalists, how do they keep a record of what they're reporting? How do they schedule interviews? When do they finally say, "Okay, I've enough evidence to write a story." I don't get it. You know sometimes I read a book and I'm just like how do they do that you know? How is it all put together in this nice convenient stack of paper?

Next thing I'm doing is wondering how the world spins and I didn't realize but now it's 11pm at night, an hour from the next day so I have to quickly do my homework that'll take me well into the next morning. I yawn and before I even start working, I get hungry.

It's amazing how my life works out ya know? I happen to shift from one thing to another, it's almost insanity. I get hardly anything done. And here I am, I just meant to reply to you but it doesn't work out in my brain that -- oh I forgot to buy yogurt. Let me write that down really fast.

I go to get a paper, I'm out of note-taking paper, so I go to an office supply store, think about what else I need and end up spending a few more than I went to spend. Anyway, I hope I answered your question, what was it again? How'd you read that post?

Well it's quite simple, for me, my attention span differs between the material I read. If I think what I am reading is interesting, I can get up to five paragraphs without thinking about how I dealt with a conversation with that lady in the store a few hours ago. It went well, she said, "Go ahead, you've got less things." and I said, "No it's okay, I can wait." she then replied, "I insist, please go ahead." to which I finally agreed and with both exchanged a subtle grin. Then I left thinking about what I had to do next and I was concerned about my homework so I starting making a mental list of everything I needed done.

So here I am walking to my house when I start talking to myself. It was awkward as soon as I realized people were staring at me, wondering if I was some weirdo or if I was on a phone call. I think about other times I've done this and just looked at those people, smiled, and waved. They usually smile and wave back, as if it's a sign, "I understand, you're lonely, you have no friends. I will smile and wave to you, stranger." soon as I enter my house I think about, "Oh shit! I left the milk on the checkout stand at my grocer, I have to go back and get it before it's too late, where people forget about me.

Well anyway so I'm thinking about my homework now that I'm back, I just procrastinate, start watching Grease and think about how Travolta was supposedly in Church of Scientology, so I look that up and I never find conclusive evidence of this because hey it's the internet. Nearly unreliable, unless you know how to get information.

Then I consider all those journalists, are they all getting their news reports from other journalists, how do they keep a record of what they're reporting? How do they schedule interviews? When do they finally say, "Okay, I've enough evidence to write a story." I don't get it. You know sometimes I read a book and I'm just like how do they do that you know? How is it all put together in this nice convenient stack of paper?

Next thing I'm doing is wondering how the world spins and I didn't realize but now it's 11pm at night, an hour from the next day so I have to quickly do my homework that'll take me well into the next morning. I yawn and before I even start working, I get hungry.

It's amazing how my life works out ya know? I happen to shift from one thing to another, it's almost insanity. I get hardly anything done. And here I am, I just meant to reply to you but it doesn't work out in my brain that -- oh I forgot to buy yogurt. Let me write that down really fast.

I go to get a paper, I'm out of note-taking paper, so I go to an office supply store, think about what else I need and end up spending a few more than I went to spend. Anyway, I hope I answered your question.

/r/explainlikeimfive Thread