Discord
Mike speaks to a profound sense of social disconnect he experienced while living in the Pacific Northwest, describing it as operating on a different "frequency" than that of the people there. Using the analogy of mismatched frequencies (60 Hz vs. 50 Hz) between two AC electric power systems. He reflects on the frustration of his thoughts and speech — which admittedly can be fast and rambling at times — were completely out of sync with those around him.
He recalls moments in social settings in which his contributions were seemingly ignored or overlooked, leading to a deeper awareness of his challenge trying to find a common rhythm with those around him.
Thinking back to last year in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve been reflecting on a feeling that’s hard to put into words—a complete lack of synchronization. It’s like being totally out of sync with everything and everyone around me. I felt like I was communicating on an entirely different operating frequency than my audience or the people I was with. It was a really strange, isolating feeling.
I’ve realized that I talk way too fast. There’s that stereotype about people in the South talking slowly, and maybe there's something to that, because when I was in Portland, the disconnect was glaring. I’m noticing it even now as I film this—I’m pacing, I’m moving, the background is constantly shifting. I’m not exactly a master cinematographer, and I worry that between the visual motion and my tendency to ramble at high speed, the experience for you guys might be kind of annoying or just hard to follow.
It reminds me of being at social gatherings where, despite everyone speaking English, it felt like I was talking to a wall. I’d be in a group of three or four people, say something, and the next person would start talking about something completely unrelated—as if I hadn't spoken at all. It wasn't just one person; it was the whole group. It makes me wonder if I'm just overthinking it or if any of you have felt that same disconnect.
The best analogy I can think of is AC electricity. In the US, we use 60 Hz, but in Europe, they use 50 Hz. That small difference makes the two systems basically incompatible; you’d never plug one into the other. That’s how my conversations feel sometimes — like I’m operating at 60 Hz and everyone else is at 50 Hz. I’m not saying they’re slow or "less than," just that we’re on completely different channels. This realization has made me much more aware of the "operating speed" at which I think, talk, and process ideas. It’s an extreme version of talking over each other, and it’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately.
