I wrote this post a while back, and I just realized something. Third person takes the meaning out of things. The emotion.
I asked in the post what this habit stems from, and the answer is now so clear. People speak about themselves in the third person sometimes to shield themselves from the emotions and meaning behind what they are talking about. They don’t realize at the time that that’s what they are doing, but still. Think about it…
Is it easier to say, “He feels overwhelmed because of X, Y, Z” or “She feels isolated because of A, B, C” or to say that you, yourself feel some way because of some circumstance?
Our brains can manipulate our use of language on a subconscious level in an effort to protect us, or itself.
The brain and mind really are fascinating.