3408. While he was speaking, I supposed that he was thinking the words he spoke, but they said he was not thinking them at all, but was speaking them as one not thinking, and was then turning over entirely different things in his mind - so he did not know what he was saying.
I was given to realize that there are such people in this world, who while speaking are paying no attention and hardly know what they are saying, but the words stream out of their mouth, and meanwhile they are thinking entirely different things - for example, about people they are destroying, or cheating, or misleading - not, of course, those with whom they are speaking, but others entirely unknown whom they recall from the mental image of their own speech or that of others when they are speaking. It is now being imparted that there are many such people, and that the inhabitants of our earth are beginning to be such, that they can speak about matters which they are not thinking about, and can think about others - so that people do not know at all that they are thinking about other things.
3408. When he spoke, I then supposed that he was thinking those things what he spoke; but they said that he does not think at all of these things, but spoke them as if not thinking; and that then he revolved in his mind very different matters, so that he did not know what he spoke. It was granted me to perceive that much men are given in this world, who when they speak pay no heed, and scarcely know what they speak, but that words flow from the mouth, and they meantime think entirely different things: as concerning men, whom they either destroy, mislead or persuade [inducant], they do not even [think] of those with whom they speak, but of others, entirely unknown, whom they remember from the idea of their speech, or [the idea] of others when they speak. It is now insinuated that there are many of such a character that they can speak concerning matters, whereof they do not think, and [can] think concerning other things, so that men never know what they think of others.
3408. Cum loqueretur, tunc putabam quod cogitaret ea quae loquebatur, sed dicebant quod ne hilum ea cogitaret, sed loqueretur ea sicut non cogitans; et quod tunc animo volveret prorsus alia, sic ut non sciret quid loqueretur; percipere mihi dabatur, quod tales homines in hoc mundo dentur, qui dum loquuntur, nihil attendant, et vix sciant, quid loquuntur, sed quod verba fluant ex ore, et ii interea prorsus alia cogitent, ut de hominibus, quos vel perdant, vel fallant, vel inducant, non quidem eos cum quibus loquuntur, sed alios, prorsus ignotos, quorum reminiscuntur ex idea loquelae suae vel aliorum, dum loquuntur: nunc insinuatur, quod plures tales sint, et quod telluris nostrae incolae incipiant tales esse, ut loqui possint de rebus, quas non cogitant, et cogitare de aliis, sic ut nusquam sciant homines, quod de aliis cogitent.