Thinking about things – not adopting the thoughts of others – but really thinking about them is an ascesis. As a kid, finding meaning in something other than a social context was considered silly; what mattered to kids was who you hooked up with, what music you listened to, and what party was happening somewhere. As an adult, the attitude hasn’t evolved, and the reasons remain roughly parallel; babies and furniture, which party you vote for, and what’s on TV. Thinking is still a trek in the desert.