As the title implies I am curious as to how many other people do this.
There are certain times where the only thing I am capable of doing through force of habit is Think.
Now this varies greatly in the ways thinking takes control and only due to recent events have I paid attention to my thoughts of people and my potential place in "society" The two thoughts shared are related to people and not on the debate of strings vs particles or whatever else you could think of. I am not asking for advice, just curious as to other's thought processes and this is a question I find myself unable to ask about everyone I know as I already know their answer.
For example, earlier this week I found myself in a minor "fight" with someone. This person was striking me, leaving a small mark on my face but nothing too serious as physically they are a smaller person. Point is the entire time all I could do was hold him with my arm, I did not strike but tightened my grip and thought of the situation, after a while we went back inside and I continued to drink some beers :). I do not regret my stance but wonder what could have happened If I was not priding myself on mental discipline.
There are other times, mainly when I feel like relaxing that I find it best to stop and think of people. I begin to think of people I perhaps have not seen or talked to but who were capable of gaining my friendship I usually only have about...1-2 close friends at a time. I then imagine all the ways their life could have panned out from what their state of mind was at the time of our last speaking and I find it stimulating to play these out a variety of ways in one sitting.