How much of our consciousness is formed in our arts? If you wish to find them, there are plenty of novels and films that are contemplative in nature, some are little more than conversations. But those are niche products. Show, don’t tell, is the mantra of cinema. Audiences wish to be dropped into the action immediately.
This empowers the active over the contemplative. While it’s true we’d all be bored to tears hearing everyone drone on like Hamlet—few have his wit and erudition—must we be led by people who do nothing but react to the world around them, never taking time to consider alternate points of view or how others might react?
Writing is an action. Thinking is an action. Our world says it wants action, but it really wants twitches and impulses. It wants to treat the world like a video game, except without all of the restarts. But it’s only the restarts that make video games possible. Force everyone to play through without being scathed and, suddenly, they’d have to think.