I feel that neurodiverse is the best option out neurodivergent and non-neurotypical which both have a potentially negative connotation.
It is natural of humans to catagorize things, and this is no different.
I am aspie, and work with several NDs of various flavours, I view it much like most words, a word which is able to convey quick information, but not all encompassing information. Whilst everyone is free to have emotional connections to different words, I feel most NDs I know use it positively.
There are neurodivergent people who are not “mentally disabled” at all.
There are many of us who have no diagnosis, but we know we process thoughts differently. We have different coping techniques.
No, there will never be a word to describe that will not end up offending someone.
It is, however, nicer now that we can talk about it in a good environment like iNat.
I think a lot of folks, personally impacted or not, think like I do… that these “differences” may well be a superpower.
This doesn’t really need to be continued and I respect your perspective, I just want to clarify.
I am disagreeing that it is a euphemism, "substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant"
I believe the words describe different things and that neurodiverse acknowledges that it can be a positive/neutral thing for many people and not inherently negative and while technically I have “mental disability” I don’t view it as such.
Not to get off topic but the case of disabled vs differently abled is a better fit for a euphemism example, although that is a whole new can of worms.
As in any trait subject to natural selection (which neurodiversity is), whether it is a superpower or a lethal variant depends on the environment. A bear born with white fur may be considered to have a superpower if it can access a snow-covered environment and evolve into a polar bear; but if it lives in the jungles of India like a sloth bear, it probably won’t last long.
As popular as it is nowadays to think of our neurodiversity as “a net positive,” I have a hard time seeing it as such when I factor in its effects on fitness components such as my ability to support myself independently and find a mate.
Yes! I experience “Grapheme–color synesthesia”. I found your (now 4+ year old) post when checking to see if there was a synesthesia topic already on the forum, after reading some objections to the color-related topics some of us have been enjoying here.
For whatever reason, I seem built to really enjoy color. When my years ago youthful dream of continuing to study Art by majoring in it in college was nixed (from a well-intended, parental/protective position), I went with another favorite interest and got a degree in Foreign Language, and then went on to Linguistics. Thinking about that in this context, I guess that was a work-around of sorts - keeping a connection to color through my experience of it in words and numbers.
I share your feelings regarding music being on while trying to do (in my case specifically mental) tasks - for me it’s fine to have it on when doing physical work/tasks.
This is an interesting topic. I relate to a lot of what I’ve seen here (lots still to read!). For now I have to chime in with @jnstuart:
Oliver Sacks is/was one of my favorite authors (he is now deceased, but still a favorite). I recommend all of his books, but I’ll call out specifically The Island of the Colorblind here. It shares not only another way our fellow humans experience the world perhaps differently from ourselves in “Book I, The Island of the Colorblind”, but then it goes on to “Book II, Cycad Island”, tying in some of his botanical interests.
Thanks for this interesting topic overall, and the refreshing change from always feeling called out for being “other”, which is exhausting.
Some level of emotional state to colour synesthesia is hard wired into the human brain, think feeling blue, seeing red or green with envy.
I think everyone was born with full synesthesia. Whoever found it amusing as a child and thought it was normal as a teen, carried it over into adulthood and the rest gradually lost it growing up. A result of brain plasticity that Sacks often referred to.
I found during eye excercises that the red that I see with my left eye is a different colour than the red I see with the right. Still red, just different. I guess this is how I get depth vision because my right eye is shortsighted.
BTW looking at the surroundings with one eye covered gives a different experience than looking at the same with the other eye covered. Try it.
In order to say that this is hard wired rather than culturally learned, it would be necessary to show that the same associations hold across cultures. To some extent they might – the combination of red and black, black and yellow, or all three is common on danger signs, for example. This might even be an evolutionary synapomorphy, as these colors are also common in warning coloration of toxic or otherwise harmful organisms (think of wasps, for instance).
I have always assumed those were merely figures of speech, with no actual connection to colors. I personally have never had an inherent association between feelings and colors
The iris reflects emotional states, can show more or less or even different colour.
Colour perception also changes.
Skin can turn paler or blush.
The meaning or any message associated with colours is learned, or mostly so.
The body’s expression of emotional states like change of blood supply to skin and iris size are shared.
I wonder if the mods want to move this colour discussion to the thread above? Although I do see the connection with neurodiversity as well.
While many cultures see black as the color of death, many others see it as the color of life, due to its association with fertile soils.
The colour of mourning maybe black or white.
Or ?
I’ve been hyper fixated on recently extinct species since like late 2021 and I love learning more about them, and what we can do to stop other species from facing the same fate. I even have a list of all the recently extinct species I’ve seen specimens of. I’ve also loved nature in general since I was little.
An article in the current issue of Sierra Magazine mentions the iNatualist project, “Neurodivergent Naturalists.” Neurodivergent People Find Solace in Wild Places | Sierra Club It was written by a person with ADHD.
i have ADHD and autism and an iq of 132 at age 13
Hi neurodivergent naturalists! I am writing here because I think this is the best place to announce my new project dedicated to gifted people (which I belong to)! I would be glad if anyone will join :).
Link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/gifted-naturalists
That’s a very good way of putting it. The “superpower” argument always feels a bit patronizing to me; while I can appreciate some ways that I have harnessed my adhd for good in my entomological work it also has made me nearly blow up my career on several occasions and has also caused those closest to me a substantial amount of pain because of my forgetfulness and distraction. I would trade it in a heartbeat if it meant not inadvertently hurting those I love so much.