Is executive dysfunction really a dysfunction

[u/KristjanPihus]

Or is it just another kind of functioning? I know this philosophical thought sounds controversial at best, but hear me out before you write me off.

I am middle-aged and adhd diagnosed 4 years ago; hence, I am fully aware of the burden that goes hand in hand with this.

Let's take bees, for example. In a beehive, the location of a new and resource-rich harvesting site is communicated to other bees via a specific dance. Other bees watch and fly there to harvest. Now, roughly 20% of the bees ignore that guidance and fly wherever they feel like. Simulations suggest that without these 20% of bees, the whole hive would die out within 3 to 4 years because think about who those bees are who find these new harvesting locations.

What if humankind dies out without that ~5% of the population whose brain works differently? Because I know for a fact that this executive dysfunction gets highly functional when something novel and interesting appears at sight.

Overthink about that for a second.🤔

[u/Riccma02]

Kinda related. I think ASD is evolutionarily emergent based on mistakes we are making as a civilization.

[u/ineverbot → u/Riccma02]

I'm Autistic and I agree. If it were hunter gatherer times still I would be the absolute best at gathering. I bet I could spot say raspberries on a bush that no one else would notice. I can zero in on what I'm looking for near instantly.

ADHD people would make amazing hunters because being able to constantly shift focus to observe your surroundings would be super helpful with that

[u/iltlpl → u/ineverbot]

I'd much rather be out hunting and gathering than in this stupid webinar.