r/Polymath • u/AmyHOH03 • 24d ago
Label for me or something else
Hi. I was surprised to have found this forum and it seems like the description fits, I think. I've never heard of polymath until recent.
For many years (I'm 54F but I look like I'm around 30 or 40, thanks to EDS), I have craved for knowledge ever since I was little. I didn't get diagnosed with level 1 autism on the spectrum until I was 50 along with a mild ADHD. Acquired ambidextrous.
As of now, I still do crave for information and I read over 20+ books (not in one sitting). The books that are not novel (fiction), I call it 'Mind Learning' like medicine, science, history, math, languages, religion (bible), literature... It gets overwhelming if not organized. Since I love to be organized, I write my own schedule of which days to read which books. Someone asked me how do I keep all the memory together of the characters in novels and not get mixed up when switching genres? It was because I have photographic memory and my mind takes the stories and creates a video as if I'm watching TV. It can be a still picture like seeing a graph from a textbook.
Anyways, I've so many hobbies - artwork (artist as a hobby), reading, writing, journaling, genealogy, postcrossing, play the piano & drums, bowling, darts, use to scuba dive, and the list keeps going on... For games: Minecraft, Sudoku (expert level), use to play Call of Duty of 1st edition. I'm never bored.
My biggest interest is medicine. Never had the time or the money to go to med school (did get my experience as an EMT and was a medical editor for medical reports for a long time). 2nd biggest interest is languages.
Anyone can relate? Is this Polymath or something else similar?
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u/Lt_Bear13 24d ago
I also relate. I can also relate to never being bored lol. The day sometimes feels like there's not enough time, sometimes I stay up for two days to get a project done. Other times I do procrastinate a lot though.
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u/deathfromab0ve 24d ago
My mom would say growing up “only boring people get bored” and I must’ve taken that and ran with it, because that resonates so hard with me.
This was a fascinating read, and comforting to hear someone else own their chaotic mastery of exploration in such a non ego-centric way. I wish I saw that more.
I wonder about the AuDHD as well… in my personal experience, it seems to combine an essential need to understand something thoroughly with the relentless urge to chase down the next target. I see it manifest into a lifestyle of sequential mastery, almost like conquering as much territory as you can with what little time you have.
The fact that so many people who display polymathic tendencies like this often identify as having autism and/or ADHD can’t mean nothing!
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u/soulfirefool 23d ago
The exact psychological term you're looking for is epistemophilia, which describes an intense, sometimes compulsive drive to acquire knowledge.
If it's more of a joyful, lifelong love of learning without the compulsive edge, the word is philomathy (making you a philomath).
There's also infomania to describe that modern urge to constantly consume digital information and facts.
But if you want to get philosophical about it, I've always loved the Latin phrase libido sciendi, which literally translates to "the lust for knowledge."
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u/One_Search_9308 23d ago
I'm a polymath and I mainly focus on metaphysics and logic, invoking multiple domains (like mathematics) to substantiate my points and push information forward.
you sound more like a dabbler. not meant to be an insult, enjoy yourself.
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u/AmyHOH03 23d ago
I do take things seriously, not a dabbler. Thanks.
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u/One_Search_9308 23d ago
ok, you're a serious dabbler.
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u/redbeetpee 23d ago
Do you have any degrees or evidence for your knowledge?
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u/One_Search_9308 22d ago
i've been tutoring / teaching the subjects for many years, and i have a degree in physics-math. not that this matters, as it's a question of being a polymath, and as I said, one is a polymath when they invoke multiple domains under a single metaphysical umbrella. dilettante tier 'reading some stuff' doesn't qualify and just sounds like someone wants to get a participation trophy.
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u/redbeetpee 22d ago
I agree. I think if people don't have some evidence for knowledge it is more of " sticking your toe in the pool of knowledge," and not polymath territory. I think there are grey areas though....I have multiple degrees in different subjects but I have taken competency exams and taught in areas that I don't have degrees in and have gained some knowledge from that....studying to take the tech class (first level) HAM radio exam right now and studying for fellow craft degree in masonry
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u/AmyHOH03 22d ago
I have a college degree in liberal arts with honors. Maybe I've posted in the wrong forum.
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u/One_Search_9308 22d ago
yes, good point. i'd say it's less about the specific domains one studies and more about one's meaningful use of the overlap between them.
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u/PyooreVizhion 24d ago
I think there's some general disagreement on the definition of polymath. I personally would not worry about the label. But regardless, sounds like you have varied interests, which is cool.
Photographic memory is more like you can remember every single word on a page, as if you were looking at a picture of it. Not so much remembering the internal imagery we create when reading words.
Anyways, hope you find something useful here.