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Agree with everything you said except for this last bit: > If you're a football player or a film director, add drugs probably won't do much. It's obviously no

Agree with everything you said except for this last bit: > If you're a football player or a film director, add drugs probably won't do much. It's obviously not a useful data point, but my own personal experience is that my physical endurance is greatly increased on the days I've taken my Adderall prescription. If you read up on amphetamines, it's pretty interesting. They known to provide significant physical enhancement in a number of dimensions. The trick is keeping the user from developing a physical dependence.

dalbasal 8y ago
Interesting. It's been a long time for me, but I don't recall those sorts of effects. What I meant was that the importance of concentration (or really any drug-enhanced something) varies a lot by activity. You might be add-as-hell, but in your daily life that's fine. OTOH, you might be "neurotypical" but up to something where any enhancement is felt.
- Macross8299 8y ago
  >What I meant was that the importance of concentration (or really any drug-enhanced something) varies a lot by activity. I think it's important not to undersell the universal utility of focus. Even if you ignore the obvious physical advantages afforded by PED-stimulant drugs, like decreased reaction time or increased endurance. If you model decision making in a zero-sum adverserial context like football or chess as an OODA loop[1], then a drug that decreases your processing time and decision making time is going to grant you an advantage by shortening that OODA loop. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop
Aromasin 8y ago
Just to add another data point, I also felt like my physical performance in the gym was greatly enhanced during days I used Modafinil, to the point where I would schedule my Mod days with when I did a leg workout in the gym (which I otherwise despised). I've discussed this with friends and they all also agree. It could well be placebo, but that's not to say it still isn't an effective training enhancer.

dalbasal 8y ago

Interesting. It's been a long time for me, but I don't recall those sorts of effects. What I meant was that the importance of concentration (or really any drug-enhanced something) varies a lot by activity. You might be add-as-hell, but in your daily life that's fine. OTOH, you might be "neurotypical" but up to something where any enhancement is felt.

Macross8299 8y ago
>What I meant was that the importance of concentration (or really any drug-enhanced something) varies a lot by activity. I think it's important not to undersell the universal utility of focus. Even if you ignore the obvious physical advantages afforded by PED-stimulant drugs, like decreased reaction time or increased endurance. If you model decision making in a zero-sum adverserial context like football or chess as an OODA loop[1], then a drug that decreases your processing time and decision making time is going to grant you an advantage by shortening that OODA loop. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop

Aromasin 8y ago

Just to add another data point, I also felt like my physical performance in the gym was greatly enhanced during days I used Modafinil, to the point where I would schedule my Mod days with when I did a leg workout in the gym (which I otherwise despised). I've discussed this with friends and they all also agree. It could well be placebo, but that's not to say it still isn't an effective training enhancer.