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So to call ADHD defective is definitely a huge problem. It ignores any and all advantages of having brain differences. I saw a study a few years back that sugge

So to call ADHD defective is definitely a huge problem. It ignores any and all advantages of having brain differences. I saw a study a few years back that suggest ADD was highly correlated with the ability to focus under intense short term pressure. It’s very possible that this is an actual genetic tradeoff, the ability to think and act under pressure is a hugely valuable skill to society, so who cares if a person can’t help but chase butterflies the rest of the time? I think the bigger problem we have as a society is that we don’t do a good enough job identifying people’s strengths and finding ways to leverage them while downplaying their weaknesses. It’s something that I think exceptional managers do with their teams, but I suspect is a rare skill.

Mirioron 7y ago
There is a theory that maybe ADHD is an evolutionary adaptation. Being distracted by small things could be quite useful for a hunter, because they're more likely to notice wild animals. As far as I know though, this is just a theory. >so who cares if a person can’t help but chase butterflies the rest of the time? Because chasing butterflies is not useful. A person whose interests change all the time is unlikely to become very good at a specific skill or even if they do become good at it, they won't use it to its full extent, because they will be off chasing butterflies. That also doesn't solve the non-economic problems such as relationships. A person with ADHD is less likely to keep their relationships healthy.