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There are already some research hinting that ADHD in human population helped human civilization progress. [0][1] [0]: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/ev

There are already some research hinting that ADHD in human population helped human civilization progress. [0][1] [0]: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/evolution https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/evolution [1]: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/21/adhd-may-have-been-an-evolutionary-advantage-research-suggests https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/21/adhd-may-hav...

swayvil 2y ago
All the great inventions, great art, great ideas. ADHD. Nobody else has the focus. In ancient times the Raja Yogis (basically wizards) preferred to recruit from those with ADHD. They called them "habitually one-pointed".
- patcon 2y ago
  Wouldn't "habitually one-pointed" people be very focussed, rather than distracted? Or is the idea that a very distracted person being honed into a focussed and aware person is a duality that's valued -- able to live in both worlds? (Rather than a very focussed person being taught to be distracted and highly integrative?)
  - swayvil 2y ago
    I know. But I'm told they're calling "Aspergers" ADHD now. And the brittleness that comes with habitual focus looks like massive distraction. I mean you've got these guys who can focus to the point of magic, but one push and they crack. And we're borrowing somebody else's terminology anyway. So don't expect precision.
    - cromulent 2y ago
      As someone who has both diagnoses late in life (autistic/Aspergers and ADHD), they explained it to me as different things. The ADHD wants to respond to stimulus, the autism wants to resist it and impose order. One at a time is fine. If they both activate, then the result is massive stress.
      - patcon 2y ago
        I have ADHD and dated someone with AuDHD who I cared for deeply (read lots of books about the neurotype and implications on our relationship). your explanation was very clear and helpful. Wish I'd heard it explained so clearly at the time :) thanks!
    - insonable 2y ago
      I think you mean it's called ASD or has been rolled into ASD now? ADHD is more of a set of regulation issues than a set of social-cues issues, but I'm oversimplifying.
  - insonable 2y ago
    It's a different sort of focus than mainstream, where there's not what a "normal" person would call regulation. So lots of hyperfocus on topics that interest, and little on what others might think is required or needed (which would look like distraction if the person were forced/compelled to focus on things they're not interested in).
    - godelski 2y ago
      That's a good way to put it. Though ADHD can also have high focus and then "fuck it I don't care anymore I'm all about x now" lol. But I think you're right about the characterization of distraction. For example in my undergrad I might not do my physics homework but I'm not playing videogames or something I'd do things like trying to use that same physics to program simulations or try to solve other problems that were more interesting to me. Or used that time to teach myself programming, Linux, or other types of math that weren't being taught. It's both a distraction and not. But at first I was very confused at what you were suggesting.
- __rito__ 2y ago
  I have read much about Yogic traditions, and always thought that people with ADHDs are particularly well-suited for spiritual progress as laid down in core texts and aligned literature. > In ancient times the Raja Yogis (basically wizards) preferred to recruit from those with ADHD. They called them "habitually one-pointed". I never knew this. Can you please site some sources/supporting literature? I would like to read much more about this. Another thing I thought- to be an Advaita Vedantin, to see God in everything (both 'data' and 'code' of everything), one benefits from ADHD, as such person will have expertise or knowledge in many areas. This is helpful, if not required to see an emerging "grand pattern" in things. Also, if you have somewhat deep knowledge of each school of thoughts of Indian Philosophy, you also begin to see patterns, and get all these divisions are illusory and limited. And hence Bhagavad Gita 4.11.
  - swayvil 2y ago
    >Can you please site some... I think I read it in Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga". I'm more of a Zennist. Thought and knowledge are overrated. Study and cultivation of awareness is where it's at.
    - tasuki 2y ago
      > Thought and knowledge are overrated. Study and cultivation of awareness is where it's at. This comment really hit me. Like most here, I live in a culture centered around thought and knowledge. I think I've always kind of known awareness was important, but never tried to compare its importance vs thought and knowledge so directly.
      - __rito__ 2y ago
        Thoughts and knowledge are part of the illusion according to many schools of Indian philosophy. I last read it in Ramana Maharshi's book. I also read the same in Zen koans when Hofstadter wanted to push the same in GEB. I think I also got the same impression from ZMM.
cromulent 2y ago
For sure. We need all types. ADHD people would have been naturally de-selected otherwise. I submitted your [1] here back then, conversation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39451173 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39451173

swayvil 2y ago

All the great inventions, great art, great ideas. ADHD. Nobody else has the focus. In ancient times the Raja Yogis (basically wizards) preferred to recruit from those with ADHD. They called them "habitually one-pointed".

patcon 2y ago
Wouldn't "habitually one-pointed" people be very focussed, rather than distracted? Or is the idea that a very distracted person being honed into a focussed and aware person is a duality that's valued -- able to live in both worlds? (Rather than a very focussed person being taught to be distracted and highly integrative?)
- swayvil 2y ago
  I know. But I'm told they're calling "Aspergers" ADHD now. And the brittleness that comes with habitual focus looks like massive distraction. I mean you've got these guys who can focus to the point of magic, but one push and they crack. And we're borrowing somebody else's terminology anyway. So don't expect precision.
  - cromulent 2y ago
    As someone who has both diagnoses late in life (autistic/Aspergers and ADHD), they explained it to me as different things. The ADHD wants to respond to stimulus, the autism wants to resist it and impose order. One at a time is fine. If they both activate, then the result is massive stress.
    - patcon 2y ago
      I have ADHD and dated someone with AuDHD who I cared for deeply (read lots of books about the neurotype and implications on our relationship). your explanation was very clear and helpful. Wish I'd heard it explained so clearly at the time :) thanks!
  - insonable 2y ago
    I think you mean it's called ASD or has been rolled into ASD now? ADHD is more of a set of regulation issues than a set of social-cues issues, but I'm oversimplifying.
- insonable 2y ago
  It's a different sort of focus than mainstream, where there's not what a "normal" person would call regulation. So lots of hyperfocus on topics that interest, and little on what others might think is required or needed (which would look like distraction if the person were forced/compelled to focus on things they're not interested in).
  - godelski 2y ago
    That's a good way to put it. Though ADHD can also have high focus and then "fuck it I don't care anymore I'm all about x now" lol. But I think you're right about the characterization of distraction. For example in my undergrad I might not do my physics homework but I'm not playing videogames or something I'd do things like trying to use that same physics to program simulations or try to solve other problems that were more interesting to me. Or used that time to teach myself programming, Linux, or other types of math that weren't being taught. It's both a distraction and not. But at first I was very confused at what you were suggesting.
__rito__ 2y ago
I have read much about Yogic traditions, and always thought that people with ADHDs are particularly well-suited for spiritual progress as laid down in core texts and aligned literature. > In ancient times the Raja Yogis (basically wizards) preferred to recruit from those with ADHD. They called them "habitually one-pointed". I never knew this. Can you please site some sources/supporting literature? I would like to read much more about this. Another thing I thought- to be an Advaita Vedantin, to see God in everything (both 'data' and 'code' of everything), one benefits from ADHD, as such person will have expertise or knowledge in many areas. This is helpful, if not required to see an emerging "grand pattern" in things. Also, if you have somewhat deep knowledge of each school of thoughts of Indian Philosophy, you also begin to see patterns, and get all these divisions are illusory and limited. And hence Bhagavad Gita 4.11.
- swayvil 2y ago
  >Can you please site some... I think I read it in Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga". I'm more of a Zennist. Thought and knowledge are overrated. Study and cultivation of awareness is where it's at.
  - tasuki 2y ago
    > Thought and knowledge are overrated. Study and cultivation of awareness is where it's at. This comment really hit me. Like most here, I live in a culture centered around thought and knowledge. I think I've always kind of known awareness was important, but never tried to compare its importance vs thought and knowledge so directly.
    - __rito__ 2y ago
      Thoughts and knowledge are part of the illusion according to many schools of Indian philosophy. I last read it in Ramana Maharshi's book. I also read the same in Zen koans when Hofstadter wanted to push the same in GEB. I think I also got the same impression from ZMM.

cromulent 2y ago

For sure. We need all types. ADHD people would have been naturally de-selected otherwise. I submitted your [1] here back then, conversation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39451173 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39451173