Thought experiment:
If the world was going to get reconfigured in 2026 for maximum benefit to people with ADHD, what would it look like?
Thought experiment:
If the world was going to get reconfigured in 2026 for maximum benefit to people with ADHD, what would it look like?
It might be an exploratory nomadic hunter-gather society that has predators and enemies day and night.
A study analyzed DNA of Neanderthals along with contemporary and prehistoric humans. They found ADHD associated alleles were on genes essential to development before the stone age, but selective pressure has decreased the frequency since then. PMC7248073
Another study on tribes examined an ADHD gene mutation that affects dopamine receptors. In the nomadic tribe, those with the mutation had better social standing and nourishment. In the sedentary tribe, those with the same mutation were malnourished, distracted, and regarded as unreliable by their peers. PMC2440754
A third study found ADHD participants collected more berries with more exploring. Non-ADHD participants collected less berries, spent more time trying to deplete bushes, with less time exploring. PMC10878810
Those are really intresting studies. It’s quite something to think about my cycle of getting bored and starting a new hobby or trying something different as an essential life skill of a nomadic forager. Not like those slow, obsessive types, who lag behind trying to pick a bush to the bone before moving on.
This is pretty depressing, and believable.
I wonder what the equivalent would be in a modern industrialised society? Private investigator maybe? ‘Nighthawk’ detectorist?
Various freelance / project based work would probably come close. I know that jobs with short deadlines and big changes of focus have been manageable, while I’ve never lasted long with regular week after week of ongoing or repetitive tasks. Stuff like theatre / arts projects, or even some types of construction involves working really hard for a couple of weeks until something is achieved, and then doing something different.
My current job teaching at a university almost hits the sweet spot, because I only ever work six weeks before some sort of holiday, and there’s big vacations in between semesters. But coordiating the same class over a 12 week semester, even with a half term week off in the middle, is a big challenge to my willpower. About halfway through I start to check out and everything starts to fall apart.