The neurodiversity definitions are largely the reason I left my last job as the company was at the forefront of promulgating these definitions. The lead scientist in my department presented a slide with a graphic saying personality, behaviour and cognition are all types of neurodiversity which of course everyone agreed with (there was a product to sell). I did challenge him on it saying he is basically hoodwinking people, and this was completely unscientific. Subsequently, the company started recording if people had a “neurodiversity” or believed they had a neurodiversity- trying to thingify neologisms.
We measured cognition using psychometric tests assessing constructs like working memory, executive function, visual perception and then offered support to people who scored below one standard deviation. I actually have no problem with this kind of testing (we followed a model to base the constructs on which was valid more than most things in psychology) and it did help people who struggled in educational environments- moving away from the idea of typical IQ testing as single number and Charles Murray’s ideas from the The Bell Curve.
The problem for me was when cognitive “conditions” such as dyslexia became conflated with psychiatric conditions (ADHD and autism the most popular) based on cognition. Thus, people with certain types of measured cognition had such cognition associated with their condition/diagnosis (autism or ADHD etc) and now came under the meaningless neurodiverse umbrella, which of course they embraced as it sounds a lot nicer and comforting than mental illness/disorder/personality disorder. There are numerous papers on this which result in employers specifically screening for applicants who have ADHD as the way their cognition is (due to their ADHD) is most suitable for the type of job.
The ND terms are of course bullshit, but it is comforting bullshit with a kernel of truth about cognition (people do think and learn in different ways). However, it’s reliance on psychiatric conditions bogs it down in circularity (why are you ND- because of the way I think and behave. Why do you think and behave in that way- because I am ND).
There is a huge political drive behind this as well- after all who doesn’t want a more equitable and diverse society (including neurodiversity). However, I’ve had more than my two cents worth, so I’ll stop here.
Excellent commentary, more so because of your "lived experience" of seeing this stuff applied in industry. A paper which broaches the subject of medicalisation will be of interest:
Is a pity how much time is wasted in finding no real solutions to improve human lives...
What is happening to people?
Does universities and colleges downgrade the human brain to puppets and idiotic minds? So sad! 😥
All that time and effort could make earth a paradise!
Why is do difficult to understand that the model of society we are living is the main factor for what people are presenting?
.. Since when our brains are designed for repetitive work for hours and weeks and months and years?
Since when we do not have a soul that needs time to find its path? Is impossible with how the system works!
What can be expected from our children developing in enviorments that promotes selfishness, does not allow analytical thinking and destroy the priorities in life?
Since when the human being exist to be only productive on the economical sense?
Why this continuos fomenting on hate, homophobia between humans?
All those simple factors are part of us, is still a miracle that some people are not experiencing "mental issues" 🧐👀
What happens to human beings? How can be so difficult to understand that we are not isolated "cells" that we depend in each other to continue our existence? Slavery is the way to destroy human existence, so many have come to this world and their teachings have been misused under the disguise of religion that is so hard to understand the most simple issue in our existence as species, "to care for each being created is not goodness is a need for our own well-being"... Definitely we are mind control.... I believe in miracles otherwise you and me and a few others will not exist.
Speaking about the need for each of us to have basic needs covers independently of our capacities to achieve it, points most of the time to "comunism ideology" (not speaking about countries labeled comunist ) which implies for some people supporting the WEF, which to my understanding is based on "capitalism ideology" people should have what they can pay for...
For sure in a society that basic needs are cover and there is space for social and spiritual grow where we can all have access to a decent live, and people can discuss their opinions to achieve even a better existence not much "mental illness" could exist, I guess utopia is the first step to achieve what seems only a dream.. May G_d help us to see the light to the end of the tunnel..
The other explanation on why humanity is going like this for millennium is that most of us are really mind controlled therefore we cannot understand mind freedom.. I prefer to be wrong 🤔
My views on "why humanity is going like this for millennium" are here:
McLaren N (2023): Narcisso-Fascism: The psychopathology of right wing extremism.
(Available on Amazon, I can't put a link in Comments section).
The critical point is this: We are hard-wired to try to dominate each other. The question is how to control it, not how best to conceal it and pretend it isn't there.
The neurodiversity definitions are largely the reason I left my last job as the company was at the forefront of promulgating these definitions. The lead scientist in my department presented a slide with a graphic saying personality, behaviour and cognition are all types of neurodiversity which of course everyone agreed with (there was a product to sell). I did challenge him on it saying he is basically hoodwinking people, and this was completely unscientific. Subsequently, the company started recording if people had a “neurodiversity” or believed they had a neurodiversity- trying to thingify neologisms.
We measured cognition using psychometric tests assessing constructs like working memory, executive function, visual perception and then offered support to people who scored below one standard deviation. I actually have no problem with this kind of testing (we followed a model to base the constructs on which was valid more than most things in psychology) and it did help people who struggled in educational environments- moving away from the idea of typical IQ testing as single number and Charles Murray’s ideas from the The Bell Curve.
The problem for me was when cognitive “conditions” such as dyslexia became conflated with psychiatric conditions (ADHD and autism the most popular) based on cognition. Thus, people with certain types of measured cognition had such cognition associated with their condition/diagnosis (autism or ADHD etc) and now came under the meaningless neurodiverse umbrella, which of course they embraced as it sounds a lot nicer and comforting than mental illness/disorder/personality disorder. There are numerous papers on this which result in employers specifically screening for applicants who have ADHD as the way their cognition is (due to their ADHD) is most suitable for the type of job.
The ND terms are of course bullshit, but it is comforting bullshit with a kernel of truth about cognition (people do think and learn in different ways). However, it’s reliance on psychiatric conditions bogs it down in circularity (why are you ND- because of the way I think and behave. Why do you think and behave in that way- because I am ND).
There is a huge political drive behind this as well- after all who doesn’t want a more equitable and diverse society (including neurodiversity). However, I’ve had more than my two cents worth, so I’ll stop here.
Excellent commentary, more so because of your "lived experience" of seeing this stuff applied in industry. A paper which broaches the subject of medicalisation will be of interest:
Roberts, A: (2023) The biopsychosocial model: Its use and abuse. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-023-10150-2
This is a hugely important topic, I'm trying to work on it but it's an uphill battle. See quote by Upton Sinclair on this thread.
👏👏👏Thank you again for your post.
I will share in my humble telegram once more!
Is a pity how much time is wasted in finding no real solutions to improve human lives...
What is happening to people?
Does universities and colleges downgrade the human brain to puppets and idiotic minds? So sad! 😥
All that time and effort could make earth a paradise!
Why is do difficult to understand that the model of society we are living is the main factor for what people are presenting?
.. Since when our brains are designed for repetitive work for hours and weeks and months and years?
Since when we do not have a soul that needs time to find its path? Is impossible with how the system works!
What can be expected from our children developing in enviorments that promotes selfishness, does not allow analytical thinking and destroy the priorities in life?
Since when the human being exist to be only productive on the economical sense?
Why this continuos fomenting on hate, homophobia between humans?
All those simple factors are part of us, is still a miracle that some people are not experiencing "mental issues" 🧐👀
"Why is do difficult to understand that the model of society we are living is the main factor for what people are presenting?"
Upton Sinclair: "It's difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
What happens to human beings? How can be so difficult to understand that we are not isolated "cells" that we depend in each other to continue our existence? Slavery is the way to destroy human existence, so many have come to this world and their teachings have been misused under the disguise of religion that is so hard to understand the most simple issue in our existence as species, "to care for each being created is not goodness is a need for our own well-being"... Definitely we are mind control.... I believe in miracles otherwise you and me and a few others will not exist.
Speaking about the need for each of us to have basic needs covers independently of our capacities to achieve it, points most of the time to "comunism ideology" (not speaking about countries labeled comunist ) which implies for some people supporting the WEF, which to my understanding is based on "capitalism ideology" people should have what they can pay for...
For sure in a society that basic needs are cover and there is space for social and spiritual grow where we can all have access to a decent live, and people can discuss their opinions to achieve even a better existence not much "mental illness" could exist, I guess utopia is the first step to achieve what seems only a dream.. May G_d help us to see the light to the end of the tunnel..
The other explanation on why humanity is going like this for millennium is that most of us are really mind controlled therefore we cannot understand mind freedom.. I prefer to be wrong 🤔
My views on "why humanity is going like this for millennium" are here:
McLaren N (2023): Narcisso-Fascism: The psychopathology of right wing extremism.
(Available on Amazon, I can't put a link in Comments section).
The critical point is this: We are hard-wired to try to dominate each other. The question is how to control it, not how best to conceal it and pretend it isn't there.