Werner Herzog: “I don’t like the term neurodivergence/ADHD/whatever — it sounds like political correctness”

Werner thinks it's completely normal. Which makes me think someone hasn't been diagnosed yet.

An argument i heard along these lines:

"What is neurodiversity? What is neurotypicality? Because if you're definining a "normal" and a "non-normal" brain, then what datum (baseline) or point of reference do you use to determine who is normal or not?

The answer is productivity and subservience. The neurodiverse person is generally just someone who breaks from the anticipated program, doesn't produce value for an employer ... "

Same guy went on to suggest that ADHD people thrived throughout history when we weren't all tied to such

My thoughts on this are that even if ADHD is "not real" in some way, the help available for it is essential healthcare and should be made available to people anyway. If it is real in a very definite way (e.g an ADHD gene that could be turned on or off) then it should be noted that even non-ADHD people benefit from the psychological and medical help directed towards sufferers of ADHD. So nobody should take our care away.

If ADHD is 'not real' in some way, we are all still suffering those symptoms; smartphone addiction, crippling disconnection, brain fog, exhaustion, difficulty socialising and anxiety. They've gone up more recently, suggesting either than modern times are worse for ADHD people or that ADHD is "not real" and rather the combination of multiple symptoms like these - hence the problem being modern life in general.

So I kind of understand his perspective.

I am an older Millennial so my perspective likely differs from that of a lot of Gen Z / Gen Alpha folks.

I was diagnosed and began treatment when this was still ADD and Vyvanse didn't even exist yet (released 2007 and I still prefer Adderall XR but hey everyone should find their preferred med if you choose to pursue medication as a path to manage your condition)

I don't think ADHD makes one "not normal" - it's a condition to manage with medication, therapy, alternative learning and organizational techniques - similar to how GERD (acid reflex) is managed with medication or diet.

I find that in the TikTok/Reddit era people have decided that conditions can become their entire personality so we have "POTS Warriors" and "ADHDers" (or even more cringe "ADHDSters") as if having a condition makes one part of a special club and is something on which to dwell and focus constantly by consuming content and participating in spaces related to that condition.

ADHD already lends itself to becoming intensely interested in certain things (for a while...then not so much and on to the next thing haha!) but that isn't a bad thing nor is it abnormal - it's very much normal if you have ADHD.

ADHD is part of my life like my acid reflux, like the bad foot I have from a childhood break that never healed quite correctly leaving me with a slightlly weird gait when I run - I am glad there is information about all of these things online but none of them makes me abnormal no do I seek to be part of a club to talk about these conditions endlessly - there's too much else to do in life to make this a large part of my personality. I would never say "OMG guys I belched at a dinner tonight right in front of everyone because of my reflux what a GERD moment so glad for my fellow GERDIES who get me!" - no, I would a) try not to do that because it's rude regardless of my medical condition or b) simply apologize and move on.

I understand how the term neurodivergent appeals to some people in the era of wanting to form community and be unique when everyone is online consuming the same content but it also implies we are fundamentally totally different from everyone else and that's simply not true - we have some traits that are different and that we manage or don't but everyone to some degree has something going on.

When I read stories about people needing "support stuffies" or who say things like "my Crocs are my ADHD self-care" I wonder if we have the same condition because a stuffed animal and fugly plastic shoes adorned with cheap trinkets made in China don't do anything for ADHD but medication, therapy, and learning to accept yourself as your own normal certainly do.

This will get downvoted to hell but I am fine with that. And yes, Crocs are fugly.

what a nothing burger

I don't like the term cervical cancer. It feels like political correctness.

That's what this sounds like. ADHD is a neurological condition. It's a medical condition. What even.

It’s like we (humanity) are clustering similar symptoms until specific patterns emerge that forward our ability towards treatment… like modern viral theory.

It is a political term. Is used as a way of self organizing.