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.
I have ADHD and work in theatre. It really is a perfect workplace for me, because (as you stated) it has me working on one project for a while, then pivoting to something new as soon as the show is done. I started in the tech and stagehand side of things, but now I’m in event planning.
Every single event has different needs, which means it’s consistently engaging even when it’s simple paperwork. Going from a dance show, to an orchestra, to a musical, to a rock concert, etc… Each has their own specific needs. Even for shows of the same type. Different musicals have vastly different needs. Different rock concerts have vastly different needs. Etc… They may be working off of the same starting point with common similarities, but the end result will be very different.
It also has hard deadlines. Imagine needing to do a presentation for a corporate job, but instead of PowerPoint in a meeting room, it is an audience of 1600. Those deadlines don’t wait, which means I’m consistently pressured to have my shit done on time. There is no “just turn your homework in a day late for 10% off” or “sorry boss I’m feeling sick, (I procrastinated too long and need an extra day to finish the project), can we do the meeting tomorrow instead?” People paid to see the show on a specific day and time.
Does it get monotonous sometimes? Yes. When I’m in my fourth production meeting that could have been an email, because the director wanted to ensure we were all on the same page with her vision for the show, I just want to crawl out the window. But the end result is always worth it. I’m fond of saying “we make important days”, because my regular boring Wednesday at the office will translate into someone’s most important day of the year. It will be the day that parents get to see their little girl on stage in a tutu for the first time. It will be the day that a musician gets to play in front of their family and friends. It will be someone’s first date. It will be the day that someone has been planning for a year or more. And that moment of anxiety when the audience lights go down and the main curtain raises is always a great dopamine hit when the show kicks off.