Of course you’d see and draw out connections between ADHD and ChatGPT. Reading this made me realize how much more these glorious long essays cost you: it’s way more than childcare and time, important as those are.
I have not been diagnosed, but believe I am (and I have a done who is) and my brain with time and small memory things is much like yours. This was a relief to read. Between that and the PMDD I had most of my adult life (which was brutal) it’s a wonder I got anything done at all. But I did, and of course that was before socials and phone companions. Such a good piece.
This was fascinating and important. Thank you. I hope moving forward we can all have more empathy and understanding that people can experience the world in vastly different ways.
I also love how your brain works! Each newsletter is an adventure down rabbit trails I didn't know I'd been wanting to go down (but then I did). I have been trying to figure out for the last year what flavor of neurospicy my brain might be. I resonate with a lot of elements of what you've written here! Also, the AI-adjacent stuff you've been writing about lately is so interesting. I wish I had more hours in the day for learning everything!
Love this essay. Especially since I happen to both have ADHD myself and to be studying statistics. Let me tell you, stats professors love talking about ChatGPT! So great to hear your different and insightful perspective.
I tried to explain how my brain works to someone yesterday and was screamed at for lecturing... mostly because I think I scared them because they only see things in absolutes, every question needs an answer instead of more questions; no question is rhetorical... I was being intentionally difficult and made them feel stupid. It was not my intent; I was merely trying to explain my brain which works almost exactly like the movie (I forgot the name between reading and clicking in to comment!!) I’ve only learned that I should keep these things to myself... and my journals. While I consider my view out to the world normal, very few people out there do. I continue to just frighten them.
I read Rovelli’s The Order of Time when I was an undergrad studying physics and English at the recommendation of a linguistic professor with whom I’d have the most wonderful “bunny spelunking” conversations. Such an interesting book and the Smurfs! I emailed Rovelli about the Smurfs and the idea of sabotage and he replied. I printed that email and I still have it.
Meg, I started reading your work at some point between when I decided I should get a psychological evaluation to start figuring out if I was a disaster because of ADHD, anxiety, depression, or some combination (spoiler: all 3 plus panic disorder!), and before I started taking Zoloft and Adderall (that window was at least 2 years long because of course it was).
I don't think I had words to describe why I loved your unique voice so much at the time--the chaotic, often unpredictable (but correct!) connections you draw, and the nonlinear logic that sometimes bullseyes your thesis from all directions and sometimes seems to define the thesis by pinpointing every adjacent argument, leaving the key takeaway in the negative space, but in clear relief--but the way you talked about attention and the struggle to see and articulate clearly here capture it beautifully. Thanks for years of wonderful essays!
Thank you for this. One of my children has ADHD, I do not, and I often struggle to understand how my child’s mind functions. I know every person with ADHD experiences it in their own way, but this was illuminating.
I love your beautiful brain—thank you for sharing how it works. ❤️
Of course you’d see and draw out connections between ADHD and ChatGPT. Reading this made me realize how much more these glorious long essays cost you: it’s way more than childcare and time, important as those are.
I have not been diagnosed, but believe I am (and I have a done who is) and my brain with time and small memory things is much like yours. This was a relief to read. Between that and the PMDD I had most of my adult life (which was brutal) it’s a wonder I got anything done at all. But I did, and of course that was before socials and phone companions. Such a good piece.
This was fascinating and important. Thank you. I hope moving forward we can all have more empathy and understanding that people can experience the world in vastly different ways.
I also love how your brain works! Each newsletter is an adventure down rabbit trails I didn't know I'd been wanting to go down (but then I did). I have been trying to figure out for the last year what flavor of neurospicy my brain might be. I resonate with a lot of elements of what you've written here! Also, the AI-adjacent stuff you've been writing about lately is so interesting. I wish I had more hours in the day for learning everything!
I hope the medication shortage abates soon!!
Love this essay. Especially since I happen to both have ADHD myself and to be studying statistics. Let me tell you, stats professors love talking about ChatGPT! So great to hear your different and insightful perspective.
Made me think of this bit, hope it makes you laugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyDpS-GftCk
I tried to explain how my brain works to someone yesterday and was screamed at for lecturing... mostly because I think I scared them because they only see things in absolutes, every question needs an answer instead of more questions; no question is rhetorical... I was being intentionally difficult and made them feel stupid. It was not my intent; I was merely trying to explain my brain which works almost exactly like the movie (I forgot the name between reading and clicking in to comment!!) I’ve only learned that I should keep these things to myself... and my journals. While I consider my view out to the world normal, very few people out there do. I continue to just frighten them.
I read this way too and I've never heard anyone else who does (even fellow ADHDers). Thanks for making me feel seen.
I read Rovelli’s The Order of Time when I was an undergrad studying physics and English at the recommendation of a linguistic professor with whom I’d have the most wonderful “bunny spelunking” conversations. Such an interesting book and the Smurfs! I emailed Rovelli about the Smurfs and the idea of sabotage and he replied. I printed that email and I still have it.
Meg, so happy you are spending this time in NC! What a gift of time this is and I am thrilled for you!
(I know I am commenting on the wrong article, but for some reason substack isn’t letting me comment on the other. This was my workaround)
Meg, I started reading your work at some point between when I decided I should get a psychological evaluation to start figuring out if I was a disaster because of ADHD, anxiety, depression, or some combination (spoiler: all 3 plus panic disorder!), and before I started taking Zoloft and Adderall (that window was at least 2 years long because of course it was).
I don't think I had words to describe why I loved your unique voice so much at the time--the chaotic, often unpredictable (but correct!) connections you draw, and the nonlinear logic that sometimes bullseyes your thesis from all directions and sometimes seems to define the thesis by pinpointing every adjacent argument, leaving the key takeaway in the negative space, but in clear relief--but the way you talked about attention and the struggle to see and articulate clearly here capture it beautifully. Thanks for years of wonderful essays!
Thank you for this. One of my children has ADHD, I do not, and I often struggle to understand how my child’s mind functions. I know every person with ADHD experiences it in their own way, but this was illuminating.