Oh Gayle, you are the loveliest. Thank you for reading. I think we’ll all be thinking about thinking a lot as AI becomes more entrenched in our lives. I am so eager to see what we come up with as we grapple with new forms of cognition. I am worried but I am also hopeful, you know?
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.
Julie! PMDD too! I’m so sorry. It’s so hard to get good reproductive health care. I know because of my endometriosis journey. Thank you so much for being here.
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.
Thank you so much! I really do have to constantly work on that kind of empathy, for myself and others. It’s hard to remember that reality is in some measure different for everyone.
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!
Neurospicy! I love that! I really love the idea of being like a guide for rabbit hole exploration?! What would that be called? A bunny spelunker? Thank you so much for being here with me as I chase down one weird obsession after another.
I love it so much. And bunny spelunker 🤣 I’m also going to have to use that phrase to my husband when I explain why I couldn’t hear what he was saying to me because my mind was busy chasing rabbits down holes 🤣
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 wish I understood more of it! But we did have a seminar presentation on it, so please let me know if you want the slides or resources from that because I'd love to send them!
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 don't know about you but I always struggled reading aloud in school for this reason - when I had to go word by word I would verbally trip over myself and it was awful.
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.
Wasn't it a beautiful book?! I feel like I can just begin to grasp his hypothesis and even that beginning of understanding has been so profound. I would have kept that email too!!!
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. ❤️
Oh Gayle, you are the loveliest. Thank you for reading. I think we’ll all be thinking about thinking a lot as AI becomes more entrenched in our lives. I am so eager to see what we come up with as we grapple with new forms of cognition. I am worried but I am also hopeful, you know?
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.
Jason, I so appreciated this comment. Like, it just really means a lot to me, to be seen like this. Thanks.
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.
Julie! PMDD too! I’m so sorry. It’s so hard to get good reproductive health care. I know because of my endometriosis journey. Thank you so much for being here.
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.
Thank you so much! I really do have to constantly work on that kind of empathy, for myself and others. It’s hard to remember that reality is in some measure different for everyone.
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!!
Neurospicy! I love that! I really love the idea of being like a guide for rabbit hole exploration?! What would that be called? A bunny spelunker? Thank you so much for being here with me as I chase down one weird obsession after another.
I love it so much. And bunny spelunker 🤣 I’m also going to have to use that phrase to my husband when I explain why I couldn’t hear what he was saying to me because my mind was busy chasing rabbits down holes 🤣
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.
Oh my gosh, I bet your professors have so many interesting tales on ChatGPT! Id love to hear your thoughts on it!
I wish I understood more of it! But we did have a seminar presentation on it, so please let me know if you want the slides or resources from that because I'd love to send them!
Made me think of this bit, hope it makes you laugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyDpS-GftCk
Amazing.
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 am so sorry you had such a hard experience. It is really hard to try to be known. I hope you had a better day today.
I read this way too and I've never heard anyone else who does (even fellow ADHDers). Thanks for making me feel seen.
WAIT FOR REAL!? This makes me so happy!!!
I don't know about you but I always struggled reading aloud in school for this reason - when I had to go word by word I would verbally trip over myself and it was awful.
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.
Wasn't it a beautiful book?! I feel like I can just begin to grasp his hypothesis and even that beginning of understanding has been so profound. I would have kept that email too!!!
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.