Saliency determination. I feel very uggh about this phrase and also incredibly excited to be able to connect it to my understanding of autistic attention, which is often wide and dispersed and inclusive. I think that kind of attention is a form of love, a way of caring for and about the world in a way that is not easily reoriented by the violent demands of capitalist production and pace. I like thinking of saliency as something us ADHDers are spreading, expanding, weirding out. Where you put your attention is where you put your energy. Is it better spent propping up a racist and ableist hegemony or reaffirming the unlikeliness of that oak over there, its ability to survive, to spiral out and offer the gift of shade?
I love that two of my favorite substack writers are friends and neighbors. Wish I lived in your neighborhood too -- I have so much I'd love to discuss with both of you. Thank you for this post and for your wise and insightful writing.
Oh, my God, YES!! I, too, was diagnosed later in life, long after I had been criticized, punished, and ridiculed for all my ADHD personality 'quirks.' As a teacher (and like my ADHD students), I broke rules to make teaching and learning accessible to all of my students. I learned from a sixth grade student that my rule of tipping the chair back earned loss of the chair for that class, that if he quickly broke my rule (within 10 seconds of the start of class), he would not have to be stuck in a chair for an hour. Once he was free to roam, even a little, focusing was so much easier! I knew that petting my dog while doing mentally challenging things helped me stay with what I was doing, so, I brought my dog to school, and sure enough, ALL of my students were so much more attentive and involved with whatever we were doing. One parent complained to my principal about my dog (a mini schnauzer who really didn't shed) because her child was allergic to dogs. I think not, but the principal told me, "No more!" After that, I taught like all of my students were ADHD and most thrived. There were some who found my approach confusing and I tried to do better, but by then I was teaching middle school, and most of my students loved the excitement and joy of an English class on fire!
Courtney brings another blazing ray of enlightenment today! This interview with Sarah Wheeler truly hits home because my granddaughter was diagnosed with ADHD at age 15 when her grades in high school suddenly and inexplicably slipped to failures. The term "lack of discipline" that Sarah references was the criticism that she faced by those ignorant of the affliction. It was eventually diagnosed by a trained expert like Sarah. Yet, no one thought of "white supremist value" and "capitalist psyche" that I see now as a profound association with our corrupt system of ethics and economy. Thank you Sarah! I've just subscribed to your Newsletter and look forward to more of your vital insights. Dennis Dalton (DD)
This topic pulled me in, but what kept me here, on *this* tab rather than one of 50 others, was the opportunity to witness a conversation between two loving and devoted friends. Thank you.
Saliency determination. I feel very uggh about this phrase and also incredibly excited to be able to connect it to my understanding of autistic attention, which is often wide and dispersed and inclusive. I think that kind of attention is a form of love, a way of caring for and about the world in a way that is not easily reoriented by the violent demands of capitalist production and pace. I like thinking of saliency as something us ADHDers are spreading, expanding, weirding out. Where you put your attention is where you put your energy. Is it better spent propping up a racist and ableist hegemony or reaffirming the unlikeliness of that oak over there, its ability to survive, to spiral out and offer the gift of shade?
I love that two of my favorite substack writers are friends and neighbors. Wish I lived in your neighborhood too -- I have so much I'd love to discuss with both of you. Thank you for this post and for your wise and insightful writing.
Oh, my God, YES!! I, too, was diagnosed later in life, long after I had been criticized, punished, and ridiculed for all my ADHD personality 'quirks.' As a teacher (and like my ADHD students), I broke rules to make teaching and learning accessible to all of my students. I learned from a sixth grade student that my rule of tipping the chair back earned loss of the chair for that class, that if he quickly broke my rule (within 10 seconds of the start of class), he would not have to be stuck in a chair for an hour. Once he was free to roam, even a little, focusing was so much easier! I knew that petting my dog while doing mentally challenging things helped me stay with what I was doing, so, I brought my dog to school, and sure enough, ALL of my students were so much more attentive and involved with whatever we were doing. One parent complained to my principal about my dog (a mini schnauzer who really didn't shed) because her child was allergic to dogs. I think not, but the principal told me, "No more!" After that, I taught like all of my students were ADHD and most thrived. There were some who found my approach confusing and I tried to do better, but by then I was teaching middle school, and most of my students loved the excitement and joy of an English class on fire!
Courtney brings another blazing ray of enlightenment today! This interview with Sarah Wheeler truly hits home because my granddaughter was diagnosed with ADHD at age 15 when her grades in high school suddenly and inexplicably slipped to failures. The term "lack of discipline" that Sarah references was the criticism that she faced by those ignorant of the affliction. It was eventually diagnosed by a trained expert like Sarah. Yet, no one thought of "white supremist value" and "capitalist psyche" that I see now as a profound association with our corrupt system of ethics and economy. Thank you Sarah! I've just subscribed to your Newsletter and look forward to more of your vital insights. Dennis Dalton (DD)
This topic pulled me in, but what kept me here, on *this* tab rather than one of 50 others, was the opportunity to witness a conversation between two loving and devoted friends. Thank you.