There is no such thing as fate. Life is what it is. Make the best of it.
Good answer. Kudos on the factorial alphabetization too.
No
You spelled “maybe” wrong.
No I didn’t
yes you did
buddy, don’t be that guy
don’t call me buddy, friend
Asks for people’s opinions. Tells them they’re wrong. Nicely done.
I don’t really think of myself as being a different category from anyone else in the world. However, the label of “neurodivergent,” along with my specific diagnoses, help me to connect with resources and with people who often have an understanding of some of the challenges I face.
I’m an alien since birth. Getting better at understanding them.
A. but not cursed by fate. Cursed by nurture-gone-wrong although grateful that nature has extremely blessed me. But yes suffering and permanently damaged.
None of the above? I have certain traits that society thinks are weird. That’s about it. I’m neither cursed nor gifted, I just very much don’t fit the definition of “normal”.
A, its not a gift within our societal structure and would still suck ass in other steuctures as well
The definition: Normal - someone you do not know.
The shamans of yore called spectrum maladies “the teaching disease”. Because it provides a rare and valuable lesson about an important (to shamans) part of our reality.
Like a periodic bump might lead one do discover wheels, cars, ic engines and the field of mechanics. But a smooth ride leaves you oblivious.
I don’t think anybody really sees themselves as a simple ‘A’ or ‘B’ in this way. Maybe I’m wrong. It just seems impossible to simplify an entire life and experience of the world as either ‘blessed’ or ‘cursed’.
Which isn’t to say I think models of human capability can’t be fun.
I like to imagine it more like ability scores in D&D. Someone might have low Wisdom, but training and proficiency can still make them extremely perceptive. And in some cases, you can find ways to leverage an unusual ability when you’re trying to do something, like making an intimidation check using Strength instead of Charisma. What is a weakness in one scenario can be a strength in the next.
This model is still simple enough to visualize easily, but has enough moving parts to allow for lots of different ways of being without any one way being ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Neurodivergence might be part of the stats you roll up, but your circumstances and your choices combine to build a life experience around them that can be completely different from another person who rolled the same numbers. Likewise, different rolled stats can affect how well you handle certain situations and adventures, but this is neither a curse nor a superpower, and is true for everyone.
Models only get you so far, but humans are a social species. We need each other by our very nature. Teamwork is in our DNA. And, like DNA, teams are more adaptable when they are diverse. Everyone has something to bring to the table, neurodivergent or otherwise.
I think neurotypical are the ones cursed by fate given the ridiculous group structures so many seem to blindly support.
