A Key Concept for Neurodiversity: Niche Construction When I suggest that neurodiverse individuals, such as those with autism or ADHD, might have been labeled gifted in other times and in other cultures, the quick retort is: “Well, we don’t live in other times or cultures. People have to adapt to the culture they’re in right now.” So what does the person who is a round peg have to do to fit into a square hole? Answer: Shave off enough of its wood to fit, uncomfortably, usually, into the square hole. That’s one solution. The other solution is to round off some of the square hole so that the round peg can stay a round peg and still fit in. That’s niche construction. In other words, I’m saying that people with neurodiverse brains can create special niches for themselves where they can be their unique selves. An example would be a person with ADHD in a job that requires novelty, thrills, and creativity. Instead of suffering in a 9 to 5 desk job (an example of poor niche construction), they create a career for themselves that allows them to be who they are. Another example: a person on the autistic spectrum who has keen mathematical skill working as a computer programmer in Silicon Valley, instead of wasting away in a group home somewhere. Niche construction is what animals have done for eons: the bird building a nest, the beaver building a dam. They’re modifying the environment to suit their unique needs. We need to make niche construction a key tool in improving the lives of individuals with autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and other neurological conditions. Yes, there will always be the need to adapt to the way the world is, and there are medications, behavior modification programs, and other adaptational programs that can help accomplish this. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that we can also help neurodiverse individuals be who they are and still fit in.
(Via Neurodiversity – The Book)
Temple Grandin spoke brilliantly on that theme at TED. Check this out:
CEntrance -> DACport – Audiophile-grade D/A converter plays 24-bit/96 kHz HD music natively, with bit-for-bit accuracy. – Headphone amp, designed for hours of listening without fatigue offers clarity, soundstage and detail. – No drivers needed. Plug ‘n play operation with most laptops, nettops and music servers. – No power adapter needed. DACport uses USB power and works anywhere you take your laptop. – Stereo, 1/4-inch headphone jack, perfect for the most advanced headphones on the market.
That might be a solution for people who want to listen to audiophile HD music files, but want something mobil. Pair the above DAC with a good set of headphones and you are ready to go – anywhere you carry your laptop. Cost: $500 for the above DAC plus the price of a set of headphones. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Big Brothers on Flickr What’s up there? How many countries have stuck satellites up into space, how many of those satellites are working, part-working or just bits of junk? This graphic may help to enlighten you. (Via Gizmodo)
Spacejunk! Click here to enlarge. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• How is classical music selling across the country? (((I do hope that the Berlin Philharmonic’s experiment in digital music sales, the Digital Concert Hall, is a success. I bought Jon a subscription and am looking forward to finding out how he likes it))) Official music sales are dismal – see for yourselves:
The dirty secret of the Billboard classical charts is that album sales figures are so low, the charts are almost meaningless. Sales of 200 or 300 units are enough to land an album in the top 10. [Hilary] Hahn’s No. 1 recording, after the sales spike resulting from her appearance on Conan, bolstered by blogs and press, sold 1,000 copies.
In early October, pianist Murray Perahia’s much-praised album of Bach partitas was in its sixth week on the list, holding strong at No. 10. It sold 189 copies. No. 25, the debut of the young violinist Caroline Goulding, in its third week, sold 75 copies. (Via Marginal Revolution)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I have mentioned Temple Grandin a few times before – here and here.
Claire Danes to Play Autistic Expert on HBO – Neurodiversity – The Book Starting on Feburary 6, 2010, HBO will lauch a new biopic starring Golden Globe award winner Claire Danes, based on the life of Temple Grandin, designer of livestock machinery, best-selling author, and autistic individual. Grandin has punctured the stereotype of autism as a disorder locking a person into isolation from the rest of the world. Instead, Grandin is articulate, inventive (she has designed roughly one third of the machinery used to manage animals in slaughterhouses around the country), and a strong supporter of neurodiversity, or the idea that autism and other mental disorders should be viewed as part of the natural diversity of the brain. Here is the trailor of the HBO show:
Oh, I do like the concept of neurodiversity. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Cool photo of a bicycle speed record, achieved behind a Mercedes, sometime in the fifties I guess. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• And lastly, a very interesting TED video. Health is relative to Genetics AND Lifestyle, but have we considered the third pillar, the environmment, or where we live? Seems obvious, but has a doctor every asked you about your home-history, where you have lived? Check out this brief TED talk by Bill Davenhall.
