Re: Is there really “nothing positive” about ADD?

[Anonymous]

I’m back in…….for yet another kick at the cat.

Within any society, there are two easily identifiable groups:

1) A majority power in-group and,

2) Numerous minority powerless out-group(s)

Our ADD community would be classified, as a minority powerless out-group. The majority in-group is the yardstick by which all normative (the ideal model, standard or positive) behavior is determined. The standards found within the majority in-group are adopted by society as ” that societies positive social behaviors or traits” and become the model by which all positive and negative behaviors are measured. We (the ADD community ) are constantly (maybe not consistently but constantly) measured against that majority power in-group norm criteria.

Therefore, if the majority normative (positive) model is the standard against which every other (minority) group is measured, what the results will typically indicate is, the minority groups exhibit some level of deviation from the norm, or some degree of “less positive, or negative traits”. So if the ADD community constantly shows a deviation from that norm, then they must ultimately be viewed as consistently deficient or less positive!!!

As for research, research(s) are compelled to legitimize their process(s) and results. Legitimizing research is an issue for any researcher, chemist, or scientific types, but even more so for, the Psychiatric field who constantly fight for legitimization and scientific recognition. They are interested in such things as proving there is no element of bias, and their results are obtained by “complete blind” testing, and that their process(s) are indeed scientifically valid. That’s generally what Psychiatric research strives for. If we think there is no preconceived agenda hmmmmmmm………I think we have an issue.

So as I said….if we are a deviation from the normative majority (which we have to be), then we will constantly come up as deviant and deficient. So in a society controlled by the majority power group, all aspects (education, work place, standards of right and wrong) of that society are designed (not by accident) to accommodate that majority norm, and, advance the determined notion of right and wrong, desirable and undesirable, positive and negative, on all social and economic levels. It stands to reason then that societal structures are not designed to accommodate the advancement of a minority, such as the ADD community. IQ tests, model behavior, educational development and testing, social behavior etc…this list of measures is not exhaustive.

It stands to reason if an out-group minority deviates from the prescribed norm (by definition) then society is compelled to judge that group and it’s deviation, or, why else have standards??? The fact that a large percentage of our minority ADD population does come up as deviant, can’t find suitable employment, is lower educated, falls to the lower end of the socio-economic scale, is high on the list for depression, and generally are determined to be less than proficient at negotiating within the majority structure….is no surprise!!!!

The question of the struggle may be further exacerbated…..by a socio-economic issues rather than by science. Who is going to take the initiative on the minorities behalf to try and re-tip or re-address the normative scale to accommodate a somewhat obscure minority powerless out-group??? It ain’t gunna happen….there is no societal payday….no benefit, nor social will, which is what is required to make those types of huge societal changes. Society has just barely begun to accommodate the female gender and people of color, or origin other than white, western, Europeans. We (the ADD community) are pretty far down on the social accommodation priority list. We can’t even get anybody to begin to consider developing or revamping the education system to accommodate people who are not from the very middle of the normative majority.

So we struggle, we are told by ever so much empirical evidence that we are deficient…….we must try harder, or we must medicate to (at least) make the appearance of fitting into the normative mould. If we cannot emulate the normative, and fall victim to majority social sanctions, then there are social system safety nets, that majority power in-group has so kindly put at our disposal.

However, in spite of the negative deficient benchmarks, some of us appear to have exploited our differences (for whatever reason) to our personal benefit. As Pete says “we hit their ball so far out of the park”, that the majority can’t help but embrace us (un-wittingly) in-spite of our otherwise non-normative traits. So yes, the deck is stacked, according to the majority norm, we are different, different and deficient by their standard measures…….yet, in spite of the stack we appear to have folks who shine, and shine differently and brighter than many of the already advantaged majority???? Hmmmm……what could we do in the right environment???

toofat

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