#this post can apply to any neurodivergent people who feel it helps

[etherealspacejelly]

sometimes you just have to let yourself be a bit neurodivergent.

i hate going out, it gives me a lot of anxiety and sensory input that i dont like, and i am often forced to talk to people.

so i do this thing on more difficult days, or sometimes just for fun, where i "bring a fictional character with me". i walk and imagine Fictional Character walking next to me. they talk to me, reassure me, hype me up, whatever i need them to do.

today dean winchester came christmas shopping with me. he went over the list with me of stuff i needed to get, told me i was doing a good job every time i finished in a certain shop, reminded me to take a deep breath when i got a little overwhelmed.

and yea. its kinda silly. and i know its just me talking to myself in a different voice, but it Works! especially since all of my special interests/hyperfixations tend to be tv/movie related.

so do what you gotta do to Get Shit Done. stop holding yourself to neurotypical standards. if you need Fictional Character to tell you you're doing a good job, do it! if you need Favourite Singer to walk you to school, do it! yea it might feel silly but you're literally fighting against your own brain to get stuff done every single day. you can have a little self indulgent daydream, as a treat.

[nihilistem]

adhd study affirmations + tips to stray from discouragement by a stem student with adhd.

you’re not always going to be consistent. you’re not always going to be motivated. you’re not always going to be efficient. and that is okay.

edit : thank you so much to whoever blazed this post. It means the world to me.

and the fact that you even got this far is an accomplishment in and of itself. In this line of work, people aren’t always the kindest to neurodivergent people especially since our symptoms can often hinder our performance academically.

if you’re good to go after reading the above, I’ve also made a post regarding adhd study tips that I haven’t seen anywhere else. (Part 2 is here!) But, if you’re burned out like me, feel free to keep reading.

honestly, these might serve a bit more as reminders because they’re kinda simple but even I needed this, so, here we go.

do not seek advice from anyone neurotypical unless it genuinely helps you. I cannot tell you the amount of time and tears I could have saved if I just considered the fact that just because popular self-improvement tips or study techniques didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean I’m stupid or useless. It simply means our brains isn’t motivated by the same things neurotypical ones are, and therefore a lot of popular self-improvement videos or study tips aren’t going to work for you because 90% of the time, they’re not designed to work for neurodivergent people. So if you’d like to seek help in this area, look for tips and videos that ARE for neurodivergent people.

you might experience burnout a lot more than others. again, that is fine. if this doesn’t apply to you, great! Feel free to skip to the next tip/affirmation. If this does apply to you, read this carefully; if you’ve had any sort of streak in studying right now, chances are you know at least a portion of your studies were led purely on interest, curiosity or even novelty, as these are what keep us engaged in our studies. Knowing this, it is natural for you to experience burnout more frequently than others due to the possible hyperfixations that have been forming around your work. If you get burned out, please remember to take a break for a day and make sure it is efficient. Like your studies, your breaks are the key to having efficient study sessions in the future. So please treat yourself, especially if you’ve been working extra hard!

do not admire studious fictional characters unless it genuinely helps you or they too are neurodivergent. I know this technically could have been thrown in with tip number 1 but I felt like this tip alone is so important, because nowadays I see a lot of study tips with the title, ‘how to study like (insert studious fictional character here)’ and when I look at the post it kinda repeats the same few study tips I see all the time like ‘stay organized’ or ‘time block your day’ and I feel like admiring fictional characters who do things that don’t work for you can be damaging for your mental health, because we’re already told by neurotypical people all around us that we’re slow or lazy just because we don’t do things the way they do, and I think idolizing neurotypical people that make us feel bad at the end of the day just further promotes that kind of toxic thinking.

expect that a routine/schedule/technique that has been working for a while now may not continue to work in the future. things will always have to be new for us to be interested or engaged, that being said, if you expect this in the future you won’t be frustrated with yourself because you already had this in mind. It doesn’t mean you’re not smart. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It doesn’t mean you’re useless. It just means that you’ve done what you could, and now it’s time to move on to another routine/schedule/technique.

keep doing the things you love alongside work. I find that because our symptoms may cause us to fall behind on our studies, we tend to neglect our other needs as human beings just to make up for the fact that we simply do not learn or pick things up the same way neurotypical people do. Your hobbies and interests need to be part of your day, just as your studies do, even if you may take longer to learn things or remember important concepts in your studies. Neglecting your hobbies or interests can lead to even more frequent burn outs and even a relapse in depression and anxiety, so please take care of yourself and recognize that you need and deserve these things just as much as anyone else.

regularly discover what works for you on your own. here’s the thing; neurodivergent or not, no two brains work the same. Of course it is good to try out advice or tips you find online because they’re backed up by experience, but they’re backed up by that person’s experience with working with their own brain. So naturally, you need to find what works with your brain. Be open to trying everything, even the tips that are discouraged like listening to lyrical music while studying. That was the only way I learnt that this tip actually does help me at times, even when many people have said that it negatively affects your focus.

that’s all I have right now guys, I think I’m experiencing burn out or probably falling back into depression again so more than anything this also served as a reminder for me, but I really hope it also helped you guys nonetheless.

As always, tell me if you guys would like more posts like these and I’ll be happy to make more <33 please take care of yourself guys, and remember that your studies is just one aspect of your life. There are other aspects that need your care and attention too.

[ashleyloob]

Hi!

From someone who is disorganized and discouraged, I would love advice on weight-lifting/building muscle. Would you share your understanding of building muscle and the breakdown of diet?

If possible, could you share how you apply what you know to yourself? If you use any tools to help you?

Struggled with working out, gaining weight, and eating my whole life. Thanks!

prefacing this with some important info for fellow disorganized scatterbrains!!!!

the main reason why ppl have trouble sticking to a lifestyle change is because they try to make very drastic changes too quick, and you get overwhelmed and it becomes unsustainable. this is especially an issue for neurodivergent folks, and since it's Tumblr I assume a good chunk of y'all are (me too dw)

DON'T immediately overhaul ur diet and hit the gym 5x a week from day 1!!! hitting tiny goals consistently is also more rewarding than working towards one very large arbitrary goal that you might not reach, esp when it comes to working out. start veeery small if u need to, such as only 10 bodyweight squats per day like i did and go from there. you wanna program ur brain into feeling accomplished to keep you motivated. patience is key!!!!

ok!! now onto the more detailed info below

Disclaimer: I'm still a newbie myself!! only consistently lifting heavy for about 3 months as of this post. I did a good deal of excessive info diving on lifting using the power of Sheer Autism, and my main gym buddy is very experienced & taught me a good chunk of this shit so shout-out to my pal for making all this possible xoxo

so good news!! "building muscle" is very easy for beginners starting from zero. newbie gainz are absolutely real. at this stage you can do just about anything at the gym and get stronger bc u can only go up. BUT!! if you structure it, you can make the process enjoyable and much more efficient. if you're goal oriented (lookin at u ADHD menaces), you'll love the concept progressive overload.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD & SETS/REPS

wikipedia defines progressive overload as: a method of strength training and hypertrophy training that advocates for the gradual increase of the stress placed upon the musculoskeletal and nervous system. in layman's terms, it just means gradually adding more weight as you work out to increase the difficulty as you get stronger. progress is VERY easy to track because of this, and you'll be hitting PRs pretty much every week for the first couple of months and that shit feels fantastic because you physically feel yourself getting stronger so rapidly. I use the app Strong to track my workouts. so, how do we structure progressive overload? that's through sets/reps. A rep is a single execution of an exercise. 1 squat is one rep. 2 squat is 2 reps. and so on. A set is a collection of reps. The format is Sets x Reps, for example: 3x5 means 3 sets of 5 reps. You will rest between sets, and it's typically anywhere from 1 minute all the way up to 5 minutes depending on the level of exertion/type of training you are doing. Heavier weights mean longer rest periods and vice versa.

WHERE DO I EVEN START??

For those interested in barbell training: the r/fitness beginner routine is pretty good! I also recommend 5x5 stronglifts. both are very straightforward, but also note the typical olympic barbell is 45lbs. If this is a weight you struggle with, you can begin with bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, or machines at the gym which are all very BEGINNER beginner friendly. especially when it comes to legs you're probably much stronger than you think. Most people can squat 45lbs first try. don't be afraid -- you're standing on those things all day, they can support hella weight. Like I mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to start veeeery small and work your way up from there. I started at home with doing only bodyweight squats without the barbell, then added on benching with light 7lb dumbbells after a week, then impulse signed up for a gym membership a month later and began to go there to use equipment and now i'm deadlifting over 100lbs as a tiny girl that previously was too weak to even lift a 40lb dog. it snowballs quicker than you think once you gain confidence in your own body and its abilities!

WOAH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SQUAT/DEADLIFT/BENCH/THIS IS SCARY AND IM FUCKING UP

If you can, i highly recommend getting a personal trainer to assist you, or tag along with a gymrat pal to show you the ropes. This page is also a good resource to learn specific lifts. otherwise, youtube is your best friend. you can record your sets and compare your form to form tutorials on youtube, and actively take notes on what to change the next time you work out. Be an active learner!!! be aware of what muscles are engaged when you lift and how your body feels. almost NOBODY gets it right the first time, esp with barbells. we've all made fools out of ourselves at the gym as beginners it's chill. i find people at the gym are very nice and willing to help you out if you're struggling, and people don't judge at all-- it's very easy to get in your own head in these spaces but most humans there are supportive and want you to succeed, especially since it's a hobby they are also passionate about. the more you do it, the less anxious you get. exposure therapy is very effective!! Also, almost all the barbell exercises can be replaced with smaller dumbbells, and you can do them at home if you get your own set + a workout bench (pretty cheap if u get secondhand, check facebook marketplace/craigslist). i got mad social anxiety myself so i understand sometimes you just can't, and this is an option for those that find public spaces overwhelming.

DIET

I personally don't think specialized diets/precise macro tracking is super duper important for newbies/casuals, only moderately important (spicy take for some but whatever). but you probably naturally will take an interest in diet once you realize it'll help you perform significantly better in the gym. the only macro i track is protein. You can use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator to roughly estimate the amount of protein you need for maximum gainz. it's usually around .7-1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (weight that isn't fat mass). Imma be real it's pretty hard for me to hit the recommended protein goal and most days I don't because my appetite just can't kick in for the amount it demands, and protein is super filling. I found that if i decreased the amount of carbs i eat, i am able to consume more protein bc i guess there's more room in my stomach lol. i eat a fuck ton of greek yogurt, chicken, fish, and tofu. when i started working out, i begin cooking a lot more and found i naturally craved less processed junk foods and snacks because the protein was keeping me full all day which is a plus! Even when im not regularly hitting my protein goal my gym progress is still going well and I think it's simply because my diet is A LOT better than what it used to be in my gremlin days. I also eat a lot more now that i've gained a bit of muscle, so do be prepared for food costs to go up as your metabolism increases and demands more energy to upkeep your gainz.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO LOOK LIKE A MUSCLE MOMMY????

a whileeee. over a year, probably, unless if you're on anabolic steroids (dont ever do that u will quite literally die). and physique is mostly from diet since it's dependent on your body fat percentage, the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is true. its why you see hyper skinny terminally indoors gamer dudes with abs, even if they'd snap in half if you farted in their general direction. those mfs barely eat they too busy being gamers i am no longer interested in lifting for aesthetics personally since i get more joy from hitting PRs and i'm pretty content with my body image, but ik physique is the reason why most people get into lifting so i'll touch on it. Weightlifting on its own will not make you lose weight or fat. Again, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy sustainable diet (DO NOT DO CRASH DIETS THAT SHIT IS GARBAGE) and a form of cardio. I actually gained 8lbs since I began lifting from water retention & new muscle mass (muscle is more dense than fat, your body retains water when repairing muscle after a gym sesh) but my measurements and pants size have remained the same. I'm short, so something as small as a 5lb increase usually bumped me up a pants size but it didn't this time bc im gettin swole :') if you want to track physique changes, measuring your waistline & progress pics is a better way to do so than the scale. If you want bigger muscles, look into hypertrophy training. it's a tad different from strength training, mainly because you do higher reps at a lower weight.

[crimeronan]

a lot of the discourse around likes versus reblogs seems profoundly sideways to me in that 1) telling people that liking things is Bad and that they're Bad to do it will not make them reblog stuff. it will make them stop liking posts. and then you will get absolutely no user engagement, and 2) i feel like there is a fundamental misunderstanding of why people don't reblog posts.

this isn't some kind of well-constructed thesis that i can apply to the entire userbase but most people that i've met who don't reblog stuff..... just.... don't want to perform.

curating your public blog for other people's eyes is a performance, whether you tag ramble or not. choosing what content to boost and what content to keep and what content to ignore requires active thought and refinement of that performance. and the performative nature of social media is especially terrifying these days, when posting or reblogging the Wrong Thing can often invite ire or misinterpretation or mockery based on things you never said or meant. that's why there was a time period like five years back when i didn't post on this blog at all for like a full year. too much anxiety surrounding the Concept of Conflict. the mere Potential that i might upset/harm/anger some hypothetical strawman

unfortunately writing "the website will die if you don't reblog, and likes make artists feel bad" doesn't encourage people to reblog. it makes them associate both liking AND reblogging posts with being subject to a stressful set of pre-determined rules that they don't fully understand and will unknowingly violate. so they stop engaging altogether. this is especially common with neurodivergent people who do not do well with sets of seemingly-arbitrary rules!

the truth is that if you want people to reblog stuff, there needs to be a site culture in which they feel comfortable doing so. which means that they need to be confident that their posts and thoughts are not only worth sharing, but also will be taken in good faith. there have been some very good posts to this end! shifting the expectation of Maintaining A Blog & explaining how tumblr blogs are more like corkboards in a dorm room than like megaphones.

but the frustrated and dire-toned posts about Killing The Website are. not helping. content creators are of course entitled to frustration! and entitled to express it however they want! but i'm afraid that mass-sharing these angry posts like they're somehow helpful guides is.... doing the opposite of what people want. like it just instills a new level of anxiety and negativity toward Any engagement

imo with this, as with pretty much any other situation where you want to change people's minds about something, the most effective work is going to involve a lot of patience and kindness and swallowed annoyance and expended energy. not everyone has the bandwidth for this (i certainly don't, at least not consistently) and being openly frustrated and angry and unhappy is much, Much easier. it just. also..... doesn't work for the results you want.

[genderqueerdykes]

can we get some positivity for sex repulsed ace trans girls who are so tired of seeing thirst posts on our dash and feeling out of place with more sexually open queer friends

absolutely!

it's okay and good to be sex repulsed and ace if you're a trans girl. there's so much more to you than just what your body has to offer. you are a complex person who deserves to share the company of people who want to spend time with you in ways that you enjoy, and feel comfortable with. you walk a very unique path in life, which can lead to a lot of interesting experiences and stories, and people owe it to themselves to take the time and listen to them and respect who you are and how you've gotten to where you at now

just like any other type of girl, you deserve to be seen as a person outside of your body. you do not have to be viewed sexually if you do not want to, even though society loves to make women feel obligated to be sexy. there are many ways to be a woman, and sexuality is an optional part of all of those. there are so many aspects of your personality and life that deserve attention

to the trans girls who were ace before they started transitioning, to the girls who lost their libido or genital functioning & find asexuality more comfortable after starting HRT, to the girls with erectile dysfunction, to the girls who just don't like being viewed that way, to the girls who have other things in life that bring them joy, to the neurodivergent girls who don't know if they understand those feelings, to the girls with trauma and PTSD who can't think about it or don't want to, to the girls with anxiety, to the girls who just wanna be seen as a person first, you are loved, and you are amazing

while it's okay and in fact very good to be attracted to trans women, it's also extremely important to respect the needs of sex repulsed & ace trans girls who don't want to have those kinds of thoughts applied to them. all trans girls are worth your time and respect. we deserve to be cared for on a personal level

hope that helps a little bit, i know things can get raunchy on this site, lol. stay safe out there!

[myneurospicyspirit]

What Exactly Is Intention?

Disclaimer: I’m not sure how neurodivergent friendly this post is. I tried my best, but intention is (in my opinion) difficult to explain. I’m working on another post that I hope will be more “tangible” than this one, which might be better for people who struggle with more conceptual thinking. I do still recommend reading this post to see what you can get out of it AND giving feedback helps me understand how I can explain things better! As always, my inbox is open for those who have questions and I will do my best to help!

Introduction

"Shifting is all about intention." You hear the phrase again for the thousandth time in your journey.

"Well, what exactly is intention?" You ask.

Nobody seems to have a good answer to this question. They put together a bunch of words that are confusing and sometimes conflicting. I can't promise my explanation will be any better, BUT I'm going to try; my intention is to explain intention better!

Oxford Languages defines intention (noun) as "a thing intended; an aim or plan." 

Essentially, intention is the thought or idea of doing something. Thought and idea are the keywords here. Intention alone is a thought/idea; it does not guarantee an understanding of the thought/idea or taking action on the thought/idea.

You can have the intention to clean your room, but you still might not do it. You can eat your favorite food with the intention of it making you happy (and there's a good chance it will), but that doesn't automatically mean it will. You can set your intentions to shift. This doesn't mean that you will shift.

My neurodivergent self got fed up with this fast. My whole life, I have tried to have good intentions, but whether or not the results were good was a wildcard. I intend to help someone by sharing a similar experience, and I'm told that I only think about myself: good intention -> negative result. I mask to survive, then I burn out: good intention -> negative result. I intend to clean, and I never do: intention -> no results.

Thus, my base point: just having intention does not always result in things going as planned or getting the intended result.

(Note that this also applies to assumption… but that’s a post for a different time.)

Understanding Intention

Now let's see if I can re-frame an understanding of intention, because the truth is that intention is important and powerful. The problem is that people lack an understanding of intention!

Intention, as I mentioned before, is an aim or a plan. It is the thought/idea of a goal or the thought/idea of doing something. On its own, intention has little meaning (when it comes to things like shifting). This (I think) is where most people struggle with intention; they have intention but because their intention is just a thought/idea, it does not mean much. Intention must be given meaning through another thought/idea, acting on the thought/idea, or describing the thought/idea.

This can be further understood by remembering that the word “intention” is a noun. Nouns can be described by adjectives and given action by verbs. For example, “reality” is a noun that shifters use to indicate different places in the multiverse. By adding the word “desired,” an adjective, in front, the word reality is given deeper meaning; “desired reality” is a place that is wanted. The phrase “I am shifting” gives action to the noun “I.” “I am…” what are you doing? “Shifting”!!! The verb “shifting” gives the noun “I” something to do, thus giving it more meaning.

(Note: this next paragraph may be very confusing as it is about intention as a concept - an abstract idea. You do not have to read it in order to understand the rest of the post. Feel free to skip it if you don't think it will help you!)

Another understanding of intention comes from the understanding that intention is a concept - an abstract and generalized idea. For example, a “chair” can be understood as an object that is made to seat a singular person. It doesn't matter the material, color, size, etc. as long as “chair” remains as a concept. But if you wanted to picture a chair in your head, you'd have to consider much more: what material is it made of? Does it have a back rest? Arm rests? Is it tall or short? All of these extra features give the chair a further meaning and purpose. A beach chair is much different in form and function than an office chair which is different from a bean bag chair. The concept of intention is the same as the concept of a chair; it is simply an idea until you make it something more.

Intention does not have any inherent meaning or purpose on its own. You have to give intention meaning. Only when intention means something does it have power.

Giving Intention Meaning

Once you HAVE intention, you can give it meaning by describing it, acting upon it, and having a true understanding of your intention. The way to do this is by understanding what it means to be intent, intentional, and doing things intentionally.

To understand how to describe intention through intent, let’s first look at definitions. Oxford Languages defines the adjective of intent in 2 different ways. The first is most fitting: Resolved or determined to do (something). Attentively occupied with. So have intent intentions; be determined and feel determined about your intentions - be determined in your aim or plan. Feel your intention.

Be intentional in your intention. From Oxford Languages, “intentional” is an adjective meaning “done of purpose; deliberate.” This is another way to describe intention - by making them purposeful. When you think about your intention, understand every word that you are saying, what that idea really means, why you are thinking about it, etc.

Intentional also relates to the adverb “Intentionally,” defined by Oxford Languages as "deliberately; on purpose." Intentionally set your intentions by deliberately setting intentions; when you aim or plan, do it on purpose and with purpose. 

Apply intent, being intentional, and doing things intentionally when you set intentions. These are the things that give your intention further meaning - they make your intention stronger!

A Short Example

Let's say you're wanting to shift tonight. You tell yourself “My intention is to shift tonight” and/or “I intend to shift tonight”. Thus, you plan to shift tonight/ you are aiming to shift tonight. Say your intention, write them down, or think it deliberately, keeping in mind what those words mean; be intentional in your intention. Add some more to that intention by stirring up determination; have your mind set on your intention. This is adding intent. When you go to do your method, do each step with the purpose of helping you shift - do your method Intentionally. If you don't do a method, Intentionally follow through with your intention to shift.

Conclusion/Summary 

Intention is just an idea, and it is pointless until YOU give it some kind of meaning.

You can give intention meaning through determination in your aim or plan. This is being intent on your intention.

You can give intention meaning by being deliberate in your intention. This is being intentional in your intention.

Your intention will be stronger if it has deeper meaning, understanding, and purpose.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

hi just wanted to stop by and say that I love your blog :)

I also wanted to ask if you’ve heard of or know anything about maladaptive daydreaming (MADD) and autism?

I stumbled across it while searching on the internet, and it seems to be extremely common among ADHD and autistic neurodivergent folk. It also describes a lot of my symptoms related to hyper-fixation, stimming, and interoception difficulties pretty well.

This website has some papers and information on it, including articles about the relationship between MADD and autism (including some on autism that came out this year. Their publications list covers a lot of topics related to MADD, but you can search for the ones related to autism). https://daydreamresearch.wixsite.com/md-research/publications

Thanks in advance for your advice and thoughts!

Hi there,

I found another article talking about it from a personal experience. Here are a few excerpts:

If the term “maladaptive daydreaming” is new to you, too, don’t feel bad; it wasn’t even coined until 2002, thanks to Dr. Eli Somer. Even so, it is not an official diagnosis or condition, and its existence remains controversial.

Additionally, we’re not sure if it’s a separate condition or a symptom of a larger disorder, such as ADHD or OCD. Some cases may also be caused by trauma—the daydreamer uses these extensive fantasies as a coping mechanism. And yes, many on the autism spectrum report having this problem, as well.

Here are the main “symptoms” of maladaptive daydreaming:

* Excessive daydreaming

* A repetitive movement (really, a stim) of some sort performed while daydreaming: fiddling with string, chewing something, or bouncing the leg, for example. I would bounce around the perimeter of our family’s trampoline, walk, ride my bike, or spin in a swivel chair while listening to music.

* Daydreams are immersive, usually existing in one continual world or situation, and the daydreamer often becomes highly attached to the characters. It’s akin to reading a book or a series—one world, one cast of characters, different scenes. It wasn’t uncommon for me to daydream one or more scenes many, many times.

* Music may or may not be involved—that is, daydreaming may be initiated or accompanied by playing music.

* Daydreams may be accompanied by very real emotions—joy, frustration, anger, sadness, the like. Perhaps it is not the case with some on the spectrum due to the nature of their disorder, but some daydreamers make facial expressions while daydreaming, too (something I did that made me feel weird and self-conscious).

* Daydreams are so intense, immersive, and frequent that they feel almost real; affected individuals may feel like they’re living two different lives. However, this is different from, say, schizophrenia because the daydreamer knows the daydreams are not real.

* Post-daydream, some feel light-headed or get headaches.

* Daydreams interfere with daily tasks, sleep, and/or relationships with other people.

The full article will be below if you’d like to read it:

…yes I know this refers to children, but it can be applied to any age.

I hope this helps answer your question. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️

[glacierruler]

Sides and Neurodivergency results!

This, this is gonna be a long post!

Taglist: @cutebisexualmess @oatmeal-stans-the-trash-rat @nebulous-astronaut @pandagobrr @awitchbravestheverge

First I'm gonna look at all the general responses, and then screenshot some of the replies/extra info that was given in these!

Everyone who responded was really nice, so I'm definitely down to do these again, just maybe not for a little bit! Gonna do a read more, and put everything below that!

First, the overarching responses to the questions!

Every person who responded to it said Yes, they think it's okay to write the sides as neurodivergent. One person went on to say:

Which is a fair assumption of what I'm trying to ask, considering the phrasing of the question. However, I do want to clear up, that I asked this question to know your opinions on it, not to ascribe morality to it. I get that the wording is kind of confusing, but I'm unsure of how else to word it.

Next question is this one. I'm asking if they make the sides neurodivergent, which neurodivergencies does the individual give them? There was an other option for any that I didn't list.

As you can see there is a long list, a good chunk of the answers were put in by the people who responded by filling out the other answer box. Here's the ones that were cut off:

To the first one, yeah, that's completely fair. I'm also hesitant to delve into neurodivergencies if I don't feel like I've done enough research or have personal experience with it(and even with personal experience I get scared to do it still).

To the second one, thank you so much for this long list! I didn't know a good chunk of these existed, and this will be so helpful in any future polls about this subject that I do! /gen

The next two questions were optional, and I'll be sharing my favorite answers. The first one:

Why do you/don't you make the sides neurodivergent? And why that/those specific neurodivergency(ies) if you do?

I'll be putting the Image ID here, because some of these screenshots are too small for me to put it in the alt text.

Image ID: 5 screenshots of 5 different replies to the answer above. Screenshot 1 says: I make the Sides neurodivergent because it's mostly me projecting as a neurodivergent person. This includes me leaving things implied as I slowly figure myself out.

Screenshot 2 says: I don't usually focus on that part of the story, it might be implied, but not explicitly said. despite being a neurodivergent myself. Idk I guess I'm just more interested in fun fantasy world than real world problems that kinda stress me out. But I would totally read a fic that focuses on any sort of neurodivergencies!

Screenshot 3 says: I like to because i tend to project my own neurodivergencies onto them, and i use my fic writing as a way to cope with my own internal issues sometimes. Expressing them with problems similar or reminiscent of my own, even if not explicitly so, allows me to figure out and work through my own issues. I have diagnosed ADHD and self diagnosed ASD and C-PTSD, so i find myself able to write about my own experiences through them.

Screenshot 4 says: When I write them this way, it's for the same reason I write them with a handful of physical disabilities. I want to explore the sides struggling with things I struggle with in my life. Because it's cathartic for me and also it falls under the "write what you know" adage. I also find it comforting or cathartic to read about the sides struggling with these or similar things. I think it's important for people without any neurodivergencies to do a lot of research before writing fanfic (or original fiction) with neurodivergent characters. I would do the same for a neurodivergency that I didn't personally have. But people everywhere *are* neurodivergent, there's no good reason *not* to explore these topics in fanfic.

Screenshot 5 says: If it's all the sides with the same diagnosis, that's another thing entirely. Part of it being that it's applying a diagnosis onto a, albeit fictional, version of a real person. I understand that the *Character* Thomas is different from *Real* Thomas, but it still feels weird and icky to do so to me. I won't judge anyone who does so, because that's a me thing rather than a problem thing, but it's just not for me to diagnose someone via fanfiction.

End Image ID

All of these are fair, personal reasons as to why they make the sides neurodivergent or they don't make the sides neurodivergent. (I did not ask if they did or didn't, which was an error on my part imho).

I will say, that in fandom and fanfiction, giving characters neurodivergencies is not the same thing as armchair diagnosing a real person with a neurodivergency, but I totally get how it can feel similar to that. I think for most people, the reason they give the sides neurodivergencies is to feel more connected to these characters that they know and love, or even to explore the characters more.

As for not exploring neurodivergencies in fanfic, there might not be a good reason for it, but there are definitely valid reasons for it. Honestly, even though I hc Remus and Patton as being bipolar(like me), I'm always hesitant to write about it. Mainly because of my own internal anxiety of what if I get this wrong, what if this isn't true for everyone, what if etc... So I completely understand people being hesitant to write the sides as neurodivergent even when they have said neurodivergencies. It's not necessarily a fear that will go away with time, it just becomes easier to overcome some days(at least for me). And to anyone who is unsure about something when attempting to start writing neurodivergencies in fanfic, research and ask questions. There will be those who are willing to answer.

I asked if there were any comments or questions for me, and I'll share these two answers!

Image ID: 2 screenshots, the first one reads: I would love another form like this but specifically for what neurodivergencies people give each side, I’d love to see the data on that

The second one reads: you can do anything you want with characters, they aren’t real, and it isn’t unethical to portray them how you want! in the same way people draw the sides to look physically different from irl thomas, people are going to headcanon their internal lives differently too

End Image ID.

To the first person! That's such a great idea, and I'd love to do it when I have the time/energy for it, maybe sometime this summer?

To everyone who took the time to respond, thank you so much! Your answers have been very insightful, and it was really enjoyable doing this! I hope you all have a wonderful day!

[is-the-primate-vid-cute]

FAQ

Q: Can primates be neurodivergent/have mental illnesses like people?

A: Mental illnesses and neurodivergency are human concepts and social constructs that were designed to specifically apply to people to explain perceived differences and issues that an individual may experience. While primates can exhibit signs of what we would label as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress, other labels such as ADHD, autism, OCD, bipolar disorder, and the like do not translate across species. It is important to consider as well that many of these labels are culturally dependent, so they do not even apply universally across human populations.

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Q: Can primates be physically disabled/use disability aids?

A: Yes, primates can have virtually any type of disability. There are primates with limited mobility, vision impairment, hearing impairment, diabetes, and any number of other health problems or physical challenges that may impact quality of life. The best way that caretakers for disabled primates in captivity can help them is to make adaptations to their lifestyle and habitat so that they can live the best and more independent life they are capable of. Primates will not use disability aids such as hearing aids, glasses, canes, prosthetics, or wheelchairs, so instead caretakers will install ramps in their enclosures to help them get around, will have care regimens that account for their limitations, and will provide them with diets and enrichment that is best for them considering their health.

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Q: What about primates as service animals?

A: Primates are wild animals. Only domesticated animals can be successfully trained for the use of serving someone who needs assistance. As established in the case of primates kept as pets, they have extensive care needs and require social time with appropriate peers. This does not change in the context of service animals. Only dogs and miniature horses are legally recognized service animals in the USA. 

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Q: Have you guys heard about the game Gibbon: Beyond the Trees?

A: Yes we have! It looks great and we have yet to play it, but we hope to at some point.

Q: Do primates enjoy music?

A: Some do, but most are indifferent. San Francisco Zoo did a study where they played different types of music at different locations throughout their chimpanzee habitat and indoors and found most their chimpanzees preferred silence over any of the music provided. In mod E's personal experience, primates tend to enjoy videos much more than music. 

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Q: Aren’t chimpanzees super violent and aggressive?

A: No. Chimpanzees are some of the most tragically misunderstood primates, and have a bad reputation based on a few high profile incidents. Aggression is part of chimp life, but most conflicts are able to be resolved without escalating to serious violence. By and large, extreme chimpanzee violence happens as a result of human intervention such as deforestation forcing chimp troupes into smaller areas leading to territory disputes, and chimps that have been kept as pets never learning appropriate outlets for their frustration. While chimpanzees can be violent and aggressive, they spend most of their lives working together and taking care of each other and form extremely close bonds with their loved ones. While it is important to consider aggression as part of chimpanzees, it is just one part of the total primate package.

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Q: I want to work with primates. How can I get into a career with primates?

A: There is no one route to a career working with primates, but there are certain things you can do to be a better contender for primate related jobs. It is important to consider that jobs working directly with animals are very physically demanding and because these jobs are desirable, there can be steep competition for available positions. This being said, if you feel passionate about primates absolutely go for it! Starting with volunteering is a great way to get into primate care taking, and can help you find a type of work that works for you. If you have specific questions about careers working with primates, mod E is happy to help.

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Q: Can I ethically be friends with a primate?

A: We feel that desire! The most ethical way to be friends with a primate that not only doesn’t harm them but actively helps, is to find an accredited zoo near you and go as often as you want. Primates are highly social and enjoy watching people as well as being watched, and if you go frequently enough the primates you see may start to recognize you. We also encourage volunteering for primate organizations that help them if you can.

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Q: What is a fear grimace vs a play face?

A: These two expressions can be used by social apes and monkeys but are most commonly expressed by chimpanzees and macaques. They can be easily mixed up or mistaken by humans.

A “fear grimace” features tense body language, eye contact or avoidant eyes, and the lips pulled all the way back to expose both rows of teeth (looks alot like a human smile). Fear grimaces are often paired with crying or screaming, and running away or otherwise avoidant body movements. The fear grimace can be used to express: “I’m not a threat! I don’t want to fight! Let’s be friends!”. Sometimes a fear grimace can be used when monkeys or apes are meeting for the first time to communicate a friendly, non-threatening, stance. In the past (and today, unfortunately) chimpanzees, macaques, capuchins used for entertainment would be trained to “smile” as part of an act. This muddied the public perception of the expression. A normal person would not know a “smiling” primate is a tense, fearful animal and the person may attempt to approach the animal, in which case the animal may defend itself, since the fear grimace was not responded to correctly. A fear grimace is not an expression of aggression: it communicates a desire not to fight.

A “play face” features an open, relaxed mouth that exposes the bottom row of teeth, soft (non-focused) eyes, relaxed body language and may be accompanied by panting sometimes described as a laugh. A play face is often being displayed during play, or “flirting” (friendly behavior to show interest before courting). 

Please check the links below for visuals of the difference between the two. 

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Q: Why do humans smile if a “smile” (aka fear grimace) is a defensive measure for other primates? 

A: A fear grimace is a complicated expression. Typically, the grimace is a means of asking for acceptance; “I don’t want to fight. I’m friendly. Please don’t make me defend myself physically”. It does not only occur when the animal is fearful, but instead when they are anticipating potential conflict.  A human smile (In western cultures) is utilized in a very similar way. Do you only smile when you’re truly happy? Do you ever find yourself smiling when you’re nervous, when you’re trying to fit into a new social group, when you see a stranger and want to appear friendly, when you greet a customer/worker, etc. These are all ways in which our smile is used to communicate “I’m not a threat. I’m friendly, see!” This is not to say all our body language is the same as our primate cousins, but to simply show how similar that can be in ways we don’t always notice.  

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Q: Why are humans so different from every other species of primate?

A: A couple million years of evolution has sent us down a strange path, making humanity a very odd species in comparison to other lifeforms. While we tend to think of ourselves as the most evolved or developed species, the truth is that evolution abides by the principle of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. While other species have settled into evolutionary niches, early human ancestors (hominids) struggled to find an edge on the competition for resources. We have never been the strongest, fastest, or most efficient species, but walking upright became our strength. Every development a species goes through is a trade off: walking upright gave us the ability to walk longer distances and left our arms free to carry things, but for this ability we lost speed, take more fall damage, have more back and joint problems. However, in a period of great scarcity being able to walk for hours to forage and collect the spoils to save for later/sharing was a great way to survive. Walking upright ended up being the catalyst for further development along the lines we now know as human: narrower hips to support upright posture made giving birth more difficult which meant that unlike other species which tend to give birth alone, birth became a group effort. The strengthening of our social bonds and increased interdependence allowed us to take more risks as a species and rely on each other, and as we gained cognitive function we became known for our intelligence (at least to ourselves). Human evolution has been a strange and unique path, and a big reason for that is that our niche shifts slowly, and so do we. Australopithecus Aferensis, the species commonly referred to as the earliest common ancestor, existed for 900,000 years– thats much longer than homo sapiens! So while we are very different from other primates, things could look very different in a few million years.

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Q: Does anyone else find great apes to trigger an uncanny valley response? Is it normal to be kind of creeped out by them?

A: It is absolutely normal. We never judge anyone for being scared, apprehensive, or off-put by a primate, it’s a good survival skill to be cautious! Lots of people find primates close to people to be uncomfortable to look at and while we hope that feeling will fade as you get to know our ape cousins and (hopefully) grow to love them, we totally get it.

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Q: What do you think about Kanzi the bonobo?

A: Yes, we get asked about Kanzi kind of a lot! We think he is a gorgeous and lovely ape, and though the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative has had a rocky history we are proud to support them at their current standards of bonobo care and ethics. Kanzi clearly lives a good life with his friends and family, and while we aren’t confident that he can communicate to the extent that he has complete understanding of human language, he does appear to possess recognition of some spoken English and symbols on his lexigram board. Neat guy altogether!

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Q: Why did Travis end up committing that famous attack?

A: Travis is perhaps the most famous pet primate in the USA.  Travis was purchased as a pet for Sandy Harold and her family. He was raised more as a child than a pet. He ate meals with the family at the table, was trained to drive cars, and was discouraged from displaying his natural chimpanzee behaviors. When he started to mature, his strength and confidence with humans became a problem. Harold unfortunately lost her son and her husband, leading her to lean more on Travis for emotional support. They slept in the same bed together, she let him drive her into town, and the nature of their relationship was troubling and unsafe. Harold relied on Xanax to calm Travis when he would act out. She also utilized many unhealthy foods Travis enjoyed to appease him- which in turn made him extremely obese. The famous attack started when Harold had trouble soothing a distressed Travis. She called her friend Nash to come over and help her with Travis. She also dosed him with some Xanax (while Xanax is a depressant and commonly tranquilizes humans, primates can actually become more agitated and aggressive on Xanax.)Travis had taken the car keys and was attempting to leave the property when Nash arrived. She stepped out of her vehicle and Travis attacked her. Harold called the police and attempted to stab Travis with a kitchen knife. Police arrived and Travis attempted to enter the squad car, that’s when Travis sustained the fatal gunshot wound and he retreated to the house before he passed away. Nash survived the attack but required many surgeries. Travis is a tragic red flag in the American law-making system. Wild animals do not belong in out homes. Allowing humans to keep wild animals routinely puts the public at risk of attack when the animal inevitably escapes. May Travis and the Harolds rest in peace. Please do not soil their memory with unkind jokes, this is a topic we take very seriously.  

The second link contains outside sources that go into some pretty disturbing details of the attack.

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Q: Could Koko the gorilla really talk?

A: She certainly could use some signs to get a desired response, but I wouldn’t say she could talk. The research methods used were not up to standard; the “signs” she used were not any other official sign language, videos of her signing were always in clips and full videos of her training sessions were never released. She was an absolute legend and her fame really helped gorillas as a whole receive public interest and support in a time they were seen as the stinky, dumb ogres of the great apes.  

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Q: Why did the Harambe situation play out like it did?

A: Harambe was a western lowland gorilla who lived at the Cincinnati Zoo from 2014 to 2016, and previously at the Gladys Porter Zoo for 15 years. May 2016, a 3 year old boy climbed the wall of the enclosure and fell 15 feet into into the moat of the enclosure. Keepers immediately signaled the gorillas to shift to the indoor space, and the two females complied. Harambe though, approached the child. He grabbed the kid, propping him up and pushing him down when the child tried to stand. Onlookers were screaming which disoriented the gorilla, he was displaying “strutting” behavior where he walks tall with his chest pushed out to appear bigger. Because he was not responding to keepers and they feared the situation would escalate, the emergency team decided to use the zoo’s emergency rifle to kill Harambe and retrieve the child, who was unharmed.

On top of the grief of unexpectedly losing a beloved animal, the staff at Cincinnati Zoo were tormented with public opinions on what they should have or could have done. Making light of such a difficult situation, a coping mechanism for many, sparked alot of hot debate for keepers on their personal social media accounts. Animal Rights Activists protested the zoo and many felt the need to debate if it was an ethical decision. As sad as it is, human lives will always be the priority in situations like this. 

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Q: How can I determine if a sanctuary or zoo is ethical?

A: This can be especially difficult, even for professionals in the field, doubly difficult for facilities abroad. When traveling, we recommend doing as much research possible about the destination and their entertainment opportunities. Heavily research the animal encounters you may see. If they allow/encourage you to touch or feed wild monkeys, that’s a red flag. If animals are restrained, that’s a red flag. The human populations in popular travel destinations know that animals are a great source of revenue. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities rather than paid experiences in order to support local sanctuaries and rescues! A proper sanctuary should not breed, allow for hands-on “playtime”, exchange funds for experiences, or encourage you to be in unprotected contact with the animals. Happy travels!

In the states, we recommend first checking the facility accreditation. Accreditation is a way for facilities to say, “hey, we all agreed to X standards and we check each other to ensure we are all meeting those standards.”. Accreditation is a membership. There are fees and politics involved so this is not the end-all-be-all of ethics. Typically, AZA and ZAA are accreditors who can be trusted. For primate sanctuaries, NAPSA is the largest and strictest accreditor. Next, we recommend going to the facility website and checking their encounter rules. Do they restrain their animals, or allow you to feed or touch animals? Do they contribute to conservation? Are they outspoken about ending the trade of animals into private collections and homes? These can all be clues about the standards of the facility. 

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[anarkittyuwuuniverse]

I think there's a certain type of person - I guess the ones who get all their information about "neurodivergence" through social media - who just kind of need to be told: Hey, the reason why people express doubt about you claiming to be autistic is not because autism has been "stereotyped" as this screaming non-verbal head-banging nursery rhyme and train obsessed young boy archetype (whom I'm sure you are probably very passionate about advocating for), it's because the diagnostic category of autism has widened and broadened so much in the latest years both within psychiatry but especially within pop psychology social media spaces that the image of autism you have been presented with is completely unrecognizable from the image of autism a lot of people have grown up with. This cannot be explained away with vague gestures towards "stereotyping" or "it's a spectrum", it's only a spectrum because some psychiatrists decided to pair a bunch of traits they saw occurring together under the same label but then sometimes they would occur with other traits and the chain just gets so long and the edges so far from each other, no single core to consistently unite all of it. And that's one thing but a lot of the things held up as "autism traits" on TikTok or Instagram infographics are just completely ordinary and trivial things. I've seen posts saying that being sensitive to conflict, scared of horror movies, having hobbies and interests, having strong moral beliefs, fidgeting (no reference to extent of fidgeting) and enjoying saying funny noises are all signs of autism and I just. A lot of the stuff I see is also just responding with stress to stressful situations, getting overwhelmed from socializing for a long time, struggling to balance home and work-life balance (this one was presented as a trait in autistic women hmm, I wonder why women specifically would struggle more to hold both a job and keep a household in order) and I think a problem is that a lot of people genuinely don't know that other people are also really fucking struggling because it's not visible most of the time, just as your suffering is not visible to others because you are "masking". I get that it feels good to get a label that kind of acknowledges and validates your suffering but there are other ways to do that, ways that don't make your suffering an essential part about who you are and encourages identity formation around it, it is also very likely that the people pushing for this broadening of the term are looking for customers to sell self-help to. It's a bit of a cliché to say that a lot of these problems are caused by capitalism but there is some truth to it, though it is reductive. A lot of people also just feel alienated because the way social dynamics are in many societies just are highly alienating, people interrogate and scrutinize each other's behavior all the time and everyone's hiding and performing so much and in a globalized ever accelerating neoliberal society, there are so many different kinds of constantly disrupting social spaces people find themselves in all the time, so many new forms of labor that require high degrees of emotional regulation and intuitiveness, and constant new norms being generated, no wonder more and more people feel like they "don't understand social norms". (This post is not an attack on any person who identifies as autistic or has low support needs though I am highly critical of the ontology of the diagnosis, it can be relevant to some people. You decide whether or not this post applies to you.)

[themogaidragon]

okay so i just saw this (https://www.tumblr.com/themogaidragon/721175822042628096/can-you-help-with-something-i-feel-male-but-i) old post of yours and i feel like "autimain" is the best description of my gender i've seen thus far, outside of "dullboy"/"dullgender". for the sake of elaborating, the best way i think i can describe my gender is that i *guess* i'm male but i don't exactly know what being "male" is nor do i have a strong connection with it, like i'm basically "cis by default". so finally finding a more accurate term is somewhat relieving; but the problem is that while i am neurodivergent, i'm not (or at least don't think i am) autistic so i don't feel comfortable using the term. are there any more genders specifically similar to "autimain," or does a new term need to be coined? /genq

many thanks! /pos

sorry for the long ask /gen

There is not a gender really similar to autimain which isn't exclusive to autistic people, to my knowledge. Maybe neurodullboy, since it is being dullboy due to neurodivergence. But if none of the terms in the list of the original post seemed to fit, I sadly don't have any other term to introduce you to. :\ /serious

The best I have is genders that are described has a disconnection to gender:

Agnogender: An identity in which the user feels connected to a gender and may roughly identify as such, but isn’t sure what that gender is supposed to feel like in the first place, causing a disconnect.

Contramasc: a gender for individuals who resonate their deeply with masculinity but has a disconnect from manhood itself.

Inkongender: someone who has a vague and inconsistent relationship with gender. Sometimes they may feel like gender doesn’t apply to them at all and other times feel like they may have a gender but can’t describe the gendered experience they’re having, but despite the vague connection/overall disconnect from gender, they still use gender labels that fit them best and/or collect genders they have a connection to. Can laso be a considered neurogender, but doesn’t have to be.

Neurobxy: feeling male but also genderless caused by a disconnect from gender due to neurodivergence, therefore identifying as a bxy. this gender may be fluid, flux, demiboy, multigender, or any combo of masculine and genderless.

...

You might be able to find something that fits by researching using key words on blogs similar to mine. :) /serious

Sorry for taking so much time to respond. :'( /genuine

[22degreehalo]

Actually speaking of which

So, the library I'm volunteering at opened up applications for a casual library officer!!!!!

This is the same place I've been helping out for like?? Two years??? More????? at this point???? But last year when I applied they didn't even give me an interview. Like I was literally doing almost the exact same thing I would be doing if I worked there, and I hadn't had any complaints, but they wouldn't even consider me.

I was REALLY bummed and considered giving up this path altogether, but thankfully I did get hired by another library, where I'm working right now!!! And I found out afterwards that another guy who was also volunteering alongside me ALSO applied for that other job where we were volunteering and ALSO didn't get considered (and now ALSO got a job at this new library, thankfully).

I talked to the librarian I'd been assisting and she was really mad on our behalf?? Said she'd heard something about how they were looking for people with retail experience specifically, which is... strange. Like, are they TRYING to run it like a business instead...?

I've still kept volunteering with them, though (albeit I quit part of what I was doing because the schedule turned out to conflict with my new job too much; it was very sad tbh), because they need people, and it's an important role that apparently doesn't get many volunteers, and it's only two hours every other week, and it's still my local council so. It's the most convenient to get to and all. I still hoped they might reconsider hiring me.

And, as I began this all, now they've opened up applications again. So I applied.

But. I don't want to *stop* working where I am; it's genuinely a really great place and I've even become a bit attached to the other people there!! (not something that happens easily hahaha)

Apparently it's normal to have multiple casual library jobs at the same time. So that's been my goal for a while.

But... could I really do that? I'm already not the most organised just with my one job... I know it's normal, but I am neurodivergent... I need to remember that that is a true thing about myself that I can state as a fact...

I don't know. Obviously I could just keep working at this current place until I can get a permanent position somewhere... Though I still don't really feel qualified to do any of it... ugh.

Is it really okay if things just stay as they are...? I've said before that this is an okay minimum, or something like that. I don't *desperately need* to change anything. But is it okay not to even especially try...?

I could go back to TAFE... but part of me thinks that I should go back to uni instead and study cataloguing, because that'd definitely help me get a position, and I'd love to have a part in shaping the non-fiction sections specifically... (god, just walking through the non-fiction shelves is soooo refreshing to the soul <33) But that'd be really expensive, and I already have two degrees I'm basically not doing anything with...

Ugh. Again it feels like giving up on the goal of moving out. But there are already a lot of question marks around that.

Welp. They might not want to hire me anyway. If that happens, I might just finally give up on the volunteering... or at least consider volunteering somewhere else. My library hires people to do the thing I'm volunteering for there (in fact, *I* am one of the people paid to do the thing I'm doing as volunteer at my local library!!); they should consider that, too, if they can't find anyone after me.

idk sorry this is such a long post. I'm not sure how to feel about it all right now...

[lacrimosathedark]

I really wish people applied Hanlon's Razor and Grey's Law to their daily lives.

In case you don't know, here is what those mean.

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity/incompetence.

Grey's Law: Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.

They sound in direct opposition, but I feel like people don't consciously think about either of these and apply them almost at random and it sucks. I know the lack of people thinking like this has effected me personally, and those around me.

Starting with Hanlon I suppose.

One of the few things I'm confident is is that I'm intelligent. That said, I'm wholly aware I have specialties and there's so much that I don't know, and my memory sucks so I often forget things too. I also am the furthest from malicious someone can really be without being a complete doormat (and I'm still a bit of a doormat, I'm working on it). Upsetting people is genuinely distressing on so many levels, and because of this I feel compelled to explain myself for literally everything, or say nothing at all. So I'm long rants and silence.

Sometimes I'll assert something and someone will disagree with me, be it because they got offended for some reason or because they have information I don't. I assume one or both of us is lacking information, so I share what I have and ask for theirs. You may have noticed this if you see me responding to posts asking for sources.

I hate being wrong. I know in a lot of people that manifests in becoming stubborn and defensive, but I actively try not to do that. I want to be correct, so I want to learn more. I want to know what I was missing. If I'm wrong, I want to know so I don't make the same mistakes again. If I'm not wrong but was missing information, it can give me a clearer understanding of the topic as a whole and people who think and feel differently than me which is fantastic because I love learning how people and things work when I don't understand the logic. And I love to share information to. And I might go overboard.

But people assume I'm trying to argue, and not that I genuinely want to understand their perspective.

And I'm not saying part of that's on me for not communicating well enough. But no matter how hard I try, someone always seems to assume I'm out to hurt people when the thought of vaguely upsetting someone often paralyzes me. I've been scolded for not asking for help because I feel like an inconvenience. (TW) The only reason I'm even alive is because I know at least one person would grieve, and hurting someone like that is so much worse than suffering through existence. (TW end) I'm not someone who would ever go out of my way to cause harm unprovoked.

And I know I'm not the only one to experience this. Neurodivergent people often have trouble communicating. Children still have a lot they don't know. Some people grew up incredibly sheltered. That's not even to mention people getting into a niche or study and being brand new, just learning. Everyone starts somewhere and no one begins as an expert in anything. And the world is big and there's so much to know in so little time.

Why do we assume people are playing dumb or ignorant on less consequential things just to be a jerk?

Assuming people are malicious because they're ignorant or even stupid hurts people who mean no harm. And it sucks.

Onto Grey.

I'll make this example a little less personal.

The American education system sucks, and most people never get comprehensive sex ed. Many states have laws limiting the education to "abstinence only". This results in many people not knowing how the reproductive system works.

This, therefore, results in our government full of old cishet white men to not know what the fuck they're talking about while trying to limit "women's" healthcare. People have died because of their idiocy. Doctors are scared to abort babies that won't survive birth, and make the mother wait until they are literally dying to help them. People have given stillbirths at home because doctors refused to help for fear of legal recourse. A woman was fucking arrested because she had a stillbirth at home because they refused to abort the dying fetus.

That incompetence and stupidity and the stubborn refusal to be educated costs actual lives.

Both Hanlon and Grey work for transphobia too.

Like, you should always initially apply Hanlon's Razor if you get misgendered. Maybe the person didn't know. Maybe it's new to them and they're still learning. Maybe they just need to unlearn the habit of how they've thought of you. It's a process and people make mistakes. It may hurt, but it's not automatically malicious.

However, where Grey's Law comes in is there can be people who say they love you, genuinely think they mean it, try to give you the world, but refuse to respect you as you are. They don't put effort into changing for you. And it's not malicious, clearly. They don't hate you, probably want what's best for you and think they know what that is. But with the amount of harm that attitude causes, can it be distinguishable from malice? I don't really think so.

I just wish people thought about that more. Me included.

[kitnita]

I'm suddenly confused if you're implying Robo is autistic. Like, I know McDavid is frequently coded as much but I've seen Robo labeled that in a few places and I have question marks floating above my head.

I'm gonna blame me not understanding on actually being autistic and not understanding tone/meaning/word choice. 😅

aksjhdg no worries! so first of all i am not Actually diagnosing any of these guys with anything. this is all just joking that first stemmed from my tags on this post, which is a quote from an mma guy talking about creating a champion by finding someone w autism & adding steroids into the mix with them. there's been a couple of posts in a similar (if less batshit) sports-and-autism vein floating around sportsblr recently (i know i reblogged this one but i've seen others too) & they all have the same half-serious tone. but i think the conversation is all just in fun! i've been aiming for a similar half-joking tone w these asks and i am, again, not pretending to know how any of these dudes' heads work.

do i think more professional athletes than not are some flavor of neurodivergent? probably, idk. but they're also in professions where their neurodivergence helps them out & they can control their environments in a way that probably really works for them even without a diagnose so also Who Cares.

i think a lot of people jokingly applying the label to robo comes less from him being a hockey robot in the mold of mcdavid and more from being the kind of guy described in the second post i linked — very much the 'jocks are just autistic people with a special interest in sports' vibe.

personally i feel like part of that read on him is coming from how intense he is w his personal tape review? during games you see him watching plays back on the ipad almost immediately but we also know that he rewatches every game in full the next day, etc etc etc. the way he talks through the game is also very analytical & insightful, which i think mostly just comes from him being better w media than most guys but also adds to the general theme of him just seeing the game in a different way & also being able to articulate it pretty well. also probably his general homeschool kid aura & maybe the goalie special interest. who knows!

but yeah idk where/why it first popped out from so the question marks definitely make sense!! i hope this helped clear up my tone and word choices but lmk if not <3

[cootcutebatkat]

The Memory Gun and How Memory Works on a Physical Level

I'm an undergrad psychology major.

I talked about something that was bothering me with my Cognitive Psychology professor yesterday who also teaches how the brain works on a physical level (I wanna call it neurology but that feels incorrect).

I was wondering how memory works since our brain is just a bunch of neuron cells firing off electrical signals. The more you use a part of the brain, the more electricity there is in that area. It becomes a highway.

When you're not using that part, there's no electricity and it's essentially "dead." Now, I don't know how big that part is, but I'm certain it's situational.

But generally speaking, your brain is always active, always alive. It's constantly firing off electrical pulses, always on the go, because it has to.

As for memories, they're not physical files. They're just the result of a bunch of neuron cells creating paths between them, firing off all at once to reconstruct a memory. People typically think of "episodic" memories, but memory can be applied to about anything, such as knowing what a dog is, what the word looks like, how it sounds, what counts as a dog, what they sound like, how to move your arm, how to eat, anything!

So why did Fiddleford and Stanley regain their memories? They reconstructed them, but how?

When you remember something, it's like a puzzle. You put it together in a matter of seconds (neurons creating paths) and when you don't remember them, you disassemble the puzzle. This happens over and over every time you remember something. That's why it's easy to create "false" memories, especially if you have nothing to argue with the falsehood.

(personally, though I acknowledge that false memories are real and happen all the time, it's also important to remember that reconstructed memories can be real with sufficient evidence from other memories of ANY kind. This statement applies to trauma and dissociation the most.)

So how does the memory gun work? Cartoon laws can overcome anything, even the laws of physics! But it's fun to think about they could work in real life.

WARNING: JUST BECAUSE IT COULD BE BUILT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD!! THERE IS A REASON WHY THE BOARD OF ETHICS EXISTS!!!

Okay, now that we got that out of the way, how would it work??? Well, it's already established that it fires off electricity towards the brain, so that's handy. Electric circuits in the brain is nothing new. Look at Mary Shelley's Frankenstein! (Good book :3)

For the gun to work properly, you pick out some letters and spell out a word. The computer inside the gun (Fiddleford's computer-majigs!!) interprets the letters as an actual word, probably through a dictionary, and locates different parts of the brain that holds the associations of that word. With the electricity, it blocks the neurons from sending/receiving electrical inputs.

If it doesn't block, it still needs to redirect the electric signals to other parts of the brain. Either way, those old parts are essentially dead, no longer used, and will stay that way if the person avoids associations of the old memory.

HOWEVER!! Memories can be reconstructed, remember?? (Hehe remember)

And for reconstruction, I'm assuming that the blockage, if that's how it works, is temporary, just enough to force some rewiring. So the pathways can be reused!

Another thing about memories, Fidds, and Stan, and you know what? Frankenstein too! This post is also about identity!

Identity and memory tend to go hand-in-hand. Memories are like an identity's building blocks. With no memory, no identity!

And with a dead brain without any sort of electrical signals helping each other, it's a blank canvas. That's why Frankenstein's monster acted a like a giant baby. The old brain, though it's possible to have a specific construction, some form of Neurodivergency that can influence paths of the brain, the old brain is dead. The monster is a brand new person!

For Fidds, he rewired his brain CONSTANTLY! For how long? Who knows, but it's gotta be years! But as we've seen, it wasn't healthy. Not to mention, the effects of electricity on yourself.

But it's how he went from Fiddleford McGucket to Old Man McGucket. But thanks to the memory tubes (how THOSE work is a mystery to me. Cartoons, amirite?), and probably through other sources of information, he went back to being Fiddleford again!

And that's also how Stan became Stan again! Especially since when Ford erased him, he chose the words "Stan Pines," blasting away all associations of himself from his mind.

"But he also erased his identity, right? Which is the culmination of memories?" Well, not all of your memories are about you, are they? And certainly not with Stan, who had to change identities!

But Ford probably had the same idea about memory and identity, which is why he chose Stan Pines as the association. It's the whole of him, so it'll also erase the whole of Bill.

But even so, Stan was still able to reconstruct his memories, starting with simple things that aren't entirely related to him. Hell, we saw that was still "Stan" since he woke up after the erasing. His reaction to Mabel? His reaction to the chair? His tendency for jokes?

He didn't really act like a baby, did he? He just acted confused, but also friendly, curious, and laid-back. Pretty Stan-like if you ask me.

Maybe not all of the synapses in his brain were firing. Maybe they had to recreate memories that may even feel off. But he was able to become Stan again.

(also, this kinda supports the theory of Bill coming back in some lesser form, doesn't it? I wasn't onboard with it for a while, but this changes things for me)

[aroacemisha]

About Me & The Blog!

Hi! My name is Misha (he/him). I’m a queer Russian artist and writer [art & writing tag: #misha’s creative stuff; original characters/stories tag: #misha’s original stuff]. Born in February 10, 2004. I’m also an atheist and likely neurodivergent.

I also like The Owl House. I have an AU [tag: #retired leaders au]! It’s focused on Belos, Steven (the AU version of Steve), Hunter and Kiki, aka the Wolf Fam, and they’re the characters with the most significant changes. More info about the AU can be found under the #rlau info tag. It’s a good uncle AU btw.

Small summary: The Day of Unity turned out to be a massive disaster, and once Belos finally returned from being stuck in the Human Realm with Hunter and the Hexsquad, he publicly admitted to his lies and resigned. The other highest ranking members of the EC - Hunter, Steven and Kiki - left with him, hence the AU’s name, and the Empire dissolved.

Some more info about the AU can be found in this post. I’ll make a proper, better structured info post eventually.

[Edit]: Since I changed my username, the link in the long thread no longer works. Here is the updated link.

If you’d like to ask anything, whether it’s about me or my content, or if you just want to say something to me, feel free to send an ask!

I have a positivity tag: “#positivity”, and I’ll link it here if you wanna scroll through it.

I’m not really into n$fw content, but some (mostly mild) stuff might show up, mainly in text form or character dialogue. I tag non graphic/less graphic stuff with “#cw: suggestive”, and more graphic stuff with “#nsft stuff”, though I’m not 100% sure on where the line is for me.

(I also try to tag triggers, generally with “#cw: [thing]”, like “cw: flashing” or “cw: blood”, and some are censored like “cw: sui mention” and “cw: sa mention”. If there’s anything you’d like me to tag, send me an ask)

A few more things, in no particular order:

Do not repost/reupload people’s art without permission. If you like an artist’s work and want to have it on your blog, press the “reblog” button (the recycle looking button). If you want to share it on a different platform, just don’t, unless the artist gives you permission. Or just post a link to the work instead of the work itself!

And stop with the “idk who made it, I found it on Google” bs - don’t post the work you found, and if you want to share it, do reverse image search and find the author and share their work the proper way instead of stealing. Have the bare minimum of respect for the creator.

“Do not repost” also applies to downloading someone’s work, tracing or editing it, and then posting that version. It’s fine to trace art as a form of study/learning, but only if you either keep it to yourself and don’t post it, or you get the artist’s permission to post the traced/edited version.

Please tag your ships when you post content with them. It helps people who like it find it, and helps people who dislike it avoid it by filtering the tag. This includes “OC x canon” stuff (tag the specific OC/ship btw, not just “OC x canon”), “s3lf insert x canon”, and I’d say especially “x read3r”, or frankly, any kind of read3r insert stuff, even if it’s not ship.

Pr0shippers will get blocked. “Pr0shippers/anti-antis/c0mship/pr0fic” or whatever you call yourselves, get out. If you treat p3do and inc3st relationships as some kind of “cute/fun tropes”, or you willingly associate with people who do, I want nothing to do with you. This includes people who ship distant relatives (you are still shipping relatives and doing so knowingly)

No, this does not mean I’m some kind of puritan who doesn’t want dark topics to ever be touched on in media, it just means I think they shouldn’t be watered down into a “cute/fun trope” and should be approached with sensitivity.

If you’re an exclusionist, you’re not welcome here. This includes people who tag “queer” as “q slur”, as well as label and pronoun policers. There will be people whose identities you don’t understand, and that’s fine, leave them alone. Stop doing our oppressors’ work for them. Queer discourse also comes and goes every few months and it’s always the same “trust me bro my exclusionism is totally legit this time bro this group of queer people is totally evil and harmful bro just trust me”

“Tme/tma” (transmisogyny exempt/affected), are meaningless labels that do nothing but cause infighting within the trans community about who has it “worse”, or who has “privilege”, when no one does. A violent anti-trans bigot is not going to ask your pronouns before assaulting you if they perceive you as trans (or any kind of queer). Drop the labels if you use them. Also read this post by an intersex person.

If you attack people for criticizing cops, billionaires, large corporations, etc, gtfo. Go lick those boots elsewhere.

Russia/Putin stans/apologists are also not welcome here. Same for those who are “neutral” or think that “both sides are bad” (no they are not). And if you’re one of those people who act like Ukraine has no autonomy and is only resisting because the West is pushing it to do so, sincerely, go fuck yourself.

That’s about it I think. Though remember that you won’t fully know all of my beliefs from a couple sentences or even a couple paragraphs.

(Edit: For TOH fans, filter “#huntl0w negative” if you don’t like seeing negativity towards the ship. I try not to mention it much, but occasionally I voice or reblog criticisms of the writing (it’s pretty bad if it’s meant to be romantic), and some behavior from particularly aggressive fans. Btw in case you’re wondering, no, I don’t like L*nter, they are a canonically familial relationship)

[This post gets updates sometimes]