The Gifted Neurodivergent Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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Navigating Uncertain Times: A Journey from the U.S. to Portugal.

In this episode, we discuss the challenges and tough decisions facing many in the United States as it heads toward times of great change, unrest, and potential collapse. In this episode we highlight the experience of J.D. Goulet, a gifted neurodivergent writer, who made the move to Portugal a little over a year ago. We explore the process and choices involved in seeking a better future abroad. 

You Can Find J.D. On Blue Sky and Substack here:
https://bsky.app/profile/tanzpunk.bsky.social
https://substack.com/@jdgoulet

The Gifted ND Substack is here:
https://substack.com/@giftednd

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In this episode of The Gifted Podcast we dive into the concept of degrowth with special guest Matt Orsagh, the author of the newsletter 'Degrowth is the Answer.' Matt shares his personal journey, from obtaining degrees in English, film, and finance, to advocating for a shift away from GDP-focused growth. 

We discuss the environmental and societal benefits of a wellbeing-based economy, touching on issues like universal basic income, shorter work weeks, and sustainable living. Matt also highlights the importance of building community and living within planetary boundaries to ensure a better future for upcoming generations. 

00:00 Introduction to the Gifted Podcast 

00:22 Meet Matt Orsagh: Author of The Newsletter 'Degrowth is the Answer'. 

00:45 Matt's Journey: From Finance to Degrowth 

03:48 Understanding Degrowth and Its Importance 

04:38 The Concept of Planetary Boundaries 

06:54 Degrowth in Practice: Work, Income, and Community 

16:33 Challenges and Benefits of a Wellbeing Economy 

21:58 Future Perspectives on Economic Systems 

22:48 The Changing Attitudes Towards Capitalism 

23:26 Generational Shift in Political Power 

24:38 Critique of American Individualism 

26:22 The Role of Advertising in Consumerism 

27:13 Discovering Degrowth 

29:12 Historical Context of Environmental Awareness 

33:27 Future Challenges and Adaptations 

36:43 The Importance of Community and Communication 

40:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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I believe the obesity epidemic signifies a sensitivity to the schedules imposed by our systems on everyone. Obesity, in my view, is a consequence of the struggle to conform to increasingly restrictive and demanding systems, coupled with a diminishing nutritional quality in our food supply. The choices we make regarding nutrition are driven by the need for increasing dopamine rewards, which, in the short term, help us adhere to our schedules.

Obesity rates are on the rise across all Western societies. While it was initially observed in the most sensitive individuals, it now appears that either sensitivity is increasing or our societal systems breaking down are pushing everyone into a situation where fitting into the schedules we first learn in school is no longer feasible. I am concerned that as our society approaches its end, we may find few individuals healthy enough to bring about the necessary changes for a successful transition.

The research landscape in this area is still evolving, and recent insights suggest that others are also discovering connections between neurodivergence and obesity. You can explore this in the following supporting papers.

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9775563/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551752/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356459/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10519741/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7335278/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775294/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.535705/full

The ongoing journey to comprehend the intricate interplay between higher cognition, neurodivergence, and obesity has given rise to another theory.

One I am asking for your feedback on. Do you find this to be true for you? Please let me know at info@giftednd.com.

In neurotypicals the cognitively mind breaks before the body does. This is the purpose of boot camp. To break the mind and build it back as a no thinking enlisted body for war. (NT) 

In neurodivergents the sensing body breaks before the mind does. This is what college is for. It breaks our body to make it a slave to the needs of the mind. (ND) 

In the 2e, those of us with both high sensing and cognitive intelligence, there is a constant battle for resources between the two. For us the emotions and intellect must connect for us to be mentally and physically healthy. 

For the 2e it is mental agony to have them separate and everything in our society insists they be separated. This only serves the powerful not the individual or the society. Separation manifests illness in both mind and body. But when your emotions and intellect connected your syndromes, your sensitivity and your highly aware neurodivergent brain functioning help you find your optimum functioning. (2e) 

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It's another episode on Free Will, this time from the system perspective or 2D perspective. Using the viewpoint of Daniel Dennett, I review the 2D perspective of Free Will, illustrating how it contrasts with Robert Sapolsky's perspective and my own.

Daniel Dennett is known as the "Father of Modern Philosophy." He is a neuroscientist and the head of the Philosophy Department at Tufts University. In this podcast, I reviewed the following documents covering Daniel Dennett's perspective on Free Will:

• Big Think interview with Daniel Dennett
• YouTube video: Daniel Dennett on Free Will
• YouTube video: Daniel Dennett - The Magic of Consciousness
• "Kinds of Minds: Toward an Understanding of Consciousness" by Daniel C. Dennett
• "I've Been Thinking..." written by Daniel C. Dennett

I'll be very honest with you; I am not a fan of Daniel Dennett. I find his writings and lectures to be like climbing a very tall ladder, with many different concepts all precariously stacked on top of each other, yet never connected. I love learning, except from him. When I listen to or read Daniel Dennett, I am reminded of all the professors I had that did not want students to ask questions. 

He does not explain his thoughts in a manner that makes them accessible but rather in a way that makes them inaccessible. I think this is the sign of a highly cognitive thinker who lacks empathy for his audience.  He forces the listener to do mental gymnastics to understand his thoughts. I believe he is indicative of issues we see in all the current humanities, except for anthropology. The American universities are are staffed by people who believe the masses are stupid and unable to think for themselves. They have turned the humanities into a religion, with only those who agree being right and those who disagree being wrong. This has contributed to our country's mental health crisis. It seems to me that those who run the humanities are educated but have not lived. They do not know how to reach their audience, and they do not care to do so. They think the audience should simply do as they say and not think for themselves.

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Happy New Year, Everyone!

It's 2024, and this year, instead of making resolutions on how you can improve yourself, I want you to do the opposite. I want you to radically accept yourself exactly as you are. I would like this year to be the best year of your life. I want you to see only the amazing things you can do and all the potential you have.

In this podcast, I cover Robert Sapolsky's book, "Behave." This voluminous book covers all the reasons why we do not have free will. There are many. For some reason others find this disheartening. I personally find this liberating. If we don't have free will, why are we all working so hard to do what others want us to do? Why are we worrying about the future? Why worry about making the right or even best choice? If we have no free will then why not spend our life focused on what makes us feel alive and the rest should fall into place.

As a gifted neurodivergent, I have come to realize there is so much in place in our system that actively thwarts my success. I worked very hard trying to fulfill the potential they said I had—the potential to be slightly better than average, the potential to make other people a lot of money. When I finally gave up, left the system, and pivoted to what I wanted to do, everything got so much easier. I was no longer working against myself; I was working for myself. I was working in a manner that seemed like I was always supposed to work. I was doing exactly what I was always meant to do.

Every minute I spend working on the things I was told I was not supposed to work on because I was here to be productive and serve the system, I have been happier. I want this for you too. I want your life to get better each year. The rest of the world may be falling apart, but we are finally getting the chance to be freed enough to pull ourselves together.

Robert Sapolsky's book "Behave" - I love this author. I recommend all of his books.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behave_(book)

Don't forget to sign up for your free session while you still can. I am getting busier, and someday I may have to take my free session away. So sign up and introduce yourself while you can for free. I really enjoy meeting every one of you.

www,giftednd.com

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Gifted Neurodivergent Podcast
Dr. Linda Silverman's Notes
December 13, 2023
1. Variation of ways I have seen spatial giftedness manifest.
All endeavors in which the right hemisphere has major involvement.
Creativity
Imagination
Intuition
Empathy
Mathematical and scientific interests
Big picture thinkers in all fields
Thinking outside the box
The ability to predict trends
Understanding customer needs
Design
Fine arts
Photographic memory
Spiritual awareness
The ability to grasp non-duality
Psychic ability
2. In how many areas does spatial giftedness manifest?
Countless
3. What are the highest and lowest manifestations of math, music and emotions?
In mathematics, the highest manifestation might be grasping the mathematics of the universe.
The lowest might be an attraction to numbers and counting.
In music, the highest manifestation might be the ability to compose inspiring music.
The lowest might be appreciation of music.
In emotions, the highest manifestation might be the ability to deeply feel what others are feeling.
The lowest might be emotional intensity without the ability to direct it compassionately.
4. Life-changing aspects of spatial abilities.
As visual-spatial abilities are innate, they are part of the life path of the individual. VSLs see the
world differently from birth. As they are capable of going beyond duality, they are likely to forge
unusual lifestyles, outside the norms of society (e.g., bisexuality, being nonbinary, etc.). Their
sharp intuitive abilities also make them excellent salespersons.
5. What were my first indications that things were not as the education and medical system
said they were?
One of my earliest memories, at around the age of 4, was hearing my older sister say to our
parents, “You made me the way I am!” “I didn’t ask to be born!” I was certain that she was
wrong. I knew that we create our own realities. At 19, I married a man who became a psychic

healer. I lived with miracles. Once I told my Statistics instructor that I didn’t believe in chance.
Education tends to be highly competitive, and the prevailing viewpoints on giftedness are highly
competitive. I have always believed that each of us has a unique mission, and that we don’t
compete with anyone for our destiny. As for medicine, many doctors seed fear in their patients
on the assumption that they are “protecting” them, when they are actually acting out of self-
interest, trying to protect themselves. When the field of medicine finally understands the mind-
body connection, there will be a major shift in medical practice and more effective outcomes.
6. What is the self-motivated journey I went on to where I am today?
I don’t believe I have been self-motivated. The field of giftedness is a calling for me. I was called
to it when I was 17. I believe I am continuing the work of Leta Stetter Hollingworth, who passed
away shortly after I was born. There are so many uncanny connections between us—even our
stubby thumbs!
7. What surprised me the most on my journey? The least?
I was shocked that the testing industry actually listened to me. I was least surprised that the
competitive achievement mindset of the field stubbornly persists.
8. How are empathy and intuition connected with the development of spatial giftedness?
Visual-spatial abilities, empathy and intuition are all connected through the right hemisphere. I
don’t see any of them as “developing”; rather, I believe that they are innate gifts. Individuals
with high visual-spatial abilities can manifest the

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This episode is the third and final podcast of the "Overexcitabilities" series.

In the last podcast, I shared how my overexcitabilities played a crucial role in fostering my learning. They emerged when I was either exhausted or excited to aid me in subconscious or immersive learning. In this podcast, I delve into the challenges posed by overexcitabilities in the classroom. I illustrate how teachers and educational systems suppress highly sensitive learners, actively hindering their potential growth. I highlight the disregard of current scientific data around the needs of profoundly gifted students, subjecting them to standards they simply cannot sustain and a learning environment that prevents them from learning.

In a straightforward manner, I demonstrate how our educational systems can break the brightest and most sensitive children. Even those, like myself, who were mild-mannered and exhibited limited psychomotor overexcitabilities.

Using 20 classroom rules of conduct that are found in a typical elementary classroom (in the USA) I illustrate how 19 of these rules appear almost perfectly designed to stifle the learning experiences of those with high sensing intelligence. I discuss the different focus of creatives (the highest sensing) and how this distinction is used against them in traditional classroom settings. The combination of the classroom environment and teaching methods often forces twice-exceptional (2e) and gifted sensing intelligent children to exert much more effort than their peers. This creates a situation where these children are pushed into a state of overexcitabilities every day, only to be repeatedly punished and demeaned for their inability to control their behavior.

I propose redefining "2e" (twice exceptional) from its current meaning—learning differently and cognitively gifted—to giftedness in both sensing and cognition. I argue that the reason our systems struggle to accurately test 2e intelligence in their most gifted areas is that the IQ of these individuals falls above the testing range of our quantitative tests, which typically tops out at a 145 IQ. The hard is simple and simple is hard rule for autism indicates complex spatial giftedness that is going uncultivated by our current system. I believe the key distinction between 2e giftedness and "normal" giftedness lies in the sensing intelligence.

I posit that our current system definition of giftedness is confined to cognitive intelligence and introduce a giftedness found in sensing intelligence (higher sensing) that can manifest without high cognitive giftedness. I specifically identify this giftedness in individuals with high empathy but I believe it occurs in various other ways as well. Ways I have discussed in previous episodes of this podcast and ways that I plan to explore in future podcasts. I advocate for recognizing high sensitivity as a form of giftedness, just as much as high cognitive giftedness, and stress the importance of cultivating creative education with every available tool. 

I reference the following in this podcast.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/jeff-bezos-homeless
https://www.crf-usa.org/images/pdf/bria_37_4-tlaxcalan.pdf
https://umbrellaus.org/

Want to chat with me about your overexcitabilities sign up for a free session on my website home page www.GiftedND.com
Email me questions or comments at info@giftednd.com

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Until AI became mainstream this year, I had to rely heavily on writing coaches. Why? Because my brain operates differently, making it challenging to pinpoint the best perspective form the multitude my brain offers simultaneously each time I attempt to communicate through writing.

My spatially gifted savant brains has one gift. The gift of perspective taking, so much so it is nearly always overwhelming me. I can see things from the viewpoints of everyone I've met—understand their thoughts, navigate their worlds through various lenses like professions, historical periods, talents, neurodiversity, and sexual identity. When emotions merge with these perspectives, it exponentially expands the ways I perceive how different brains influence thoughts and actions.

I'm certain I'm not the only creative or neurodivergent thinker capable of this. My also children possess this skill. It drives their exceptional self-learning ability. I recommend that fellow neurodivergents struggling with this seek guidance from coaches to navigate their learning journey. Even neurotypicals probably should consider this too.

Frankly, the one-size-fits-all approach to learning is terrible. It's not genuine learning; it's conditioning. My struggle with schooling wasn't about learning—it was having so many perspectives when we are only allowed to have one, their chosen one. This forced me into to self-teach everything I desired or needed to know. The issue lies in systems built upon the assumption that there are only two answers to every question. It's astonishing how people claim autistics have they are simply reacting to the very clear black-and-white thinking enforced by our systems and hierarchies. Which offer only a 1 right and all others wrong option for understanding. Especially if you are someone with heightened senses who is very aware there's so more complexity.

Among the coaches I worked with, Joanna stood out. She didn't dictate how I should write; instead, she allowed me to explore how she approached it. I learned from her that a creative's highs, lows, or overexcitabilities serve as intrinsic guides, providing the energy and perspective necessary to convey the intended message.

This podcast is the first of two focusing on overexcitabilities and their link to the development of our outside genius. This episode is an interview, while the second delves into how overexcitabilities can serve as a direct measure of intelligence, nurturing the various perspectives forming the bedrock of our creative intellect.

Contact Joanna at www.JoannaAcevado.net

Got Questions? I got answers, thanks to so many perspectives, reach out to me at info@giftednd.com.

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We rarely get a glimpse into what it looks like to be a healthy creative. But here is such an opportunity. Allow me to introduce Abby, a young polyglot.

Abby is a Korean interpreter who decided she wanted to learn Korean. She achieved this without taking any formal classes or using a language app. In just six months, Abby became a proficient interpreter.

She's accomplishing this in an era when most people are relying on AI for translation. However, Abby possesses something that AI lacks—emotions and the ability to perceive nuances in a way that AI cannot. Abby has also embarked on learning Japanese and hopes to become an interpreter for that language as well. In addition to her linguistic talents, Abby plays multiple musical instruments, sings, composes music, and is a working artist. She's currently attending college and has a strong affinity for the humanities. Abby is truly amazing.

Abby openly acknowledges that she doesn't quite fit into the conventional mold. She grapples with her sensitivity and can sometimes become overwhelmed. Fortunately, her brothers share a similar disposition, and her mother, recognizing their challenges, chose to homeschool them. Abby was nurtured in an environment that allowed her to grow into the person she was meant to be – beautiful, talented, sensitive, and kind in every way.

Interested in finding out about Abby's Interpreting  contact her at nabikoreanstudy@gmail.com

Check out her music on Instagram @abbybethmusic

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We have come full circle. I have been saying that the creatives will be the future for a while. Every day, I see more people joining me in this perspective. To the extent that even 'normal' is being questioned in how it navigates the world. 'Normal' is being called dysfunctional in some situations. But if 'normal' is now considered dysfunctional, what is 'functional'? What criteria are they using to distinguish good functioning from bad functioning?

Perhaps that is the wrong question. Maybe I should be asking whether there ever was one and, if so, what was it?

It appears the focus on deficits is increasing. No one seems to have a clear message on how to address it. There is just an abundance of information on how not to address it.

This is a positive development for the spatially gifted because there is a void emerging regarding what steps to take next and who to follow. Everyone is realizing that there might not be a leader who knows what to do as things deteriorate. I believe we are those leaders, and we should step up to this opportunity to lead. We understand what struggle feels like. We comprehend how challenging it is to function in an environment that is working against us. We are the most sensitive, which means we are the most prepared."

I reference the following articles in the podcast.
https://www.okdoomer.io/its-not-cool-to-overreact/
https://www.okdoomer.io/sure-covid-can-kill-you-but-have-you-ever-taken-a-hot-shower/
https://www.okdoomer.io/youre-not-a-fearmonger-you-have-sentinel-intelligence/

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