When our middle daughter was about 6 months old we attended a weekend conference for parents of children with Down syndrome.
Emily Perl Kingsley was the keynote speaker. She was a writer for Sesame Street in it's early days and she had a son with Down syndrome who was a young actor on the show.
She made the comment, "Labels are for jars, not children."
That stuck with me. I do not like labels either. More often they are used to exclude rather than to include.
I love the comment, “labels are for jars…” Unfortunately, too many of us may try to name things - mostly with good intent - but so goes ‘ the road paved with good intention…
I have gotten the impression that a lot of people self-diagnose as something like neurodivergent (and/or other things) as a way to excuse themselves from social norms, etc. Not all, but certainly some. And then there's the fact that our media consumption can change things. Of course one feels like they have ADHD if they consume dopamine-driven shortform media for hours a day. Again, I know ADHD is a real baseline condition for many, but it can also become just a habit of mind, as Nicholas Carr pointed out in The Shallows 15 years ago.
Ben, thank you for sharing your thoughts—this is a layered issue, and I appreciate the chance to reflect on it. I agree that social media can amplify the power of suggestion, sometimes leading to shallow self-labeling or misapplication. But I also think there may be a danger in assuming this is the majority experience. For many, especially those long misunderstood or unsupported, self-recognition can be a deeply validating and necessary step—sometimes the only one available.
Still, my concern remains with a seeming decline in critical thinking skills. With group think and hive mind potential, no-doubt exacerbated by social media overload, we may become too dependent on labels and belonging.
Personally, being labeled ADHD, neurodivergent, or neurotypical does nothing for me. But I imagine for many, it brings some form of comfort or understanding. I just wish we could all talk about things authentically and be heard rather than judged ... or labeled.
As always, i enjoy the depth you bring with your words and challenge me to think.
When our middle daughter was about 6 months old we attended a weekend conference for parents of children with Down syndrome.
Emily Perl Kingsley was the keynote speaker. She was a writer for Sesame Street in it's early days and she had a son with Down syndrome who was a young actor on the show.
She made the comment, "Labels are for jars, not children."
That stuck with me. I do not like labels either. More often they are used to exclude rather than to include.
I love the comment, “labels are for jars…” Unfortunately, too many of us may try to name things - mostly with good intent - but so goes ‘ the road paved with good intention…
I have gotten the impression that a lot of people self-diagnose as something like neurodivergent (and/or other things) as a way to excuse themselves from social norms, etc. Not all, but certainly some. And then there's the fact that our media consumption can change things. Of course one feels like they have ADHD if they consume dopamine-driven shortform media for hours a day. Again, I know ADHD is a real baseline condition for many, but it can also become just a habit of mind, as Nicholas Carr pointed out in The Shallows 15 years ago.
Ben, thank you for sharing your thoughts—this is a layered issue, and I appreciate the chance to reflect on it. I agree that social media can amplify the power of suggestion, sometimes leading to shallow self-labeling or misapplication. But I also think there may be a danger in assuming this is the majority experience. For many, especially those long misunderstood or unsupported, self-recognition can be a deeply validating and necessary step—sometimes the only one available.
Still, my concern remains with a seeming decline in critical thinking skills. With group think and hive mind potential, no-doubt exacerbated by social media overload, we may become too dependent on labels and belonging.
Personally, being labeled ADHD, neurodivergent, or neurotypical does nothing for me. But I imagine for many, it brings some form of comfort or understanding. I just wish we could all talk about things authentically and be heard rather than judged ... or labeled.
As always, i enjoy the depth you bring with your words and challenge me to think.