I agree that the human need to belong to a group will prevail–it is evolution's gift to humans that has allowed us to become the dominant species on earth. The conflict, however, remains between our need for social belonging, which frequently inspires us to altruistic behaviors that do not directly help us as individuals, and the individual drive to selfishly do what best helps us get ahead.
This conflict' also evolution's gift, has played itself out throughout history in ways that have caused us to sacrifice ourselves to support our tribe, but be eager to violently destroy those from other tribes who threaten us. When the world was large and there were only a small number of nearby tribes with which we could disagree, this more or less worked out. As global becomes the new neighborhood, this is a recipe for endless strife.
If humans are to survive, we have to learn to expand our notion of tribe. If we cannot, we doom ourselves to constant conflict that will likely destroy us. As millennials inevitably rejoin society, let's hope they are able to continue to have a more expansive sense of who "we" are.
Children suffering from high stress, abuse and PTSD display symptoms very similar to ADD and ADHD but doctors don't screen for alternative causes. Many children medicated with drugs for ADD and ADHD instead need escape from high stress abusive environments or help for PTSD. Roughly 20% of American children live in poverty, increasing risk of high stress, abuse and trauma.
Many children labeled with ADD or ADHD instead should be seen as "differently abled" vs. disabled. Rapid increase in diagnosis of ADD and ADHD has paralleled rapid increase of communication technologies in our lives and the "wiring" of our schools. Schools used to give students time for escape from conventional classrooms onto busy playgrounds as well as into activity classes like physical education, shop, home ec, music, and art, but now these have been cut back significantly. There's little relief for children from "Sit still and focus on a screen or page." ADD and ADHD children are having a hard time in a screen intensive world. Rather than adapting education for them, instead we've chosen to medicate them. Given the risks of these drugs and their addictive potential, medication should be a last resort.
Far too many cases of a so-called disorder instead need to be seen as a natural variation of normal. We don't adapt to them and develop their strengths but medicate them instead. As autism advocate Temple Grandin says, we need all kinds of brains. We're wasting and erasing human talents.
A tragedy that took an outstanding person. I hope he lives on as an organ donor. I am a kidney recipient and know the value of the gift of life.
Love it! Danny Snyder continues to believe he knows how to run a football team yet provides daily evidence to the contrary. He is the gift that keeps on giving!
Thank you Germany. This is the most beautiful kind of gift: a willing sacrifice to give so many others something they badly need though they barely know it. You should be proud of your country.
Pranay, I wish you well in your career. Your humanity and honesty and authenticity is a gift to me and to your now and future patients. There is no perfection, only goodness and doing our best to do no harm.
Thank you for informing us that we are not as smart as you are, and
giving the additional gift of reading minds.
Your criticism is a reflection of you, not Libertarianism.
I would actually recommend "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin DeBecker, for every young person leaving home for the first time.
