On Wed, May 07, 2003 at 08:31:08AM -0700, Tim May wrote:
On Wednesday, May 7, 2003, at 06:42 AM, Harmon Seaver wrote:
Could be more sinister than that, an attempt to stigmatize thinkers as weird. Especially when you look at the phenomenon of the rise of ADD. When I was growing up, there was no such thing as ADD, and,indeed, I don't remember having kids in my school who exhibited those symtoms. There were dumb kids, of course, and daydreamers, but I don't recall the weirdly restless, buzzy kids you see so many of now.
Same here. We pretty much stayed in our seats. None of the spontaneous wandering around the room I have seen in video footage of today's kids. Sure, some kids were more active than others, but nothing like what I hear about and see today.
So what caused ADD -- something in the water, like flouride?
But they were polluting our essence back in the 1950s, when water fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste became common.
True, well, almost -- there was a lot of resistence and various areas delayed until well into the 60's-70's. And some perhaps never did. At any rate, I don't think I was ever exposed to fluoride until an adult.
Or some food additive, or some form of pollution? We know that there are a number of chemicals in the environment today that mimic various hormones which then cause imbalances in animals, or, for instance, aluminum suspected in alzhimers.
Aluminum frying pans? Teflon?
Aluminum pans are a serious no-no, regardless whether they defintely cause alzhimers or not. Once I tried the "take a dark, well-oxidized cooking pan, cook some tomatoes in it" test, I never cooked with Al again. Just read about the new findings of good old teflon migration. Freaky.
Or, more likely: endless gallons of sugar water. When I was a kid, a 6-ounce bottle of Coca Cola was a special treat. (Though I recall we drank a fair amount of Kool-Aid. And Fizzies, before they were banned.) Today's kids tank up on Big Gulps and Supersize It! 32-ounce portions. Even soda vending machines in the schools, and soft drinks served with lunch.
Well, yes, I'm sure the inordinate amounts of sugar has an serious effect. Not to mention all the other weird little additives in candy and pop that humans never evolved with.
Likewise, a lot more fast food today. Where once it was a treat to go to a burger place, now they dot the landscape and many kids eat at them nearly every day.
And lack of discipline is probably a big factor. If teachers simply told the kids to sit down and stop fidgeting, as they did with us, maybe there would be fewer of these alleged ADHD cases.
Yup, for sure. I like kids but I'd never want to teach K-12 these days, most kids seem to have no discipline whatsoever, and I don't have that much patience.
But the single most likely reason for the rise in alleged ADHD cases is the pharmaceutical industry. And job security for the "psychiatric staff" at K12 schools. Where once there was a nurse bandaging cuts and scrapes, now there's a staff of psychobabblers and sexuality counselors.
Well, that's sort of what I was getting at. ADHD becomes the norm and the normal kid becomes the weirdo. I remember getting so involved in reading that I'd sometimes not hear the bell and still be sitting there when the class got up and left. Nowadays that sort of behavior would likely get you a visit to the principals office and a piss test. -- Harmon Seaver CyberShamanix http://www.cybershamanix.com