Critique of Barkley (Part 2)
Here’s (part 2 of) José’s (And now Redstar’s) critique of
ADHD, HUNTING, AND EVOLUTION: “JUST SO” STORIES by Sam Goldstein, Ph.D. & Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D..
“And is it congruent with knowledge from cultural anthropology on modern hunter-gatherer cultures?”
Another problem with his argument here as well. I claim that the modern hunter/gatherer societies might actually bear little resemblance to primitive ones. For example, the “Jibaro” (aboriginal people living in the Amazon) apparently never ventured outside their rain forest, which explains how they survived to modern times. Their isolation and lack of migratory behavior apparently kept them from being discovered, then assimilated or wiped out. There was a tribe of Native Americans (whose name escapes me) who would migrate from (what is now) Mexico to (what is now) Canada - this seems to be closer to the norm.
Here is some real Anthropology for you Rusty. (What a moron!)
The Nature of Primitive Environments.
Converging evidence from anthropology and archeology indicates that the human species diverged from forebears by living for a few million years in hunter-gatherer societies. Foraging was the essential hard facts of survival. Resources may have been scarce, or at the very most intermittently plentiful, and the threats were everywhere.
Human culture and society have dramatically changed in the last 10,000 years. More rapid by far than the pace of the evolutionary human genome. As such, the human brain still retains the propensity to adapt to environmental factors as they were before the emergence of modern civilizations as we know them.
To understand these naturally evolved behavioral traits, as they relate to what we now term Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders, the important role they played in human survival can not be discounted. Survivability of the human species depended on:
1. Being Hyper-vigilant, with the ability to retrieve and integrate information through all senses at once - Or as we term it in our modern times “Multitasking.”
2. The Rapid and constant scanning of your surroundings. One missed opportunity or possible stalking predator, you were cruelly and permanently removed from the gene pool.
3. Quick to act without prolonged thought or analysis, or action-oriented. A rabbit was food, you grab it while you have the chance. A Saber Toothed Tiger was instant death, you flee before you come into its hunting sights. Both required reflexive and instant actions.
4. What would be considered Hyperactive in the foraging of food, moving with the seasons, etc., if they were not very quick and energetic in gathering what resources they could as the opportunities presented themselves. They would not be very efficient at survival as a species. The impulsive type individuals would have had the evolutionary advantages under harsh habitats and environments. Whereas the excessively contemplative, more pragmatic individual would have been “evolutionarily challenged.”
5: The Importance of Creativity has always been overlooked in modern research. This is an important factor for the survival of any hominid species subjected to the extremes of nature and environment. Creativity is a trait required for response-ready, action-oriented, quick, and efficient active problem solving skills for an immediately needed practical application. You leave the impertinent details on how to improve an invention, a weapon, a hunting style, the use, and preservation of fire, etc.. To those that have the time (conditions permitting) and ability to endlessly analyze, and improve upon the strategies and implications of what you have just invented and used successfully... or the passive problem solvers of your society.
a. The best comparison between the “Active Problem Solver” and the “Passive Problem Solver” would be to define the “Active Problem Solver” as those who are the “Applied Scientists”, Whereas the “Passive Problem Solver” would equate to the “Theoretical Scientists.”
b. The “Active Problem Solver” does and learns by application, hands-on experience, immediate cause and effect, novel stimuli, and pure creativity. They require little or no methodology or detail in their problem solving abilities, relying more on their natural creativity. The “Passive Problem Solver” does and learns through constant analysis, comparison, observation, rote memorization, and repetition of mundane stimuli. They require more methodology, and far less creativity in their problem solving abilities.
The variability of these traits within the genome would have been needed for a species to survive in hunter-gatherer societies. Individuals with impulsive, or action-oriented characteristics were the successful hunters and warriors. While those with more contemplative passive characteristics were valued for long term planning, strategic operations, and the development of solutions to long standing environmental problems, when they were lucky enough to survive.
“On closer examination, there appears to be little support for this fanciful idea. In not a single instance of peer reviewed, published literature have symptoms or consequences of ADHD been found to hold an advantage.”
I guess it depends on your definition of ADHD. Try telling a VG that their “gnarly powers” are not an adaptive trait. It seems that Barkley selected only those children who I would classify as type AH to formulate his conception of ADHD as a “maladaptive disorder”.
Even AH types have their own unique “Gnarly Powers” and would also consider them adaptive traits as well. The trick with AH types is that they don’t realize much of their paranoia’s are in fact very real 6th sense type empathic phenomenon. AH types are so hyper sensitive to environmental cues. Most would consider them “Exceptionally Paranoid.” What causes the internal conflict of the AH is the sheer overwhelming “Intuition” that something is wrong or may be up, and it comes in conflict with their “Gnarly Powers” of being able to completely separate the emotional from the rational. The ability to quickly sum up a situation or an environment cue, without taking endless time to completely and passively analyze those cues, or considering the “emotional” excreta of the situation. (thus their perceived lack of normal empathy.) Again this leads back to the concept of what constitutes an active, action oriented problem solver (AH) from the more sedate, although highly detailed passive problem solvers.
“Interested readers are referred to current, thorough reviews of this field (Barkley, 1997, 1998; Goldstein and Goldstein, 1998) for substantial evidence of the myriad impairments associated with ADHD.”
Gee, I’d like to cite myself (in the third person) as an expert in order to validate my own arguments. Further, these “impairments” are certainly mostly not applicable to the VG.
Wouldn’t be great to cite ones own research, to claim they are an expert. Although it completely lacks empirical science to credit said research or the self proclamation of being an expert.
“Further, readers pursuing a brief introduction to evolutionary theory (Ridley, 1996) and evolutionary psychology (Plotkin, 1998) quickly realize that it is implausible to perceive symptoms or behaviors related to ADHD as being advantageous regardless of the time or cultural context in which one examines these data.”
This represents some of the worst arrogance displayed by Barkley. There are factors not affected by time and context? Is he kidding?
Arrogance, absolutely.... But what it really tells us, is just how little this guy really knows about Empirical Science, Research, and Tangible Facts. More, it shows that he has locked his views into a very narrow paradigm, with an inability to separate the innate biases that come with it, from any real evidence. He is so in love with his own perceived genius, he has made the biggest mistake any scientist or researcher ever could... He has absolutely abandoned the empirical. Choosing instead to represent “Biased Theory and Junk Science” as pure, unquestionable fact. Rather than the flimsy “Opinion” it really is.
“Yet readers taking the time to understand evolutionary concepts will quickly conclude that ... rather than represent an advantage that others lack, qualities of ADHD represent a disadvantage that most people do not suffer from.”
While I’m here, let I correct the last part of the sentence - it should have read as follows:
“...qualities of ADHD represent a disadvantage from which most people do not suffer.”
There, I feel much better now! Apparently, being able to correct a poorly written sentence represents a quality this Hunter doesn’t lack. Also, notice the way his sentence is phrased - he appears to be implying that anyone believing that having ADHD is in any way advantageous can’t understand evolutionary concepts.
Or from my perspective..... He is so insecure in his own theories, and the fact that someone challenged his vitriol piece of excreta... He falls into the same “Maladaptive” behaviors he is so sure represents an “Executive Brain Dysfunction.” So now he is unsuccessfully defending his pile of manure... By piling on more manure... Rusty you need to take a lesson in the “Zen of Shit.”
“They also suggested that the notion of “man the hunter” may be a myth in that hunting may not have been as dominant a social activity among humans as earlier anthropologists believed. Shelley-Tremblay and Rosen then introduced two other possible perspectives: (1) that ADHD may have arisen for its value in fighting and warfare, or (2) that it arose for its value in an early human society dominated by wading among women along shorelines so as to gather food. As summarized by Shelley-Tremblay and Rosen, this theory sought instead to place more emphasis on gathering activities by women as a major influence in human evolution. To Shelley-Tremblay and Rosen (1996), the impulsive and heedless behavior of those with ADHD along with their greater propensity for aggression supported the view of the ADHD person as a good warrior. The demandingness and excessive vocalizing of ADHD children were cited as supporting the perspective of ADHD being more adaptive for a culture of shoreline waders. Such demandingness would get ADHD children cradled more and spoken to more by their mothers.”
Barkley goes on to do little other than asserting this is wrong “because he says so”. But to me, this is good stuff, and fits nicely into VG/AH Theory. When the Neanderthal DNA was introduced into the Cro-Magnon gene pool approximately 40K years ago, a new kind of human appeared - the AH. This new human had the qualities of non-empathy (required to engage in the brutal process of close-quarters slaughtering of animals) and single-mindedness associated with the Neanderthal, while retaining much of the perceptual abilities of the VG. The “shoreline mothers” of these AHs were the VGs.
“The authors ... hypothesized all three views may have some usefulness for improving the self-esteem of those with ADHD by showing them that their currently maladaptive behavior may have previously been adaptive in an earlier age.”
Are there any of my Hunter behaviors that are not maladaptive, or do I have no redeeming value? No, I guess I should think of myself as defective, which I did until recently. After all, how could a hunter who would constantly get lost in the forest be successful? The reason appears to be that the Neanderthal did not require the VSL qualities of the VG to be a successful hunter given their non-migratory status, and the nature of their environment, which was mostly composed of rock and ice with little movement other than prey animals.
“Our initial venture into this literature suggests to us that”
Maybe it’s time to take a real venture!
Or perhaps the real venture they all need to take, is to institutionalize themselves in their very own institutions. Retire, and place their junk science into the trash bin where it belongs.
“... good hunters appear to be more thoughtful, planful, patient, organized, and capable of waiting quietly for long periods beside common animal migratory routes. They seem also to be more capable of persisting in prolonged tracking of game along such routes as a function of vigilance to small details indicative of animal type, health, speed, likely time since passing, etc.”
Will Barkley acknowledge that the environment we currently live in is quite different than in the past? Look around your room right now - how many objects would be completely unfamiliar to a primitive person, but immediately cause a recognitive reaction in your brain? (“that’s a 56K external modem sitting atop that minitower”). Would the primitive person have a need for their brain to label such a wide variety of objects? Could it be that our modern environment DISTRACTS us? The fact is that the modern hunting environment is much more conducive to the VG than the AH.
Well, this shows how much he knows about hunting..... Sorry Rusty old boy, back in my hunting days.... We tracked our prey to its domiciles, set traps just in the case we actually missed our marks. Then proceeded to made a shit load of noise after we prepped the area. Only to successfully shot that 16 point sucker right between the shoulders, killing it in its tracks as it came running out of its hiding place. Would you like to see my trophies?
If you want to sit up-teen hours in -28 to -48 degree weather along a migratory or feeding route. Waiting patently for some unsuspecting pray to happen along... All while you are trying to sit quietly... Then be my guest....
I’ll be the one back in the emergency room laughing my ass off, calling you a stupid moron... All while I’m amputating your toes, feet, fingers, and hands from the severe frostbite you suffered.... Then laugh in your face, saying “No Duh your fricken cold and can’t get warm. Its called HYPOTHERMIA!! Gee... For a supposed MD, you are awfully ignorant.”
“Moreover, they also need to be adept at the fine and gross motor skills necessary for sophisticated use of tools and weaponry. Good hunters also seem noteworthy for being humble, more likely to share their kill with hunters unsuccessful at the time (reciprocal altruism), and better able to organize others into cooperative hunting groups (Laughlin, 1968; McGrew & Feistner, 1992).”
Put a hunting animal such as a wolf or lioness in a small cage from birth, with no others of their species capable of teaching them the learned behavior of hunting. Then, upon reaching adulthood, throw them into the streets of any big city, and note how long it takes that animal to show up at the unemployment line, homeless shelter, and/or welfare office. And by the way, just how many big, mean alpha-male wolves are modest, generous, and make good political fund raisers?
Hell, we not only have those fine and gross motor skills (if we are taught to use them). We invented the darn tools and weapons to begin with... It goes along with that creative sides of our nature... The one you swear up and down we don’t have, simply because you have a delusion and a very unrealistic sense of just what pure creativity is... I’ll give you a hint....
I may not be able to draw or paint pretty pictures. But I can take any missile system that has ever been invented (most of which my signature is on), and make that sucker stand up and tap dance for you!!!... If that is not ART and Using Creativity... Then nothing is.
“As we come to better understand what ADHD is and is not, we are also increasingly aware that multiple developmental pathways ultimately contribute to an individual’s life course. ... ADHD is but one, and certainly not among the most important contributors.”
I am a Hunter, dammit, and that fact has had more of an effect on my life than any other single factor, especially since I was unaware of it for so long.
Furthermore, this entire statement is an oxymoron in and of itself. To this day, the concept and construct of ADHD still stands as nothing but theory. It is not a pathology, nor does it have any pathology to designate it as any form of Neurological or Biological Dysfunction.... So what are we supposed to be “Understanding” it is or is not here? Other than the ranting of an arrogant, Maladaptive, and let’s not forget manipulative Psychiatrist. That is not as brilliant as he seems to believe he is.
“One cannot claim to be a highly creative, response-ready, more perceptually aware and intellectually gifted hunter while expecting society to be sympathetic to one’s plight.”
Sure we can, when being ourselves leads to something that many of us can’t claim - success at being a Farmer. So does he mean we can’t have a healthy self-attitude and want others to be more tolerant? What people like Barkley don’t realize is that they need (i.e., draw inspiration from) the Hunter, so it is to their advantage to be sympathetic to our plight.
Of course we can... Considering if it was not for us Action-Oriented,-Response-Ready, Intellectually Gifted Creative Geniuses types doing the inventing and developing of technology for you sedate farmer types.... You folks would literally still be in the stone age.... Get a grip Rusty.... I think it is time for your Lithium and Dexedrine dosage.
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