Attention Deficit Disorder:
A Different Perception
(The Hunter in a Farmer's World Book)

By Thom Hartmann
Copyright (C) 1993 by Mythical Intelligence, Inc
Excerpts reprinted with permission of the author.

People with neurobehavioral disorders often have solid strengths as well as the difficulties that have led them to diagnosis; if those strengths are identified and nurtured, the "patients" can become highly productive people. The fact that ADD and its kindred syndromes are common, and have persisted for millenia, suggests that they may have some survival advantage...maybe the difficulties are really only problems because the person has been put in a position where the advantage cannot be felt, or perhaps the advantage is more societal than person. Thom Hartmann takes this concept, and weaves it through a book of basic information about ADD; the result is a more upbeat perspective than usual, that should help folks with ADD recognize their intrinsic worth. It may also help open the eyes and minds of "farmers," whose different perspective makes it hard for them to understand and value "hunters" with ADD.

Dale E. Hammerschmidt, M.D., F.A.C.P.
University of Minnesota

(from the Introduction)
This book is the first I know of to present the idea that ADD is not a disorder at all--that ADD can actually be an advantage.

(from Chapter 2)
The earliest theories about attention deficit disorder characterized it as a diseased state which had to do with brain damage or dysfunction. More recent research, however, has demonstrated a high incidence of ADD among the parents of ADD children. This discovery caused some psychologists to initially postulate that ADD was the result of growing up in a dysfunctional family. Other studies suggest that... ADD is a genetic disease... But if ADD is a genetic disease or an abnormality, it's a popular one, possibly afflicting as many as 25 million individuals in the United States.

When the condition is so widely distributed, inevitable questions arise: Why? Where did ADD come from? The answer is: people with ADD are leftover hunters, those whose ancestors evolved and matured thousands of years in the past in hunting societies. As the human race moved from its earliest ancestors, two basic types of cultures evolved. In the areas which were lush with plant and animal life and had a low human population density, hunters and gatherers predominated. In other parts of the world (particularly Asia), farming or agricultural societies evolved.

SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS

Be it pursuing buffalo in North America, hunting deer in Europe, chasing wildebeest in Africa, or picking fish from a stream in Asia, these hunters needed a certain set of physical and mental characteristics to be successful.

They constantly monitor their environment. That rustle in the bushes could be a lion or a coiled snake.
They can totally throw themselves into the hunt; time is elastic. Another characteristic of a good Hunter is the ability to totally focus on the moment, utterly abandoning all consideration of any other time or place.
They're flexible, capable of changing strategy on a moment's notice. Orderliness is not particularly important to a Hunter, but the abilities to make a quick decision and then act on it are vital.
They can throw an incredible burst of energy into the hunt, so much so that they often injure themselves or exceed "normal" capabilities, without realizing it until later.
They think visually. Hunters often describe their actions in terms of pictures, rather than words or feelings.
They love the hunt, but are easily bored by mundane tasks such as having to clean the fish, dress the meat, or fill out the paperwork.
They'll face danger that "normal" individuals would avoid. Hunters take risks.

PEOPLE WITH ADD ARE DESCENDANTS OF HUNTERS

So, the question: where did ADD come from? If you compare the list of classic ADD symptoms, and the list of the characteristics of a good hunter, you'll see that they match almost perfectly. In other words, an individual with the ADD collection of characteristics would make an extraordinarily good hunter. A failure to have any one of those characteristics might mean death in the forest or jungle.

(from Chapter 3)
Since ADD is a collection of skills and predilections necessary for the success and survival of a good Hunter, we're left with the question, "What about non-ADD people?" The answer lies with the second basic type of human culture which primitive man produced: the agricultural society. And the skills of a good Farmer are quite different from those of a good Hunter.

(from Chapter 4)

HOW TO TURN A "DISORDER" BACK INTO A SKILL

So, what's an adult Hunter to do in a Farmer's world? The easiest, most obvious, and least stressful solution is to find a Hunter job that makes use of hunting skills. Police officers ... freelance writers ... spies (hopefully for our side), military combat personnel ... salespeople, consultants, and the thousands of varieties of entrepreneurs -- all have a very high percentage of Hunters among their ranks. If one is capable and willing to sit through the years of school necessary to get the professional credentials, there are many opportunities for Hunters among the professions, as well. Trial lawyers are often Hunters. In Medicine, the areas of surgery and trauma care seem to draw the excitement- and challenge-craving Hunters. If you're a Hunter stuck with a Farmer job, there are simple behavioral changes you can make, in order to increase your probability for success in a Farmer's world...

(from Chapter 4)
Our schools, too, are set up along Farmer lines. Sit quietly at the desk, children are told, while the teacher talks and points to pages in the book. Ignore that child next to you who's sniffling; don't rattle your papers; don't look ahead in the book. To a smart Hunter with a low boredom threshold, this is torture! It's a prescription for failure. So the kids are doing poorly in school, they're bored and acting out. The teacher figures there must be something wrong with the children. Along come the diagnostic Farmers of the psychological industry, and -- presto -- a new "disorder" is discovered!

(from Chapter 6)

IN SCHOOL AND AT HOME -- TEACHING OR PARENTING A HUNTER

Over the years, our school systems have experimented with numerous programs to meet the needs of "special" children. To date, though, few programs outside of the mainstream classroom model have attempted to deal with the ADD or Hunter-type child. Since ADD has been viewed as a "disorder" or a "disease," its logical treatment has been drugs or medicine. A variety of systems can easily be implemented to keep Hunters on task. More importantly, special educational programs targeted toward "bright" children shouldn't be unavailable to ADD Hunters simply because they haven't succeeded in Farmer-oriented classrooms.

LABEL THEM AS HUNTERS OR LOOKOUTS, NOT AS "DISORDERED."

Labels are powerful things. For children (who struggle far more with issues of "who am I?" and "where do I fit in?" than do adults) applying a label that says "you have a deficit and a disorder" may be more destructive than useful. To instead tell a child that his or her personality is well adapted to some areas, and that he or she may experience difficulties in others -- and to offer ways around those difficulties -- usually enhances self-esteem. There's often something very positive about the Hunters in our society, as this book points out. The positive aspects of their uniqueness should therefore be stressed to Hunter children so they can nurture and develop personality traits which may make them successful in later life.

Thom Hartmann's Book: Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception has been published by Underwood-Miller, 708 Westover Dr., Lancaster, PA 17601. It is available through bookstores nationwide.

This excerpt was originally published in the Spring 1993 Edition, Olympia Chapter, Learning Disabilities Association of Washington (State), Attention Deficit Newsletter.

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Last Modified: Thursday, October 02, 1997 9:34:45 PM