Creativity and Invention
Are tomorrow's inventors, researchers,
entrepreneurs, writers and artists being diagnosed with a brain defect because of their
temperamental differences? There IS a connection between ADD and creativity. I
believe that the ADD temperament occurs in our population because it enhances creativity
and inventiveness, and thus increases our ability to adapt in a changing world.
| Mozart, now
thought to have been extremely ADHD, described how ideas came to him: "When I feel well and in a good humor, or when I am
taking a drive or walking after a good meal, or in the night when I cannot sleep, thoughts
crowd into my mind as easily as you could wish. Whence and how do they come? I do not know
and I have nothing to do with it. Those which please me, I keep in my head and hum them;
at least others have told me that I do so...Then my soul is on fire with inspiration, if
however nothing occurs to distract my attention." |
In her paper The Coincidence of ADHD and Creativity, Dr. Bonnie Cramond compares
the traits and brain differences of highly creative people to people with ADHD, and seems
struck by the parallels. Read that page, it's a good one. I'm sure ADD w/o hyperactivity
is also associated with creativity, it simply is less studied. She even notes that mild
damage to the forebrain is known is increase creativity in some instances. It also is
known to result in ADHD behavior. Could it be that the ability to focus on dull,
routine tasks all day long thwarts inventiveness and originality? Is there a tradeoff? I
think so.
Now ask yourself this: Would you rather have the ability to focus on
really boring things all day long OR would you rather be an original thinker? Choose only
one, because that's the way nature works. Specialization. And let's dispel the notion that
a brain which can focus on dull things for a long time is more advanced! Bees can do that!
What separates humans from the other animals? A long attention span? I don't think so. How
about the ability to ponder; to ask why; to invent and be creative; to imagine the future
and all its possibilities? These are ADD traits.
Thom Hartmann has a theory about ADDers being "Hunters" in a
"Farmers" world. It's very popular, and I highly recommend any of Hartmann's
books, especially "Beyond ADD."
Hunters are essentially throw-backs to a time when a completely different type of
temperament was needed for hunting. I like to think of myself as a Hunter when I'm hiking.
But I also have a problem with the concept of relic genes, for a few reasons. First, relic
genes are uncommon. Second, there's such an obvious advantage to a population which has a
minority of creative people. And one last minor point: It doesn't explain women with ADD,
since women have never needed an ADD temperament for hunting. They've always needed to
focus on mundane chores like gathering roots and berries, sewing, and taking care of
children.
I believe that ADD may have been more
prevalent in the past, because I can picture longer attention spans becoming more
important since the agricultural revolution. However, I think the current ratio of ADD
(about 5%) is most likely the optimal frequency for ADD in modern humans. And the reason
is creativity. If you'd like to read more about evolution and creativity, click to my
original article: Born to Explore! Evolution, Creativity and ADD
(not quite a relic). Evolutionary hint: The population that invents the most deadly
weapons gets to wipe out its neighbors. Which population is most likely to invent new
things?
