ADHD and the hunter vs. farmer hypothesis is true?

Question

ADHD and the hunter vs. farmer hypothesis is true?

Answer 1

I firmly believe it is.  Of all the books that I have read it has made the most sense about all of it and has been one of the most positive views of this disabling condition.  I like mostly because it gives me hope that there might have been a time when I was more normal and necessary when this wasn't so much a farmer world.

It is however a hypothesis and probably can't be proven without a time machine and nuclear medicine.

Answer 2

It has been a long time since I read the book - but it made sense to me at the time - and thinking about my former bosses actions in terms of him being a hunter, helped me to understand him and not get so frustrated with him.  If you are hungry and set out to hunt a deer and you find signs of a rabbit - it is OK to follow the bunny trails and hunt a couple of rabbits for rabbit stew instead of venison steaks.  Farmers plant corn and expect corn, and get upset when barley grows instead of corn.

I ran across this question because I wanted to read about the hypothesis again.  The author is Thom Hartmann and it looks like he as several books on the topic now.  One of the newer ones is called "The Edison Gene."  And I have seen some headlines on the web that suggest science validates the Hunter/Farmer Hypothesis.

Another book I would like to look at is "The DaVinci Method" by Garret Loporto

Basically Hartmann says hunter (ADD) brains are wired differently than farmer (non-ADD) brains.  Hunters can hyper focus (sit patiently in the woods waiting for their prey) then burst into action when called upon to catch the prey when it shows up.  They are into immediate results - they have to be attuned to their environment - all traits that you need to track an animal.  I have been reading recently that Attention Defiect is not a good name for the condition as what really is happening is that they are more sensitive in their attention and have so much coming at them that they have to "hyperfocus" to block out some stimuli.  

Farmers have the ability to plan ahead and wait for their crops to grow with out seeing immediate results.  They don't need the immediate feedback hunters need.

It is hard to tell if ADD is increasing - it may be because of gene defects that have always been there that are suseptabile to toxins in today's environment - but I do think that issues of ADHD in school is because farmers want a nice orderly school room that is easy to grade and plan for - and don't want to design school room experiences that better suit the needs of the hunter/ADD.

Another thing I am looking at is gene defects that relate to Autism - some consider ADD/ADHD to be on the Autistic spectrum - and there is much to learn as well as much controversy over the whys and treatment of these conditions.  What I am seeing is that each person is an unique individual and what works for one, may or may not work for another.

Answer 3

I've not heard that one.

As far as I know ADHD is caused by a dodgy modern diet low in minerals, vegetables and Omega 3 oils. I'm sure the excessive sugar and artificial additives in a modern diet don't help either.

Go back 100 years and hey presto, no ADHD.

Answer 4

Hi 5drtyu, that's something interesting you brought up there. Care to shed more light on it coz I have never heard of it before.