Ep. 1 - Neurodiversity & Neurodivergence

In this, our very first full episode of EXISTENTIAL TETHERBALL, Gordon and Rachel explore the concepts of neurodiversity and neurodivergence. They explore neurodiversity as a biological truism, a philosophy, a methodology, and a lens through which to understand human intelligence and unseen diversity. Together, they explore a living, full-body definition of intelligence, and speak to the importance of contextualizing neurodivergence through the neurodiversity paradigm. Exploring simultaneous sameness, difference, and distinction at the meta level, they offer a practical way to go beyond dualisitic and power over ways of seeing, understanding, relating with ourselves and each other. Rachel and Gordon also explore going beyond reductionism: – the medical model in relationship to the neurodiversity paradigm, self-acceptance and liberation at the identity and relational levels, the lived experience of neurodivergent people, inner and outer authority, and healthy individuation for a healthy ecology. Takeaways Neurodiversity as a philosophy and methodology Full-body intelligence Living definition of intelligence Neurodivergence as a living expression of uncommon human processing and intelligence The liberation offered by the neurodiversity paradigm Gordon and Rachel are pretty awesome