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February 4, 2025 18 mins
In the episode "The Power of Neurodivergence: Recognizing the Glitches in Society’s Codes" of podcast "Femme on the Spectrum," hosted by Elizabeth, discussions around the theme of the neurodivergent individuals' resistance to societal programming are explored. Elizabeth discusses how people with autism or ADHD often see patterns and hypocrisies with their unique perspectives that others may miss. The episode further covered the way neurodivergent people react to situations such as Donald Trump's presidency and Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. Elizabeth also highlights a deep-rooted sense of justice prevalent among neurodivergent people and their reflex action to act against exploitation. The episode emphasizes the importance of neurodivergent individuals in recognizing early cracks in systems, questioning corporate greed, spotting performative allyship and above all, holding the powerful accountable.
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Step into a world where being neurodivergent is celebrated and
the conversations are as real as they are eye opening.
Welcome to fem on the Spectrum, where autism, ADHD, and
life's biggest issues collide in the most empowering way. I'm
your host, Elizabeth, and I'm thrilled to have you all

(00:25):
here today. In this episode, we're diving into a fascinating
and important topic. Why neurodivergent individuals, whether you're autistic, have ADHD,
or share another form of neurodivergence, are particularly resistant to
societal programming. And no, we're not talking about the coding

(00:47):
that makes your laptops go beat boop, but the kind
of programming that has people blindly following authority or ignoring
glaring contradictions. We're about to explore some heavy hitters, everything
from the political landscape with Donald Trump making a major
and unwelcome come back to Elon Musk's attempts to turn

(01:08):
free speech into his personal playground. Trust me, it's a
wild ride, because if there's one thing we neuro divergent
folks are great at, it's spotting the glitches in the
system well before the rest of the world. So buckle up,
because we've got a lot to cover, from why society

(01:29):
tries to mold us into obedient followers to how we,
with our unique perspectives, recognize the patterns and hypocrisies others
might miss. We're breaking it all down for you today.
All right, let's get started. All right, let's kick things
off with the bedrock of our discussion programming in society.

(01:53):
First off, let's all agree on one thing. Society just
thrives on conformity. Like the entire system is set up
to reward people who fit neatly into a pre defined box.
From where we stand, it's pretty obvious that the world
loves those who don't rock the boat. Take a look
at schools, for example, they're pretty much boot camps for obedience.

(02:17):
Think about it, eighteen years of sit still, be quiet,
do as you're told. It's like a slow, steady drip
of programming designed to make you conform. And what happens
if you resist? You're labeled a troublemaker or worse, someone
who won't amount to much. Then we get to workplaces
which aren't much better. Most of them value compliance over innovation.

(02:41):
Show up, follow the rules, make as few waves as
possible creativity save that for the weekend. The message here
is clear, fit the mold or find yourself on the
outskirts and the government, oh, don't even get me started.
If democracy were a group project, it have its fair
shite share of freeloaders coasting along while the rest of

(03:03):
us do the heavy lifting. Authoritarian or democratic governments tend
to rely on the general population's obedience to function smoothly,
which makes things really difficult for those who just can't
turn a blind eye to wrongdoing. Now here's where us

(03:24):
neurodivergent folks come into play. We naturally resist this kind
of blind conformity. It's not because we want to be
the rebels without a cause, but because we literally can't
unsee certain contradictions. We perceive the world differently. Our minds
are wired to question, to dig deeper, to recognize when

(03:44):
something just doesn't add up. This makes us stand out
and at times makes us a problem for those who
are all too comfortable with the status quo. So that's
the setup. Society shapes molds and often forces people into
to narrow paths of thinking and acting. But we, the
neurodivergent community, are here to throw a wrench in the

(04:08):
works to question, resist, and offer new perspectives. And truthfully,
the world could use a bit more of that, don't
you think. Now let's move on to what I've dubbed
the Trump phenomenon. Picture it June twenty fifteen, an escalator
ride that felt more Hollywood premiere than political announcement. When

(04:30):
Donald Trump descended that escalator at Trump Tower announcing his
candidacy for president, it was like reality TV merged with politics.
The spectacle was designed to grab attention, and boy did it.
The media had a field day and many people got
swept up in the whirlwind. But those of us who
are neurodivergent, we saw right through it. While most of

(04:53):
society seemed okay with taking Trump's words at face value,
we the neuro divergent folks, approached it with healthy skepticism.
While others may have been dazzled by his promises to
drain the swamp, we couldn't help but notice that he
was simultaneously digging his own murky lagoon. Society's acceptance stood

(05:18):
in stark contrast to our ongoing skepticism. It's like we
have built in bs detectors that start blaring when something
doesn't add up. And here's the thing. We're really good
at recognizing slogans for what they are. Catchy phrases meant
to draw you in, But we see beyond the surface.

(05:38):
We pick up on patterns, inconsistencies, and behavior and rhetoric
design to manipulate. For us, it's like watching a movie
we've seen before. We know the plot twists before they happen.
We saw the Drain the Swamp promise as what it
really was, political theater. So while society was busy being

(05:59):
entertained or can convinced by the grandeur of his announcements,
are neurodivergent lenses zoomed in on the contradictions we observed
and saw the giant cracks lurking beneath the shiny veneer.
This is why we are often immune to propaganda. For us,
contradictions are like blaring neon signs that can't be ignored.

(06:22):
We can't just shut off that part of our brain
that says, hey, wait a minute, this doesn't make sense.
That's what set the stage for everything that followed in
the last few years, from holding our own against a
barrage of political slogans to dissecting the inconsistencies and presidential
actions and policies. We've been on the front lines. This

(06:43):
isn't about political affiliation. It's about recognizing when something doesn't
pass the smell test, and for us, the neurodivergent, that's
almost second nature. All right. Now, let's turn our gaze
to someone who's grabbed the headlines and shaken things up.
Elon Musk, the self proclaimed genius who one day decided

(07:07):
that owning Twitter was exactly what the world needed. And
so wella Twitter turns into X because in the world
of billionaires, a rebrand is the solution to all problems.
But here's the kicker. Musk's acquisition of Twitter or should
I say X, wasn't just about owning a social media platform.

(07:29):
It was framed as a crusade for free speech. Sounds noble, right,
except there's a tad bit of irony here. While Musk
is all about the free speech talk, he's also quick
to silence critics. It's almost like he wants a version
of free speech that exclusively benefits him and his minions.
You see, neurodivergent, folks, we pick up on these nuances.

(07:53):
It's like detecting a glitch in the matrix, we can
see the hypocrisy of someone who claims to champion free
speed each but then mutes dissenting voices faster than you
can say SpaceX. His move to amplify conspiracy theories while
simultaneously shutting down legitimate criticism is just another pattern we

(08:15):
easily recognize. And let's dig a little deeper. What exactly
is Musk's endgame here? Is it about genuinely fostering innovative
discourse or does it boil down to control. From our perspective,
it seems like Musk is more interested in wielding power
than promoting any kind of meaningful free speech. Every move,

(08:37):
every rebrand, every tweet, it all points towards an insatiable
hunger for control, cloaked in the guise of innovation. Maybe
Musk fans buy into the genius narrative, but for us,
the neuro divergent community, we see the warning signs. We're
well versed in identifying these kind of contradictions and manipulative tachactics.

(09:01):
So while the rest of the Internet is busy gawking
at Musk's next big stunt, over here, we're already piecing
together the implications of his actions. And this, my friends,
is where our heightened sense of pattern recognition comes into play.
We're not just passively consuming content, We're actively dissecting it,

(09:23):
noticing the small tremors that hint at a larger quake.
Musk's version of free speech is just one more illusion
in a world full of facades. So the next time
you're scrolling through X and you see Musk tweeting about
freedom while simultaneously cracking down on critics, just remember, we

(09:43):
see the pattern, we know the script, and we the neurodivergent,
are tuned into these contradictions better than most. Now, let's
shift gears and talk about something that truly makes our
community stand out. A deep, almost overwhelming sense of justice.

(10:03):
This is an intrinsic part of being neurodivergent. It's like
we have an internal radar that starts blaring whenever we
see exploitation or unfairness. It's powerful and entirely impossible to ignore.
You see. While lots of people might frown at the
antics of those in power and then quickly move on,

(10:24):
neurodivergent folks, linger, we ste We feel that injustice on
a cellular level, and it compels us to act we
aren't just annoyed by exploitation. It fundamentally bothers us in
a way that's difficult to describe. We see people in
power exploiting others and we just can't sit idly by.

(10:46):
And let's get into some real talk. Societal pressure to
comply is massive. The world generally expects us to sit down,
shut up, and go along with the flow. But for
most of us, that's a non starter. Our wired sense
of justice makes it nearly impossible to look the other way. Instead,
we roll up our sleeves and jump right into the

(11:09):
heart of activism. And you know what, there's data to
back this up. A twoent twenty study by the University
of London highlights that autistic individuals often have an enhanced
sense of moral reasoning and fairness. It makes us more
likely to challenge unethical behavior because our internal moral compasses

(11:32):
just won't allow us to stay silent. We see wrong
and we have to speak out. But that's not just it.
Another study from the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
found that eighthdors in particular, are more prone to impulsively
act in social justice settings, meaning we're not just sitting
around thinking about doing something about injustice, we actually get

(11:56):
out there and do it. We see the cracks in
the system, and our our immediate reaction is to try
and fix them. So when we talk about political activism
among the neuro divergent, it's not merely a hobby or
an occasional interest. It's part of who we are. We're
driven by this almost instinctive need to right the wrongs

(12:19):
we see around us. It's our way of engaging with
the world and making it a better place. So if
you've ever been told you're too intense or to tone
it down when you point out injustice, just know it's
because your internal justice radar is stronger than most. And
believe me, that's not just okay, that's something the world

(12:40):
desperately needs. We're the ones who call out the emperor
when he's got no clothes. We push back, stand up,
and refuse to let exploitation go unchecked. So keep that
fire burning. Our sense of justice isn't just a trait.
It's a gift, and it's a gift that the world
needs now more than ever. All right, let's dive into

(13:03):
the broader implications of this neurodivergent superpower. First up, let's
talk about calling out corporate greed and performative allyship. We
see right through the smoke and mirrors when a corporation
launches a flashy campaign to signal their support for social
issues without making any real changes. We're the first to say,

(13:26):
hold on a minute, it's not enough to drape yourself
in the colors of a cause. We want to see
meaningful action, not just lip service. This ties directly into
our demand for real change. It's not about catchy slogans
or feel good commercials. We need to see policies, change,
actions taken, and genuine effort made to correct injustices. Performative

(13:51):
Allyship just doesn't cut it for us, and trust me,
we can spot the difference between a company that's truly
committed to make a positive impact and one that's just
playing the part. Next, we have our knack for recognizing
system cracks early on. Remember when the whole world seemed

(14:11):
caught off guard by sudden shifts or crises. Chances are
someone in the neurodivergent community had already seen it coming.
Our brains are wired to notice inconsistencies and patterns, so
when the system starts showing signs of strain. We pick
up on it long before it becomes a full blown issue.

(14:33):
Take Trump's authoritarian tendencies as an example. Neurodivergent folks were
among the first to sound the alarm. We saw the
signs early on because we're hyper attuned to patterns and contradictions.
While some people dismissed it as political theater, we recognize
the very real threat it post. Our heightened sensitivity to

(14:55):
justice and fairness made it impossible for us to ignore.
And speaking of vigilance, let's not forget about Musk's corporate moves.
We're not just watching. We're analyzing each tweet, each new
business venture. We're breaking them down and looking at the
broader implications. We're vigilant because we know the stakes are high,

(15:17):
whether it's a new policy that could affect millions or
a rebrand that's more than just a name change. We're
tuned in. In essence, our neurodivergent minds are built for this.
We're detail oriented, justice driven, and immune to the usual
tactics that sway public opinion. It's why we're so effective

(15:38):
at holding those in power accountable. So keep questioning, keep
pushing for real change, and know that our unique perspectives
are making the world a better, more just place. If
there's one thing you take away from today's episode, let
it be this, keep questioning and keep resisting. Our neuro

(16:00):
divergent minds are geared for this kind of scrutiny. It's
in our DNA to spot the flaws, the inconsistencies, and
the outright lies. And you know what, that's a superpower
the world desperately needs right now. So don't let anyone
tell you to tone it down or stay quiet. Speak up.

(16:21):
Our voices are vital in cutting through the noise and
bringing truth to light. Remember we are not alone in
this fight. We have a community that sees, hears, and
supports one another. The solidarity we share is our strength. Together,
we can continue to challenge injustices, push back against those
who seek to manipulate, and demand the changes that need

(16:44):
to happen. So as you go about your week, keep
that in mind. Your neurodivergent strengths aren't just quirks or anomalies.
They're crucial tools in the ongoing struggle for justice and truth.
Keeping curious, keeping ungovernable, and never lose sight of the
brilliant unique perspective you bring to the world. We need

(17:08):
you in this fight now more than ever. That's it
for today's episode. Thank you for tuning in to fem
on the Spectrum. I'm your host, Elizabeth. We'll catch you
next time. Stay curious, stay rebellious, and above all, stay
true to your neurodivergent selves. Before we wrap up, let's
take a moment to reflect on everything we've talked about

(17:29):
today on fem on the Spectrum. I'm Elizabeth, and I
hope today's episode has given you not just food for thought,
but a whole banquet. Don't forget to check the show
notes for any links or articles we mentioned today. It's
all there, ready for you to dive into further. As
we close out, remember to stay ungovernable, stay curious, and

(17:51):
stay true to your neurodivergent brilliance. The world needs our
unique perspectives and voices now more than ever. Together, we
are a force that cannot be silenced. Thank you for
tuning in to fem on the Spectrum. Until next time,
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