Jul 21
ADHD and politics has been at the top of my ‘topics I want to cover’ list for quite some time now, but given the extreme political division within the United States and around the world, I wanted to wait until I had something to share that could possibly make things better and wouldn’t add more fuel to the fire.
Well, I recently read the book The Molecule of More by Dr. Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long, and I was inspired to finally tackle this topic in a way that I thought my listeners especially would be able to understand: with biology. What if, just like with ADHD, we could connect the differences in how we see the world to our brains, rather than character flaws or a moral failing?
I’m hoping that by answering this question, I can give you a new, gentler lens through which to view those on the other side of the political spectrum. The only way we’re going to bridge the political gap is by trying to understand those who are different from us. If we can find an understanding through biology, rather than shaming and blaming, perhaps we can let down our guards enough to come together and start doing the work.
APPLE
SPOTIFY
YOUTUBE
"We live in this country together, and we have to get along. It’s scary how much misinformation is out there that’s convincing people how evil the other side is. The misinformation is the problem. I hope that understanding how look-down and look-up brains work and how they’re different might be a way to start building just a little bridge."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy explains that different brains work in different ways, with some focusing on the present (dopamine and norepinephrine chemicals) and others desiring new things (serotonin and dopamine chemicals).
- Research suggests that people with ADHD may have a higher concentration of dopamine transporters in the brain, which could affect the influence of dopamine in the brain.
- Study finds personality traits, not political ideologies, are linked to genes.
[16:38 - 27:24] Academics, Intelligence, and Political Leanings
- Tracy discusses the relationship between dopamine levels and political ideologies, suggesting that individuals with higher dopamine levels tend to be more creative and open to change, while those with lower levels tend to be more risk-averse and prefer stability.
- Tracy questions the idea of intelligence and IQ tests, suggesting that they may not accurately measure intelligence and that there are many different types of intelligence.
- Study finds liberal adults have higher IQ scores than conservatives, with atheists scoring higher than religious individuals.
- Tracy compares hippies and evangelicals, noting that hippies focus on the present while evangelicals focus on the future and legislating morality.
- Tracy emphasizes the importance of research and fact-based information, while also acknowledging the value of individual beliefs and happiness.
- Tracy believes that ADHD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may be related to an irregularity in dopamine levels, as they share similar symptoms such as creativity and imagination.
