The DSM and its disciples are so focused on aberrant behavior that they neglect to explore the experiences and mental models of those they treat. What is it about having a mood disorder leaves one prone to eschew strong typing in favor of improv at the REPL? Is it the mood that makes the object more clearly visible, or what it does to a person when they delve into the abstract?
The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
21–30 of 136 posts
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#22I quite enjoyed this article, but I reckon they're talking about ADHD rather than "bipolar" mind. Seen under that lens, I resonate with his caricature. Focus is a precious, rare resource outside my control. Mainstream languages, made for collaboration in big teams rather than maximum personal freedom, soon impose restrictions that kill hyperfocus. The "unused variable is an error" is the most egregious of them that I…
Ruby could be a good compromise. Unfortunately it lost the battle long time ago.
Which battle is that?
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#23I quite enjoyed this article, but I reckon they're talking about ADHD rather than "bipolar" mind. Seen under that lens, I resonate with his caricature. Focus is a precious, rare resource outside my control. Mainstream languages, made for collaboration in big teams rather than maximum personal freedom, soon impose restrictions that kill hyperfocus. The "unused variable is an error" is the most egregious of them that I…
Okay, you made me want to try Lisp.
For a quick start, can recommend Clojure using VSCode as editor (with the Calva plugin).
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is super interesting. Thank you. Feels similar to subtle patterns in my next of kin and their inner workings. So I can read more, would you mind sharing the name of the disorder?
The disorder’s called visual snow syndrome, it’s named after the main symptom that differentiates it from other disorders which is TV-static like visual distortion but it sometimes causes a lot of other things typically associated with migraine to the point before it was studied in its own right it was assumed to be an uncommon variation of migraine; unlike migraine though for many people it doesn’t produce any pain…
Just a intuitive thought, a bit unresponsible maybe, so consider on your own risk: you researched the effects of ketamine and its derivatives on your disorder? Din't know why I think of this; probably because they are know to also affect obscure pain stuff like phantom pains and generally interact with perception (I feel it reduces oversensitivities like not beeing able to bare some stimulus and such) currently researched as an fast acting and lasting over its acute effects treatments for depression.
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#25Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#26I quite enjoyed this article, but I reckon they're talking about ADHD rather than "bipolar" mind. Seen under that lens, I resonate with his caricature. Focus is a precious, rare resource outside my control. Mainstream languages, made for collaboration in big teams rather than maximum personal freedom, soon impose restrictions that kill hyperfocus. The "unused variable is an error" is the most egregious of them that I…
I don't think the kind of student the author is talking about has ADHD symptoms or any sort of mental illness. I think they just have different personalities - and having a certain personality than the majority of people shouldn't be considered a mental illness or disorder. People are not all the same... at what threshold do we count difference in personalities as an issue?? As long as the person can keep functioning…
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Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#27This very much describes me to a T and I've come to realize I just have ADHD and (excuse the narcissism) above average mental capacity in some subjects. Haven't gotten diagnosed yet, but both my SO and my best friend have it, and the parallels are staggering and explain a lot about my behaviour. I've developed a shit ton of personal techniques to gain some focus even when it seems impossible and engage in humility to…
I keep seeing people say "I have X but I haven't gotten diagnosed yet". Pet peeve: you _think_ you have ADHD but you can't state that you have ADHD without a diagnosis. If you have a piece of bone sticking out of your leg, it's fair to self-diagnose with a broken leg. Mental conditions are much harder to lock down definitively, especially because ADHD, autism, and bipolar all share similar symptoms. My own personal anecdata is that the people I've known who suspected they had ADHD more often than not did but they (myself included) still needed a diagnosis before stating it as a matter of fact
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#28I quite enjoyed this article, but I reckon they're talking about ADHD rather than "bipolar" mind. Seen under that lens, I resonate with his caricature. Focus is a precious, rare resource outside my control. Mainstream languages, made for collaboration in big teams rather than maximum personal freedom, soon impose restrictions that kill hyperfocus. The "unused variable is an error" is the most egregious of them that I…
ADDENDUM: I love Lisp but I want to clarify that its secret sauce is that it enables exploratory programming: programming from inside the system.
While most languages are akin to preparing a detailed blueprint and executing it (then stop to update the blueprint and try again), exploratory programming is like sculpture. You have an unformed mass full of unrealised potential, and you slowly carve it to shape.
The ADHD/Bipolar mind of the article isn't great at making plans, it's great at following its gut instinct, making shit up step by step.
Lisp enables this flow, but also Forth, Smalltalk, Self, etc., which I've been deeply obsessed with lately. Sadly, all we have today on the mainstream are basic REPLs which are a harmless, defanged version of these old environments promoting creativity and flow state.
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#29This very much describes me to a T and I've come to realize I just have ADHD and (excuse the narcissism) above average mental capacity in some subjects. Haven't gotten diagnosed yet, but both my SO and my best friend have it, and the parallels are staggering and explain a lot about my behaviour. I've developed a shit ton of personal techniques to gain some focus even when it seems impossible and engage in humility to…
I keep seeing people say "I have X but I haven't gotten diagnosed yet". Pet peeve: you _think_ you have ADHD but you can't state that you have ADHD without a diagnosis. If you have a piece of bone sticking out of your leg, it's fair to self-diagnose with a broken leg. Mental conditions are much harder to lock down definitively, especially because ADHD, autism, and bipolar all share similar symptoms. My own personal a…
OK, I can say I don't have it if that helps. My point is that I share a lot of the problems that two important people in my life do, and seemingly the same way they think about stuff that other people find very weird, I also do. And it's been this way for a very long time. They are diagnosed professionally with ADHD. So, I think there's a high likelihood, but I don't know, obviously. I was asking for others experiences in handling said situations.
edit: I'm also not interested in getting a diagnosis since I don't want it to be on any file in general. Call it paranoia, I don't want some medical file marking me as having a disorder or being mentally ill.
Re: The Bipolar Lisp Programmer (2007)
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think the kind of student the author is talking about has ADHD symptoms or any sort of mental illness. I think they just have different personalities - and having a certain personality than the majority of people shouldn't be considered a mental illness or disorder. People are not all the same... at what threshold do we count difference in personalities as an issue?? As long as the person can keep functioning…
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I like to think I'm ADH, I've got everything ADHD except for the disorder