None of this is new. Only our future is.

Close up of graffiti animals on a Stone Age boulder. — Graffiti on Stone Age petroglyphs in Namibia by Focus_on_Nature from Getty Images Signature

Hello Reader,

I've had my head-down these past two weeks, working on the final edit of our book, Lens Not Label. By the time I send the next newsletter, the final draft will be off to the publisher 😬

Here are three things I've been thinking about related to that:

I've been thinking about how not-new this all is.

Millennia before the Autism label was developed by Eugen Bleuler in 1910, historical evidence going back to The Stone Age points to the awareness and benefits of different ways of thinking among groups of people:

“Whilst the ‘story’ of Autism is nearly always told as beginning with its labelling in diagnosis by Kanner and Asperger in the early 19th century, Autism may have much older roots, and a more significant role to play in the emergence of our species.“ — Professor of Archaeology Penny Spikins

I've been thinking about how words can give people more agency:

“Words are tools. And as we recognize that the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house, we are creating our own tools, which can help us not only dismantle the master’s house, but to build a new house in which we can live better, more empowered lives.” – Throw Away The Master's Tools, an essay in Neuroqueer Heresies by Dr. Nick Walker.

One of the many new terms I discovered and immediately loved in this book is the concept of cognitive liberty: the right to absolute sovereignty over our own minds and cognitive processes. Coined by neuroethicist Wrye Sententia and lawyer Richard Glen Boire, cognitive liberty is an essential element to freedom — the freedom to move freely, to think with our whole bodies (loud hands and all), and to self-regulate as we wish.

And if you don't think that's relevent now more than ever, check out this terrifying podcast on the new frontier in AI: Attachment Hacking. Or this haunting article about the future of cognitive liberty in the age of AI.

But despite all this doom…

I've been thinking about what we are uniquely positioned to do.

"We live in a strange time. Extraordinary events keep happening that undermine the stability of our world. […] those in control seem unable to deal with them, and no-one has any vision of a different or a better kind of future." – from the 2016 Adam Curtis documentary: Hypernormalisation

Maybe that's what we're meant to do…to work together to come up with a vision of the future. Here I'm reminded of the Margaret Mead quote:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

If you're looking for some way to get the conversation started, I invite you to join me, neurodiversity and innovation specialist Matthew Bellringer, and interactions specialist and chaologist Ceri Newton-Sargunar for the first event of the Neurodiversity in the Everything Crisis.

This is an open, exploratory discussion for people of all neurotypes. Together we will reflect on how different ways of perceiving, sensing and understanding the world might contribute to collective sense-making in a time of deep uncertainty. Because the solution to the everything crisis needs your perspective, opinions and priorities.

Thursday, 21st May, 5-7pm UK time and it's free if you register here

This week's underthinking link is Face Guesser – today's is a hard one and yet another reason I should have sent this out on time yesterday 🤣. Thinking score: 5 out of 10.

Extra Thoughts…

Recently I recorded another Check Your Thread podcast episode with host and personal hero Zoe Edwards. We talked about neurodivergence and craft. Stick around for that one, it will be out soon. In the meantime, please check out some of my past appearances on CYT (and other podcasts) on my website

One more thing…

As you navigate this and all the other responses to what's going on in the world, please remember: all thoughts are optional.

Hold onto the weird ones,
Kim

PS. Ok, I lied. Another one more thing, because I can't resist. Adam Curtis talking for 90 seconds about how AI is the final end of the past:

I can't help but pluck out the glimmer of hope I spot, which is this: AI is not the future. We are.

If you have been enjoying this newsletter, here are three quick ways you might support me: share a thought, send me a pebble, or forward this email to a friend and encourage them to sign up:

Turn overthinking into expert thinking

Cover of Lens Not Label: A conversational guide for working more effectively with neurodivergent people. By Claire Pedrick, Kim Witten and Nathan Whitbread

Just like different ways of thinking enabled transformational progress thousands of years ago, we know that diverse minds are the rocket-fuel for teams today. That's why Claire Pedrick, Nathan Whitbread and I wrote Lens Not Label.

Out this November, Lens Not Label is a conversational guide for managers, leaders and coaches who want to overcome their discomfort when working with neurodivergent people — without labels, jargon, or clunky models.

Pre-order now to ensure it's in your hot hands this autumn.

Kim has long brown hair and a colourful top she sewed herself. She's smiling at the camera with her arms folded in front of her.

Hi! I'm Kim. I’ve spent nearly five decades overthinking absolutely everything. Here's how I made sense of it all.

If you're a purpose-driven person who wants to think just enough about the things that matter, we should talk — especially if you think differently or aren't sure what actually matters.

Kim Witten Coaching and Consulting is a Limited Company with company number SC708138 and its registered office at Staney Brae, Dunrossness, Shetland ZE2 9JG.

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