u/AkagamiBarto

So in the past i stumbled upon this article https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-study-suggests-da-vinci-had-adhd-180972359/ and some related (some in Italian) which claim Leonardo had traits compatible with ADHD.

He was a successful painter, engineer (or well inventor) , physician. He was a great scientist and artist.

For the period of time he liven in, we could say he thrived, but how? If he truly was ADHD that is, how did he?

Now my speculation on the matter.

I think it amounts to three factors:

1. mecenatism.

He had people that took care of him and his needs. He worked for them (like the Medici family), but they ensured his needs were met. He just had to do things for them, but key aspect, he had great freedom in it.

They saw his value and decided to provide for him as long as he delivered even without elevated frequence. Because painting is not something you do in one day, so he had to do few jobs, from time to time. In the rest of the time he could do as he pleased, study what he wanted.

2. pupils/servants

Even in his work he didn't do everything. As it was common at the time there were other people, usually pupils, who took care of many aspects of the job. Maybe they prepared the surface. Maybe they fetched colours. Maybe they painted some phases of the landscape. This is still a common thing i manga industry. Some authors don't do everything, but have other people fill in the boring aspects. The mechanical ones.

3. he was allowed to live off what he liked.

He loved machines and machines were requested. He loved to paint and paintings were requested. He loved anatomy for proper painting and this made his paintings even better so it paid off.

He loved engineering and his works were appreciated. In a way he didn't have "hobbies" as hobbies were his job, without extreme pressure.

I am sure plenty of you excel at their hobbies. I am sure you have great expertise in the field of your passions, but can't really live off it

There is a fourth factor, i believe.

4. horizontal and broad culture was endorsed in opposition to modern needs for hyperspecialisation.

An ADHD person tends to have multiple fields, multiple passions, multiple competences and sometimes even because of the condition, extreme specialisation becomes far too difficult especially for the ADHD condition, when boredom kicks in and good luck digging further in a subject that now bores you.

But when you can space between things and are rewarded for doing so..

Even Leonardo, as a painter, was arguably worse than Michelangelo. But Michelangelo was mostly a specialised artist (sculptor and architect), Leonardo was that and much more things.

So now, what does this tell us for modern world? How do we get the same conditions?

1. Guaranteed human rights or UBI (Universal Basic Income), good luck with that under capitalism. Or well, maybe sugar daddies/mommies?

2. group work. We work together, not everyone is ADHD, who is ADHD does what they are best at, like innovating, hyperfocusing and other people get rewarded for other abilities, like specialisation, tedious work (that they may find relaxing or even if they don't, they are able to complete)

3. given 1) we then can do as we please and attempt to turn that into our profession or part of it. Without fear of poverty, when we have our needs met, we can experiment, puraue careers, not fear bankrupcy.

4. this comes as a cascade of the previous ones. Or we can just focus on bringing back horizontal competence and knowledge as a valuable thing. Usually in humanistics or teaching fields.

My two cents on the matter..

I was at 491, then after validating at 508, but if i add 15 to 491 i only reach 506, I don't understand it

I have checked if asking for support goes against the rules and it seems it doesn't.

I have singles out a large plot of land bordering the Marsala Salinas reserve in Sicily.

The area itself is a peculiar environment where, although manmade modifications are present they don't necessarily prevent the presence of local wildlife and in certain cases even enhance it (flamingos benefit from salinas concentrating their crustacean food). The area is also highly agricultural, with a focus on grapes and wine and there are some issues with tourism and sport tourism.

Now this plot of land is intended for tourism and in the board there is written it will also come with a location adapted to a bar, a kiosk. I would like to prevent that, either dismantling the building or leaving it for natural education purposes or for birdwatching, leaving the rest of the land to nature and wilderness. The area this plot of land is located in is undergoing a new touristic redevelopment and i would love to do what i can to protect at least certain pockets of wilderness. While the reserve on its own should remain relatively untouched sole birds prefer the areas like this one, rather than the salina salt lakes, which are favored by flamingos for example.

List of what is currently present in the area (for what i have observed):

* White Stork

* White Spatula

* White heron

* Blue heron

* Kingfisher

* European Roller

* Cormorant

* Flamingo

* Lesser white heron

* European turtle dove

* Hawk

* Falcon (Falco tinnunculus)

* Sacred Ibis (invasive)

* Other common birds (various gull species, shore birds, corvids..)

What could be reintroduced in the area:

* Greater Bustard

* Common Crane

* Osprey

* Lesser Bustard

* Hermit Ibis

What else could live here, but i haven't spotted:

* Nocturnal birds of prey

* Sicilian frogs and toads

* Sicilian pond turtle

There could also be the possibility for Lynx reintroduction in the driest parts AND for water buffalo farming since apparently the European species or subspecies was present in the area, but that is not actually of my concern for now.

The plot of land i am talking about is roughly 2 acres, 8000 square feet. With 12€ per square meter i'll need something like 100k so that's the sum i am aiming for.

I am personally not well financially and i have reached out to environmental organisations, of which i also am part of, but they/we have the hands too full with other projects and lack the money to begin with, so at this point it's time to ask people around the globe for help.

This plot of land is not enormous by any means, but it is still relevant, still used by the local fauna and, more importantly maybe, it can serve as a stepping stone towards protecting larger areas of or near the reserve.

I have also located a second plot of land, in a relatively nearby area, but way drier and rockier.

That is not the concern of this post, but so that you know, there we could reintroduce:

* Sicilian Partridge

* Greater Bustard

* Onager (in place of equus hemionus)

* Rails

* Scarabs

Well there it is, i am leaving it into your hands, people, i'll do what i can!