Neurodiversity: Reflection vs Reaction

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I experience the positive side of a probably hyperconnected brain as a very strong and generally uplifting tendency toward free, open-ended, multi-dimensional, sustained reveries of reflection on things, people, and life. Although I can actually be good in a crisis in the sense of being level-headed (probably as a result of all this reflection), I do far less well at many other kinds of immediate responsiveness to people, things, or situations in general that I cannot address by habit -- in many cases I am glacially slow, or just miss things altogether.

It strikes me that immediate responsiveness may mostly have to do with executive function acting to short-circuit extensive reflection. Too much reflection can be paralyzing, as I also experience from time to time. On an evolutionary scale, this kind short-circuiting of reflection undoubtedly has survival value, and it certainly seems to help social climbing and acceptance among NTs. But it also seems to me that the higher achievements of human culture depend on reflection much more than immediate responsiveness.

Along the lines of the humorous discussions of "neurotypical spectrum disorder" etc., it seems to me that our weaknesses of executive function may be paralleled by relative weaknesses of reflection in NTs.

Recognizing that we are all different, what does anyone else think of this?

Agree, I like how my brain works. It helps me to reflect, read a lot of philosophy, meditation and fantasy books and have deep conversations with others. It has taken me a while to find my community though.

Btw..
When applied for a executive job they told me that you seem to think a lot, and reflect. It seems like you need some time alone etc. I understood that my personality was not good for the job according to them. Then I did not know my aspie traits. Now I do so I understand why they asked from their perspective. In the end happy that happy that I did not get the job it would had been very painful for me.

I would think that there should be a place for reflective thinking in the upper echelons of large organizations. For example in a discussion of the best ways to kill Jews in a meeting in Germany in the 1930s, it might have been better if someone asked, "Should we be doing this".

I understand that asking questions can make people feel uncomfortable. However failing to ask that question brought about a great deal of discomfort for both Jews and Germans.

Three things-

I don't think NTs and NDs are that fundamentally different, and believe that any axiom that seeks to simplify things into terms of "NTs be like this, but NDs be like that" is fundamentally flawed.

As you seem to have touched on, reaction is a necessary response in many situations, lest one be eaten while deliberating their plan of action. However, to imply that NTs can't or don't reflect is somewhat baseless, since reactions are learned, and reflection is the primary mechanism by which individuals change and improve their reactions for when reaction takes priority over deliberation.

Executive functioning difficulties can create issues with both reflection and reaction. Not to mention addressing the actual quality of the reaction, or reflection. Not every reaction is effective, nor is every reflection accurate, regardless of NT or ND.

Agreed, in large measure at least. I meant this contrast to be one of relative emphasis, not at all black-and-white. I see it is a question of where we tend to put more of our energy and attention, given that these are finite resources.

My hypothesis, based on this idea that we all work with finite resources, is that there is some kind of inverse correlation between time and attention devoted to deep reflection and to immediate situational responsiveness, not that these are in any way incompatible in principle. Then I think where we more tend to focus our time and attention does say something about us.

And yes, reflection can go wrong too. Sometimes I dwell on things unproductively. But on the whole, for me at least, my reflections are essential to my being who I am (and also give me joy in life), whereas my situational responsiveness (or lack thereof) is prone to misinterpretation.

Being recently self-diagnosed, I'm going through a similar realization about my own strengths and weaknesses in my job. I always mentally transform requests for plans (for action) into requests for analysis (of what is true and good for the situation). I'm good at pointing out weaknesses of plans, but always really struggle at formulating them, because I see too many branching possibilities and things to doubt.

The world could sure use more reflection and questioning about values and meaning in politics and executive management.

In many such contexts, the only kind of reflection that seems to be socially accepted is a rather narrow kind, about means to ends that are themselves left unquestioned.

The Nazis are an extreme case of this. I think they often just disappeared anyone who dared to question their objectives.