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Northern Soul and Neurodiversity


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A thoughtful and insightful look at the scene, as someone who's under the neurodiverse umbrella I can definitely get behind this, also the darkness of the venues is good for my peepers, unless they have the disco lights on 😂 sacrilege.

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Amy , 

                  I am that person with autism and ADHD ! A  look at all posts on here perfectly illustrate your prognosis, all the symptons are so patently visible , My Question ,what is the cure? Best post for years.

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56 minutes ago, Solidsoul said:

You're ridiculously way over analysing things!  Going on holiday or playing sport could fall into your mental categories. Too much analysing goes on these days!  

This is what happened.

People wanted a good time so they went out and had a good time! 

At no point did I ever say it wasn’t about that 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

All of the above factors are parts that people enjoy if they wernt they wouldn’t do them 😊 

 

 

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I don't think that "The Soul Scene" has any more or less "Neurodivergent" folks than any other special interest or hobby. It just provides a platform or outlet for those traits to be displayed. 

About 35 years ago, my wife bought me a scalextric set as a bit of a joke present. I bought a few more bits and bobs and, after a while, I visited a "slot car" racing club! They were all nice people, but talk about obsessive behavior... !! 

 

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10 minutes ago, Bo Diddley said:

I don't think that "The Soul Scene" has any more or less "Neurodivergent" folks than any other special interest or hobby. It just provides a platform or outlet for those traits to be displayed. 

About 35 years ago, my wife bought me a scalextric set as a bit of a joke present. I bought a few more bits and bobs and, after a while, I visited a "slot car" racing club! They were all nice people, but talk about obsessive behavior... !! 

 

Haha 😂 I appreciate what you are saying, I’m not saying there are more or less. Just the reasons why neurodiverse people might like it or sometimes do really well. 

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3 hours ago, nstomp97 said:

Hi Amy,

As someone doing a postgraduate degree in Psychology - studied in the areas of belonging, community, and collecting behaviour, I find your reflections on neurodiversity within the context of the Northern Soul scene intriguing yet overly generalised. Whilst it's commendable that you're exploring the intersection of neurodiversity with cultural phenomena, I believe your approach may benefit from a more nuanced perspective.

Firstly, it's essential to acknowledge that while certain behaviours and preferences you've highlighted might resonate with traits associated with neurodiversity, they are not exclusive indicators. Many individuals without neurodiverse conditions also exhibit these behaviours. Therefore, attributing them solely to neurodiversity might oversimplify the complexity of human behaviour.

Moreover, the Northern Soul scene, is more aptly studied through an anthropological lens rather than solely through the framework of neurodiversity. The book, "The Northern Soul Scene" by Sarah Raine, offers a comprehensive anthropological exploration of the scene, providing valuable insights into its cultural significance, rituals, and social dynamics. This could serve as a more appropriate starting point for understanding the intricacies of the scene.

Whilst it's plausible that certain aspects of the scene might resonate with individuals with ADHD or Autism, it's crucial not to conflate correlation with causation. The behaviours you've highlighted, such as record collecting or DJing, may indeed appeal to individuals with specific cognitive profiles, but they also hold significance within the broader cultural context of the scene.

Furthermore, your mention of drug use and escapism within the scene could potentially perpetuate stereotypes and stigmatise individuals with neurodiverse conditions. Whilst it's essential to acknowledge the prevalence of certain behaviours, it's equally important to approach the topic with sensitivity and avoid reinforcing negative associations.

Whilst your reflections offer an intriguing perspective on the scene, I believe a more nuanced approach is necessary. By acknowledging the multifaceted nature of human behaviour and the cultural context of the scene, we can gain a deeper understanding of its dynamics without oversimplifying or misattributing certain traits.

ATB 👍

To be honest this reminds me fondly of the sort of thing that the mighty Fudge would spend ten minutes pummelling you verbally with at 4am in a corner of the 100 Club , before giving you 'that' grin and wandering off leaving you feeling mildly abused and knowing he'd done you up yet again ... love you mate ... :facepalm:

Edited by Woodbutcher
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I see a lot of parallels on this scene with the extreme sports I've been involved with through my son. And I've met a few people who have been attracted to both in some form or other.  Adrenaline and dopamine are a powerful and addictive substances but it's all about how it's managed within a lifestyle whether it's healthy or not. 

My experience as a teacher has taught me that's it's often the system and culture that has the difficulties not the learner's. And I certainly hear many people on the scene tell about bad experiences in education and struggling to fit into school life, sadly, for many today, that hasn't changed. 

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10 hours ago, Woodbutcher said:

To be honest this reminds me fondly of the sort of thing that the mighty Fudge would spend ten minutes pummelling you verbally with at 4am in a corner of the 100 Club , before giving you 'that' grin and wandering off leaving you feeling mildly abused and knowing he'd done you up yet again ... love you mate ... :facepalm:

Laughing here, he once had my wife believe Keith Money was a catalogue underwear model! 🤣

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12 hours ago, Sheffieldsoulg said:

I don’t claim to be a northern soul expert, I’ve just pointed out some of the cross overs I’ve observed in how the scene may be of interest to neurodiverse people and how it can be really good for them. It’s something I jotted down in about half an hour, which got a positive response with many people saying they appreciated hence sharing it in this forum, as I thought it might resonate with some. 

I could reference all of my points however I wasn’t aiming for a scholarly article, just some further awareness which people can take or leave at their leisure. My intention wasn’t to target all people on the soul scene and as I said I was open to people’s thoughts which I have taken on board. 

I appreciate different nuances however this was a reflection of my personal experiences so far, so I’m not really sure how that can be changed. I think it’s sometimes unhelpful to tell or imply to others that they don’t know enough, sometimes it’s better to show them the way with kindness because otherwise they will stop asking and the sharing of knowledge ends. 
 

I’ve learnt not to underestimate people , there’s something to be learnt from them all. 
 

From the comments the gear must have been decent then bring back coaches and not driving back down the M1 at 6am 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ 

By 1987, regular coaches from nighters were a thing of the past, nighters finished at 8, and I'd often have to walk back to the bus station and sit on a national express for 4 hours! 🫣

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3 hours ago, Kenb said:

Surely you can “shoehorn” any ‘extreme/ unusual/ ADHD/spectral type behaviour’ into anything…Beit Northern Soul, Football Fandom, Train spotting, stamp collecting, Eurovision, and so on. None of which is cause… just effect.

I never said there was any causation - what I’ve pointed out is how ‘soulin’ can be a good fit for neurodiverse people. 

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3 hours ago, Solidsoul said:

How are you the judge of what is or not signs of autism and ADHD based on your personal likes, loves or dislikes and prejudices?

Women get there breasts cut open to put in silicone plastic, faces injected with botox. Other people get there ears mutilated to wear earrings. Tattoos etc. Are these signs of your mental issues?

People do dangerous things like Motorcycling, Skiing, Boxing etc at risk of permanent injury or death when it isn't necessary. Is this a sign of ADHD Autism?

Drinking alcohol or extreme fitness regimes, more signs of Autism or ADHD? 

I would not be arrogant enough to decide if these behaviours were signs of ADHD/Autism or not, or to indiscriminately label people with it I have never ever met!

Amy is simply saying that the soul scene could be very appealing for people that are neurodiverse, not that everyone on it is neurodiverse.

 

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4 hours ago, Paulb said:

Amy is simply saying that the soul scene could be very appealing for people that are neurodiverse, not that everyone on it is neurodiverse.

 

No she's not. That's not what she started out saying. She's being disrespectful of a whole lot of people past and present.

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4 hours ago, Chalky said:

Most took drugs because a) they enjoyed them and b) they served a purpose keeping you up, not because of a condition. Because of what was taken it often resulted in a lot of ADHD through the night 😂 

I didn’t say they took drugs because of adhd, the current treatment for adhd is amphetamines. Haha if you took them with adhd or not you’d deffo be up all night.  

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5 hours ago, Shinehead said:

Seems to me because Amy is a nurse specialising in the subject and also a Northern Soul fan,she is trying to join the dots between the two when there isn't one , as other people have stated most activities with fanatics could also attract people of the spectrum but it does not mean that is the reason for the attraction, just that like everyone else there was an initial starting place that led us in to the activity with the spectrum or without, Northern Soul usually the youth club,friends or older siblings with a love of the music 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s lots of people who have reached out to me from this post who have said they completely agree with what I’ve said I guess if people don’t understand adhd or autism and don’t belong to that group they don’t understand where I’m coming from. There’s lots of people with adhd and autism on scene they just don’t go around with it on a T-shirt. 
 

if you don’t agree with my view point that’s fine but lots of people have agreed. 

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15 hours ago, Solidsoul said:

How are you the judge of what is or not signs of autism and ADHD based on your personal likes, loves or dislikes and prejudices?

Women get there breasts cut open to put in silicone plastic, faces injected with botox. Other people get there ears mutilated to wear earrings. Tattoos etc. Are these signs of your mental issues?

People do dangerous things like Motorcycling, Skiing, Boxing etc at risk of permanent injury or death when it isn't necessary. Is this a sign of ADHD Autism?

Drinking alcohol or extreme fitness regimes, more signs of Autism or ADHD? 

I would not be arrogant enough to decide if these behaviours were signs of ADHD/Autism or not, or to indiscriminately label people with it I have never ever met!

As a person with adhd I posted this as my personal reflections I never said it’s everyone 🤷🏻‍♀️ this post also included feedback from other neurodiverse people who agreed with what I’d said. 

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9 hours ago, Sheffieldsoulg said:

I didn’t say they took drugs because of adhd, the current treatment for adhd is amphetamines. Haha if you took them with adhd or not you’d deffo be up all night.  

My nephew is on the spectrum. He had learning difficulties and an inability to take orders, his schooling was practically zero. He would never be able to get into the collecting side of the scene as he has no ability to remember things really.  Because of his unruly behaviour, probably due to a lack of understanding and specialised schooling he had trouble making friends.  He got in with a gang who showed him friendship who were trouble, smoking dope which most kids seem to do these days regardless of their ability, he got into lots of trouble with the police.  Thankfully he outgrew that gang, managed to find a job and hold it down after a dozen jobs he got the sack from because he wouldn’t take orders etc etc.  

I don’t think it is as simply as you suggest. I guess where you are on the spectrum has a lot to do how you get on in life. 

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