The Productive Pessimist

  As Mumsnet et al (likely the only people actually "consulted" about Starmer's social media ban for under-16s) squeal and cavort about yet another "victory" (they believe their last one was the EHRC guidance about trans people...and tall women...and women with broad shoulders...and women with flat chests...you know, the one that doesn't  stop - and which they don't want to stop - a grown, clearly cisgender, violently aggressive man chasing a woman into the women's toilets, and assaulting her because he "thought she looked trans"...such protection...so much safety...), I'm already preparing for the reality that, as soon as this pointless act of government overreach and control for control's sake comes in, I'll have to hope like hell that people who have been very vocal about being anti-Digital ID actually put their boots on that ground, and engage with my freelance business being something I will no longer be able to run online....

Recently, an article was circulated through the UK media about "neurological issues affecting Gen Z", which were 'blamed' on "excessive reliance on noise-cancelling headphones". These 'neurological issues' are actually known as Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD. What Is APD? Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a difficulty in the brain being able to distinguish background noise from speech, but with hearing tests returning "normal" results. This is a tricky issue, because some people in the early stages of hearing loss will struggle in exactly this way, however their hearing test may come back as in a 'normal range'. As with all medicine, sometimes doctors fail to pick something up that could be managed or may be part of a wider issue. However, where this is relevant to neurodiversity is that these issues combined with a normal result hearing test, are a hallmark for Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). APD can occur for a va...