All Brains Are Weird: Rethinking the Idea of Neurodivergence

Every brain is different. Each one holds its own rhythms, quirks, and ways of seeing the world. Yet somewhere along the way, we decided there was such a thing as a normal brain—and all others became divergent.

Rethinking “Normal”

When people use words like neurodivergent, I believe their intentions are to honor differences. But built into the term is an assumption: that some brains are typical, and others are not. That isn’t quite right. 

There is no single, standard, normal brain. There never has been. There's no person in history who we can say wasn't a little bit off. There's also never been one type of brain that's always been "normal." For a time, the creatives were the norm. Other times, the aggressive and powerful were the norm. Now, the diligent and dutiful are the norm.

What we call divergence is often just a reflection of how our current social and industrial systems are built. The systems reward some ways of thinking and make others harder to navigate—not because those minds are wrong, but because the systems are limited.

No System Fits Us All

It’s tempting to believe we can redesign the world to accommodate every mind, but that’s not realistic. No system can meet everyone’s needs perfectly. We’re too different, too complex, too fluid for that.

What’s more honest—and ultimately more freeing—is recognizing that discomfort and struggle are part of being human. You won’t fit everywhere. You’ll struggle at times. That doesn’t make you divergent. It makes you an imperfect person living in an imperfect world.

The goal isn’t to make the world effortless, but to participate in shaping mindsets and systems that adapt to changing norms. And when they don’t, imagining new ones. Growth doesn't come from erasing difference, creating an even playing field, and making everyone happy (an impossible feat) but from learning how to navigate life within our communities and systems, together, in all our variety.

Differences Are Expected

When we stop defining people by how well they fit into the system, we can start appreciating the incredible diversity of minds that make up our world. We can stop making people feel less than, victimized, or unduly different. Differences and struggle make us resilient and adaptable.

Every brain contributes something, excels at something, struggles at something—each in its own, unpredictable way.

Some align more easily with our current norms. Some feel bogged down under the weight of expectations. Others challenge what those norms could be. 

Accepting Variety As Normal

Every brain is a variation of the same remarkable human design—complex, unique, and imperfect. There’s no single standard to measure against, just an ongoing effort to better understand one another. We all bring different strengths—and different gaps. Offering what we can and accepting help where we need it creates the dynamic systems we need. 

All brains are weird, and that’s what keeps the world interesting, connected, and alive.