Planet Faculty

If you have ever lost hours diving into the meticulous history of ancient coinage, the complex mechanics of quantum computing, or the precise taxonomy of deep-sea fungi, congratulations. By the standards of modern psychological classification, you display qualities that may be classified as, "divergent". Your deep, focused pursuit of expertise—your, "special interest"—is often viewed through a diagnostic lens, typically associated with the autistic experience. But let us pause and consider the absurdity of this cultural framing. When did the passionate pursuit of knowledge, the deep dive into complexity, become something that required a clinical explanation? The truth is, if checking things out and learning about things is deemed so divergent, it is at least demonstrably better than its opposite: the deep, corrosive resentment aimed at things that are intelligently established. The Divergent Engine of Expertise A special interest is not merely a hobby; it is ...