This was such a fun conversation for me! If you also enjoy it, you may be abstract intense—a term Jessie Mannisto (founder and editor-in-chief at Third Factor Magazine) coined to describe people who are energized by the world of ideas. It would seem many (though certainly not all) of our teens who are enamored with gender ideology have this trait of abstract intensity. Jessie and I also continue our exploration of the Theory of Positive Disintegration and how disintegration comes about for many who are involved in this culture war around gender. She introduces the term, positive maladjustment which is the “psychological process” that can initiate a positive disintegration. For an introductory conversation to these topics, listen to my first interview with Jessie here: Butterflies Becoming.
Where Intensity and Gender Dysphoria Meet: the article Sasha Ayad sent to me back in 2019 that introduced me to Jessie’s writing; a great piece to read for an introduction to the intensities/overexcitabilities that are referenced often when we nerd out on the Theory of Positive Disintegration.
The quote we mentioned that captures what is happening for the positively maladjusted is this:
It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -Jiddu Krishnamurti
I thought I could link the chapter about “being immersed in a fiction” from Kathleen Stock’s book, Material Girls, but alas, I was unsuccessful. I think it’s well worth the read! The PDF I have indicates the section starts on page 181 with the heading, “Fiction and reality” and ends with the section, “Coercing people into immersion.” Though I imagine the whole book is just as good!
The books Jessie recommended to explore further whether you may be one who experiences overexcitability:
Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman
I also wanted to link a couple of my “notes from a recovering school teacher” from my other education-oriented Substack that dig a little deeper into the risk-aversion of those who identify as smart and the cultural values that underpin this identity.
If you think you might be a wizard (or a witch) and are wondering where to find Hogwarts, feel free to respond to this email and ask for directions.
Finally, I have to sneak in a huge thank you to my husband who encourages me to fly but makes sure I don’t get lost in space!
"You're a wizard, Harry." A conversation for the abstract intense-with Jessie Mannisto