“I can’t” and “I don’t want to” exist on a continuum in the brain—motivation isn’t an on/off switch. Motivation and motor control are part of a single unified process driven by the neurotransmitter dopamine. Examining how dopamine works provides an opportunity to question our assumptions about reward, anticipation, and self-control.

This biological lens helps reframe challenges with task initiation and multi-step directions, allowing us to question our assumptions about procrastination and the Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA). We then apply an anthropological framework to communication, viewing behaviors like infodumping and scripting as cultural practices to better understand cross-neurotype interactions. We read Kristy Forbes’ “PDA Parenting Isn’t Perfect: It’s Real, Raw, and Relational” and reference Prerna Tolani and Sathyaraj Venkatesan’s “The Time We See: ADHD, Neuroqueer Temporality, and Graphic Medicine”.