The Power of Neurodiversity

The Power of Neurodiversity Plot Summary

Introduction

In a world that often prizes conformity, we tend to view neurological differences as deficiencies to be corrected rather than variations to be embraced. Imagine if we treated flowers the same way - expecting every bloom to grow at the same rate, reach the same height, and flourish under identical conditions. We would miss the spectacular diversity that makes a garden beautiful. Similarly, our society has historically pathologized brain differences, labeling conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and mood disorders as problems to be fixed rather than different ways of experiencing and interacting with the world. The concept of neurodiversity offers a revolutionary perspective that challenges this deficit-based thinking. Rather than viewing these neurological variations as disorders, this paradigm recognizes them as natural, valuable expressions of human diversity - akin to how we value biodiversity in ecosystems or cultural diversity in societies. Throughout this book, we'll explore how conditions traditionally seen as limitations often come with remarkable strengths and abilities. You'll discover how people with autism may possess exceptional pattern recognition skills, how dyslexic minds might excel at spatial reasoning, and how individuals with ADHD often demonstrate remarkable creativity. By understanding the gifts that accompany different brain wiring, we can build a more inclusive world that harnesses the full spectrum of human potential.

Chapter 1: Neurodiversity: A Concept Whose Time Has Come

Neurodiversity represents a fundamental shift in how we understand human brain differences. The term itself is relatively new, first appearing in print in 1998 in an Atlantic article by journalist Harvey Blume, who wrote: "Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general." This concept emerged from autism advocacy circles but has since expanded to encompass many neurological variations including ADHD, dyslexia, mood disorders, and others. At its core, neurodiversity proposes that neurological differences are normal variations in the human genome rather than defects to be corrected. Just as we now recognize that ecosystems thrive because of biodiversity, not in spite of it, neurodiversity suggests that human cognitive diversity enriches our collective capabilities. This stands in stark contrast to the medical model that has dominated our understanding of these conditions, which focuses primarily on deficits, disorders, and dysfunctions rather than strengths, talents, and abilities. The human brain functions more like an ecosystem than a machine. For centuries, we've used mechanistic language to describe the brain, from René Descartes' comparison to clockwork through modern computer analogies. But the brain isn't hardware or software—it's "wetware," composed of billions of neurons organized in incredibly complex systems. Nobel Prize-winning biologist Gerald Edelman described the brain as "a unique rainforest, teeming with growth, decay, competition, diversity, and selection." This ecological perspective helps us understand why each brain develops its own unique patterns and pathways. Human beings exist along continuums of competence, not in binary categories of "normal" or "disabled." Whether someone is considered gifted or disabled often depends more on when and where they were born than on their inherent abilities. In a hunting society, the hypervigilance and quick reactions associated with ADHD would be valuable survival traits. In a visual-spatial culture, dyslexic thinking might be considered genius. Even today, the same traits that cause someone to struggle in a classroom might help them excel in another environment. This perspective doesn't deny real challenges but recognizes that different brains thrive in different niches. Success in today's world involves both adapting to the environment and creating environments that accommodate our unique brains—a process called "niche construction." Just as a beaver builds a dam to create a suitable habitat, humans can modify their surroundings to better match their neurological needs. This might include career choices, assistive technologies, supportive relationships, or other strategies that minimize disabilities and maximize abilities. The most successful neurodiverse individuals aren't those who have overcome their differences, but those who have found or created environments where their differences become strengths.

Chapter 2: The Spectrum of Neurological Differences

Neurological differences exist on multiple continuums rather than as discrete categories. Just as height and weight distribute along a bell curve throughout the population, cognitive traits like attention, sociability, language processing, and emotional regulation also follow natural distributions. What we call "disorders" often represent points further from the statistical average on these continuums, not fundamentally different categories of humanity. This spectrum-based understanding challenges traditional diagnostic approaches. When the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) was published in 1952, it listed about 100 psychiatric conditions. By 2000, this number had tripled. We've become accustomed to labeling significant portions of the population with conditions like ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disabilities—categories that didn't exist sixty years ago. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that more than one-quarter of all adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year, and research suggests that approximately half of all Americans may experience mental illness at some point during their lives. Our increasing tendency to medicalize brain differences stems from several factors. The explosion of brain research has certainly expanded our understanding of neurological functioning, but medical researchers generally adopt a disease-based perspective rather than one focused on health and well-being. Funding gravitates toward studying what's "wrong" with certain brains rather than understanding the full spectrum of human cognitive variation. Additionally, advocacy groups—while doing tremendous good in raising awareness and supporting affected individuals—sometimes emphasize deficits to secure resources and recognition. Cultural and historical context profoundly influences which neurological traits are valued or pathologized. Anthropologist Ruth Benedict noted that "most of those organizations of personality that seem to us most incontrovertibly abnormal have been used by different civilizations in the very foundations of their institutional life." For example, among the Coast Salish Native Americans, depression is integrated into their cultural identity, with depressed individuals seen as "the most 'real Indians'" who serve as guides and teachers for their community. Similarly, the Buddhists of Sri Lanka view symptoms of hopelessness and sorrow as part of a recognized philosophy of life, not as disorder. Perhaps most importantly, different brain types contribute essential skills and perspectives to human societies. We wouldn't eliminate biodiversity from an ecosystem, as each species serves important functions. Similarly, neurodiversity may be crucial for human innovation, adaptation, and cultural development. The traits associated with autism might have helped early humans systematize knowledge about plants and animals. The hyperfocus seen in ADHD might have enabled sustained hunting. The visual-spatial skills common in dyslexia might have aided in navigation and tool-making. Our modern world still needs these diverse cognitive styles, even as our environments have changed dramatically.

Chapter 3: ADHD: The Hyperactive Brain's Hidden Strengths

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is typically characterized by three key symptom groups: hyperactivity (restlessness, fidgeting), impulsivity (interrupting, making hasty decisions), and distractibility (forgetfulness, difficulty organizing tasks). Affecting approximately 3-5% of children worldwide with symptoms often persisting into adulthood, ADHD is traditionally framed as a disorder of executive functioning. Brain imaging studies show differences in prefrontal lobe activity and in the circuitry connecting the planning areas of the brain with emotional and motor areas. However, what's less widely recognized is that people with ADHD aren't suffering from too much stimulation—they're actually chronically understimulated. Their brains produce lower levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, reward, and motor activity. This creates a persistent hunger for stimulation that the typical classroom or office environment simply doesn't satisfy. Rather than being unable to pay attention, people with ADHD have a different attentional style—they excel at "roaming attention" (noticing many different things quickly) and "hyperfocus" (sustaining intense concentration on subjects of interest), but struggle with externally imposed tasks that don't provide sufficient stimulation. Recent research suggests that many children labeled with ADHD might better be described as "late bloomers" rather than having defective brains. A study commissioned by the National Institute of Mental Health found that children with ADHD undergo normal patterns of brain development but lag behind neurotypical children by about three years. The areas showing the greatest developmental lag were precisely those that integrate sensory-motor areas with planning and inhibitory areas. This developmental difference, rather than being purely pathological, may represent an evolutionary adaptation. Anthropologist Ashley Montagu's concept of neoteny—the retention of childlike qualities into adulthood—helps explain how ADHD traits might benefit human evolution. Qualities like curiosity, playfulness, wonder, creativity, flexibility, and humor are essential for innovation and adaptation. Albert Einstein famously noted that his "intellectual development was retarded," allowing him to continue thinking about space and time into adulthood. The very gene variant (DRD4) associated with novelty-seeking in ADHD appears to have arisen relatively recently in human evolution, between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago, coinciding with major advances in human civilization. In different cultural and historical contexts, ADHD traits represent clear advantages. Hunter-gatherer societies valued high energy, vigilance, and quick responses to environmental changes—all ADHD strengths. In the Puluwat culture of the South Sea Islands, individuals who excel at multitasking and constantly shifting perceptions make the best navigators. The traits of ADHD also closely mirror those of creative individuals. Where ADHD people are called "impulsive," creative people are praised for "spontaneity." What gets labeled as "distractibility" in ADHD is called "divergent thinking" in creative contexts. Many renowned innovators, from Thomas Edison to Richard Branson, have exhibited ADHD characteristics that contributed to their success. Creating environments that harness these strengths rather than suppress them is key to helping people with ADHD thrive. This might include more stimulating classrooms, nature-based experiences, opportunities for physical movement, or careers that involve novelty, change, and hands-on activity. For adults, fields like emergency medicine, entrepreneurship, creative arts, or sales often provide the variety and stimulation that ADHD brains crave. With the right environmental fit, what looks like disability in one context becomes a remarkable talent in another.

Chapter 4: Autism: Seeing the World Through Different Lenses

Autism represents a fundamental difference in how the brain processes information and relates to the world. While traditionally defined by difficulties in social interaction and communication alongside restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, emerging perspectives from neurodiversity advocates suggest we're missing something crucial about autism when we focus solely on deficits. Rather than viewing autism as a disorder to be cured, we might better understand it as a different cognitive style with both challenges and unique strengths. At the core of autism is a distinct relationship to systems versus social connections. Cambridge University psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen suggests that autistic individuals tend to be "systematizers" rather than "empathizers." Where typical minds naturally attune to social cues, emotions, and relationships, autistic minds excel at recognizing patterns, understanding mechanical systems, and processing detailed information. This isn't a defect but a different cognitive orientation. As Baron-Cohen notes, "The autistic brain is tuned to notice details that other brains miss... If there were no autism, we would have nobody to fix our computers, maintain our databases, or upgrade our technology." This systems orientation manifests in remarkable cognitive abilities. Autistic individuals often demonstrate exceptional memory for facts, heightened perception of details, and deep knowledge in specialized areas. They score higher than neurotypical people on tasks requiring visual search skills and pattern recognition. In the Embedded Figures Task, which involves locating specific shapes within complex designs, autistic individuals consistently outperform control groups. Some autistic people demonstrate extraordinary "savant" abilities in music, art, calculation, or memory. Even when not at savant levels, autistic people often possess what neuroscientist Laurent Mottron calls "enhanced perceptual functioning." Temple Grandin, perhaps the most famous autistic self-advocate, describes thinking entirely in pictures: "I think in pictures. Words are like a second language to me. I translate both spoken and written words into full-color movies." This visual thinking enables her remarkable work designing humane livestock handling facilities. When troubleshooting a problem at a pig processing plant where animals were refusing to move through a chute, Grandin got down on her hands and knees to see from the pigs' perspective. She noticed tiny reflections on the wet floor that were invisible to neurotypical observers but frightening to the animals. This attention to detail, combined with her visual thinking and systems understanding, makes her uniquely qualified for her work. From an evolutionary perspective, these autistic traits likely served important functions in human societies. Every community benefits from having members who notice small details, develop deep expertise in specific domains, and think outside conventional social patterns. In prehistoric times, individuals who could detect subtle patterns in nature, memorize complex geographical information, or focus intensely on crafting tools would contribute essential skills to their group. Even today, certain fields like computer programming, engineering, scientific research, and technical analysis benefit enormously from autistic cognitive styles. Creating supportive environments for autistic people involves recognizing their strengths while providing accommodations for challenges. This might include respecting special interests rather than dismissing them as obsessions, modifying sensory environments to reduce overload, providing clear communication without relying on subtle social cues, and finding career paths that capitalize on systematizing abilities. When autistic people find their appropriate niche—whether in technology, science, arts, or other fields—they often demonstrate remarkable abilities that benefit everyone.

Chapter 5: Dyslexia: Visual-Spatial Gifts in a Text-Based World

Dyslexia affects roughly 5-20% of all schoolchildren and is typically characterized by difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling despite average or above-average intelligence. Recent brain research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals that when dyslexic individuals attempt reading tasks, they show reduced activation in two specific areas in the left hemisphere of the brain: the "word-analysis area" that connects visual letters with sounds, and the "word-form area" that processes whole words quickly. These neurological differences make decoding text significantly more challenging. However, focusing exclusively on these reading difficulties obscures the remarkable strengths that often accompany dyslexia. The late Harvard neurologist Norman Geschwind observed: "We have all seen some dyslexic children who draw much better than controls...who have either superior visual-perception or visual-motor skills." This visual-spatial advantage isn't coincidental. Geschwind and colleague Albert Galaburda proposed that during prenatal development, certain hormonal conditions might slow left hemisphere development while enhancing right hemisphere growth, resulting in both language difficulties and enhanced visual-spatial abilities. These visual-spatial talents manifest in numerous ways. Many dyslexic individuals excel at three-dimensional thinking, mechanical reasoning, pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving. In experimental studies, individuals with dyslexia consistently outperform control groups in tasks requiring novel thinking and visual-spatial processing. One striking example comes from research by Catya von Károlyi and colleagues, who found that dyslexic subjects could recognize impossible three-dimensional figures (similar to M.C. Escher's paradoxical drawings) significantly faster than non-dyslexic individuals with the same level of accuracy. The connection between dyslexia and visual-spatial talent explains why art schools report disproportionately high numbers of dyslexic students. At Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design in London, an astonishing 75% of foundation-year students were assessed as having some form of dyslexia. Psychologist Beverly Steffert noted: "There seems to be a 'trade-off' between being able to see the world in this wonderfully vivid and three-dimensional way, and an inability to cope with the written word." Many renowned artists throughout history, including Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol, are believed to have been dyslexic. In today's increasingly visual and digital world, these dyslexic thinking skills may be more valuable than ever. Author Thomas G. West suggests that the rise of visual technologies and information presentation has created a new advantage for dyslexic thinkers. Whereas the text-based world that emerged after Gutenberg's printing press favored linear, sequential processing, today's multimedia environment rewards the very skills that dyslexic minds excel at. Bill Dreyer, a dyslexic scientist who helped develop protein-sequencing machines crucial to the human genome revolution, described his advantage: "I think in 3-D Technicolor pictures instead of words... It's like having computer-aided design in your brain." This visual-spatial advantage also explains why dyslexic individuals often excel as entrepreneurs. A study by Julie Logan at Cass Business School in London found that 35% of American entrepreneurs identified as dyslexic, compared to just 1% of corporate managers. Dyslexic business leaders like Charles Schwab, Richard Branson, and Craig McCaw credit their success partly to their ability to see the big picture, visualize future possibilities, and think outside conventional parameters. As McCaw noted about recognizing the potential of cellular phones when others dismissed them: "Maybe if your mind isn't cluttered with too much information, some things are obvious." While dyslexic individuals should certainly receive support for reading challenges—including appropriate educational interventions and assistive technologies—recognizing their visual-spatial gifts is equally important. When dyslexic people find career paths that leverage their strengths in areas like architecture, engineering, entrepreneurship, art, design, or scientific visualization, they often achieve remarkable success. Their different cognitive style isn't a defect but a different way of processing information that brings unique value to our collective human endeavors.

Chapter 6: Mood Disorders: Finding Creativity in Emotional Depths

Mood disorders encompass a spectrum of conditions affecting emotional regulation, from major depression on one end to bipolar disorder on the other. Like other neurological differences, mood exists along a continuum of functioning that includes both healthy and problematic expressions. Approximately 13% of Americans will experience major depressive disorder during their lifetime, while bipolar disorder affects 2-3% of the population. The neurobiological basis involves disruptions in the interaction between the limbic system (the emotional brain) and the frontal lobes (the thinking brain), along with imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Despite the genuine suffering that mood disorders cause—and they can indeed be devastating—there's compelling evidence that these conditions may sometimes represent "productive depression" rather than pure dysfunction. Psychoanalyst Emmy Gut distinguishes between "productive" and "unproductive" depression, noting that productive depression can lead to "useful learning or maturation...some behavior has been reorganized, some plan revised, so that following the depressed episode we function more effectively." This perspective echoes what many great thinkers and artists have discovered: periods of emotional darkness can sometimes precede breakthrough insights or creative renewal. The connection between mood disorders and creativity is well-documented. Psychologist Arnold Ludwig surveyed one thousand eminent individuals and found that 77% of poets, 54% of fiction writers, and 50% of visual artists had experienced at least one significant depressive episode—far higher rates than for the general population. Psychiatrist Nancy Andreasen discovered that 80% of writers at the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop had experienced mood disorders, compared with 30% for a control group. Bipolar disorder, with its alternating periods of depression and elevated mood, shows particularly strong associations with creative output. From an evolutionary perspective, there may be sound reasons why genes associated with mood disorders persist in the human gene pool despite their potential drawbacks. Evolutionary psychologists suggest that depression might have evolved as a response to goal frustration, serving as a mechanism to pause activity, conserve energy, and reconsider strategies when facing insurmountable obstacles. The rumination characteristic of depression—often seen as purely negative—might have helped our ancestors thoroughly analyze complex social problems and develop new approaches. Similarly, the energy and expansive thinking associated with manic episodes might have facilitated innovation, exploration, and leadership in certain contexts. Different cultures have strikingly different interpretations of what Western psychiatry calls depression. Anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker notes that among the Coast Salish Native Americans, "The way to deal with the depression, the Salish believe, is by transforming one's sadness into compassion for others. It doesn't get rid of the depression, but it does make the depressed individuals more useful members of their families and communities." Similarly, philosopher Thomas Moore writes that in medieval times, to be depressed was considered to be "in Saturn," and a melancholic constitution was associated with wisdom, depth, and the perspective that comes with age and experience. For those navigating mood disorders today, effective management often involves both adaptive approaches (including medication when appropriate) and finding environments that accommodate their unique emotional landscape. Many find that creative pursuits provide an essential outlet and purpose. Abraham Lincoln, who suffered from chronic depression, used sad songs and poems as vehicles for expressing grief. Tennessee Williams swam daily to manage his depression. Winston Churchill, who spoke of his lifelong depression as a "black dog," built brick walls and painted pictures. Creating meaning through art, writing, helping others, or engaging in contemplative practices can transform difficult emotional states into sources of insight and connection.

Chapter 7: Building an Inclusive Society for All Brain Types

Creating a truly neurodiverse society requires reimagining our fundamental assumptions about human capability, success, and difference. Rather than expecting everyone to adapt to a single standardized environment, we must develop flexible systems that accommodate different cognitive styles and harness the full range of human potential. This transformation needs to occur across all our institutions—from education and employment to healthcare and social services. Education represents perhaps the most critical frontier for neurodiversity. Traditional classrooms often serve "neurotypical" students well while unintentionally marginalizing those with different learning styles. Special education, while well-intentioned, has frequently created segregated environments that emphasize deficits rather than strengths. A truly neurodiverse approach to education would recognize that there is no "normal" student—every child has a unique learning profile with different strengths and challenges. The William W. Henderson Inclusion Elementary School in Dorchester, Massachusetts, exemplifies this approach. In this fully inclusive school, about one-third of students have various disabilities, yet all children learn together in the same classrooms. The school's philosophy emphasizes that every student can "get smarter, feel smarter, and act smarter" when provided appropriate supports. A rich curriculum allows all students to engage with complex material, though they might access it in different ways—some reading with their eyes, others with their ears through audio; some interpreting through drawing, others through discussion. The school has demonstrated that when expectations remain high while teaching methods remain flexible, all students benefit. Workplace environments are similarly ripe for neurodiversity-informed redesign. Danish software company Specialisterne ("The Specialists") exemplifies this approach by hiring primarily individuals with autism spectrum disorders for software testing roles. Founder Thorkil Sonne recognized that the characteristics often viewed as liabilities in typical workplaces—intense focus on details, preference for routine, and systematic thinking—actually make autistic employees exceptionally well-suited for certain technical roles. Rather than expecting employees to conform to neurotypical social norms, the company creates working environments that capitalize on autistic strengths while providing accommodations for challenges. Healthcare systems must also evolve beyond the purely deficit-focused medical model. While medications and therapeutic interventions play crucial roles in helping neurodiverse individuals manage challenges, equally important is recognizing strengths and developing personalized strategies for success. Neurologist Oliver Sacks pioneered this approach, writing extensively about how neurological differences often come with unexpected gifts: "Defects, disorders, diseases can play a paradoxical role, by bringing out latent powers, developments, evolutions, forms of life, that might never be seen, or even be imaginable, in their absence." As genetic technologies advance, ethical questions about neurodiversity become increasingly urgent. Prenatal screening already allows parents to detect certain conditions, including Down syndrome, resulting in termination rates exceeding 90% when detected early in pregnancy. Soon, genetic markers for ADHD, dyslexia, and autism might similarly be identifiable in utero. This raises profound questions about what kinds of minds we value as a society and what we might lose if we eliminated certain cognitive variations from the human gene pool. As Temple Grandin notes, "If the genes that caused these conditions were eliminated there might be a terrible price to pay...If science eliminated these genes, maybe the whole world would be taken over by accountants." The future of neurodiversity ultimately depends on cultural transformation—moving from a mindset that pathologizes difference to one that celebrates cognitive variation as essential to human innovation and adaptation. Just as we've come to value biodiversity in ecosystems and cultural diversity in societies, we must learn to appreciate the rich tapestry of human minds and the unique contributions that different brain types bring to our collective human experience.

Summary

Throughout human history, our approach to neurological differences has reflected broader cultural attitudes toward diversity itself. When we frame conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and mood disorders solely as problems to be fixed, we miss the remarkable gifts that often accompany these different ways of experiencing the world. The concept of neurodiversity challenges us to recognize that human brains, like ecosystems, thrive because of variation, not in spite of it. The focused pattern recognition of autism, the creative energy of ADHD, the visual-spatial brilliance of dyslexia, and the emotional depth of mood disorders all represent valuable cognitive styles that have contributed significantly to human innovation, art, and understanding. The emerging science of the brain increasingly supports this perspective. What we once viewed as disorders are increasingly understood as complex variations in neurological development that include both challenges and strengths. Creating truly inclusive environments—whether in schools, workplaces, or communities—requires moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches to develop flexible systems that accommodate different cognitive styles. When neurodiverse individuals find environments that match their unique brain wiring, what looks like disability in one context becomes remarkable talent in another. As we face increasingly complex global challenges, the diverse perspectives and cognitive styles represented across the full spectrum of human neurodiversity may prove essential to our collective flourishing and survival. Rather than pursuing neurological uniformity, we might better invest in creating a world where different kinds of minds can find their niche and contribute their unique gifts.

About Author

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Thomas Armstrong

I am the author of 20 books, including my latest book Childless. This is my debut novel. It's about a childless child psychologist who tries to foil a government plot to identify childhood as a medical disorder and then to eliminate it from the human genome in America. It's available at: https://amzn.to/3dBP0IY. I've been working on this book for thirty-two years (honest!), so it feels more than great to have it finally reach you, the reader! I'd love to hear what you think of the book and to get your review on Goodreads!My other books include: The Myth of the ADHD Child, The Power of Neurodiversity, 7 Kinds of Smart, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, and The Power of the Adolescent Brain. I've also written for Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and the AMA Journal of Ethics.I see myself as a reader as much as, or even more than, a writer. Some of the books which I've enjoyed recently include Joseph and His Sons by Thomas Mann, The Story of the Stone/Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin, the complete Arabian Nights (3 volumes), translated by Malcolm C. Lyons, The Studs Lonigan Trilogy by James T. Farrell, and From Here to Eternity by James Jones.Beyond literature and writing, my hobbies and pursuits include improvising on the piano, doing mindfulness meditation, watching great movies on The Criterion Channel, doing yoga, and cooking Mediterranean cuisine. My next project will be a historical novel about a Buddhist monk who gets kicked out of his sangha in 9th century (C.E.) Bactria (Central Asia), and then gets picked up by a Viking longship in the Caspian Sea and spirited away to Iceland. It's going to be called Buddhamitra's Saga. I've loved both the nature and the culture in Iceland, including those great medieval sagas. I decided that this novel belongs in a new genre that I'd call screwball historical narrative (it's a hysterical narrative). Married for twenty-five years, and now divorced, I live in a cute Victorian style home on a hill in Sonoma County, California with my dog Daisy.

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