Temple Grandin, the renowned animal scientist and autism advocate, has a striking claim: “Einstein didn’t talk until he was three. He probably would be in an autism program today.” For Grandin, the modern tendency to diagnose and categorize every variation of human cognition is not just problematic—it’s a tragic waste of human potential.
Grandin describes herself as an "object visualizer"—someone who thinks in vivid images rather than words. “Everything I think about is a picture,” she explains. This ability helped her revolutionize livestock handling, but it also made her realize how different minds process information.
Science supports her insights. There are three primary ways people think:
- Object visualizers—great at mechanics, design, and art.
- Pattern thinkers—mathematicians and programmers who see sequences and numbers.
- Verbal thinkers—strong in writing, teaching, and law.
The problem? Modern education overwhelmingly favors verbal thinkers, sidelining brilliant minds who could thrive in other fields. Grandin fears that society is stifling neurodivergent individuals. “That kid who should be fixing elevators or inventing mechanical devices is playing video games in the basement instead of working for your company.”
She blames overprotective parenting and rigid schooling, which prevent children from engaging in hands-on learning. “When I was a kid, I spent hours tinkering—building things, making mistakes, and fixing them. Kids today aren’t getting that.” Her solution: bring back shop class, restore hands-on education, and rethink how we evaluate intelligence.
Grandin also sees flaws in hiring practices. The traditional job interview, she argues, excludes many brilliant neurodivergent minds. “If you want to successfully hire people with autism, dyslexia, or ADHD, get rid of the conventional interview. Let them show their work.”
She herself found success through "back doors"—alternative pathways that let her prove her abilities outside traditional hiring norms. “We need to make sure we leave those back doors open.”
Grandin’s message is clear: we must stop labeling differences as deficits and start valuing diverse ways of thinking. “We need all kinds of minds,” she insists. “And if we don’t start recognizing that, we’re going to lose some of our greatest innovators.”
See the interview on Big Think