Fidget Spinners pt. 2

Last week we went in depth into the parts and materials of fidget spinners. So what are these seemingly pointless things for? Read more to find out.




These fidget spinners actually have a fairly simple concept. They are just meant to do as their name suggests and fidget with it and spin it. Why? Well, many people find just fidgeting with something while working to be very relaxing. The explanation behind why goes somewhat deep into the human consciousness and even into the ancestral paranoia of our history.

Humans, like all animals, were once (and sometimes still are) a survivalist species that thrived on hard work and effort, searching for food, water, shelter, and foes. This caused us to evolve to always be aware of our surroundings. Still today, we use three of our senses more than the others: sight, sound, and touch. In the past, our ancestors would use one of them to stay aware of their surroundings while doing a task to prevent an unexpected event or attack. This has carried over into today's world as Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD and ADHD). These days, most people subconsciously need to have all three of these senses being active. This is most likely a symptom of our ancestors' need pay close attention to their surroundings. Everyone displays some aspect of this trait, such as listening to music while driving or studying, tapping a pencil while writing something, etc.

However, just because you tap your pencil doesn't mean you have ADHD or ADD. These two disorders are essentially an exaggerated version of the innate want to be occupied or attentive. That's where these fidget toys and spinners come in to the picture. People with ADHD, ADD, anxiety, a short attention span, or even just those who are easily entertained are likely to benefit from these items. People will simply fidget with the spinner to curb the need to be more occupied than they currently are. Many people find it relaxing to spin one of these toys when they are walking down the street, listening to a lecture, watching television or videos, or just listening to music.

So what do you think? Are you going to go buy a spinner? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to follow to stay up to date on the latest science and technology news.