There is a theory that maybe ADHD is an evolutionary adaptation. Being distracted by small things could be quite useful for a hunter, because they're more likely to notice wild animals. As far as I know though, this is just a theory.
>so who cares if a person can’t help but chase butterflies the rest of the time?
Because chasing butterflies is not useful. A person whose interests change all the time is unlikely to become very good at a specific skill or even if they do become good at it, they won't use it to its full extent, because they will be off chasing butterflies.
That also doesn't solve the non-economic problems such as relationships. A person with ADHD is less likely to keep their relationships healthy.
>so who cares if a person can’t help but chase butterflies the rest of the time?
Because chasing butterflies is not useful. A person whose interests change all the time is unlikely to become very good at a specific skill or even if they do become good at it, they won't use it to its full extent, because they will be off chasing butterflies.
That also doesn't solve the non-economic problems such as relationships. A person with ADHD is less likely to keep their relationships healthy.