Re: Autism
Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:24 pm
Well, that's pretty much true for everybody.undefineable wrote: What I'm trying to say is that while I and maybe you can see potential problems beyond just the practicalities of daily living arising for people of certain temperaments as a result of autism, the pattern you'll find across the board is that the more an autistic screens himself from the implications of his condition by positive thinking and so on, the more success he allows himself in life, the more he thereby contributes to the good of society, and -in return for the mental discipline I described- THE MORE OTHERS TAKE TO HIM.
I think that highlighting the differences, historically, is what lead to things like institutionalization. My son is "normal". He likes to play Nintendo, he wants to be a cook. He likes eating at McDonalds. He enjoys being around other kids his own age. These are all "normal" things. But he also has things that impair his social development and make the things he wants to do, such as ordering a meal for himself at McDonalds (a skill that has taken about 3 years to accomplish, and still not fully) extremely difficult if not impossible.undefineable wrote: Interestingly enough, I've not heard of any autistics, successful or not, trying to minimise the differences between autistics and normals in the way you've been
We could just have let him sit in the corner his whole life and spin things, and I guess if an "autistic" wants to do that, okay. But we are more focused on the "normal" kid inside, who is faced with so many difficult challenges. I think that, sometimes, people with aspergers or something where they might have some sensory issues, may not realize that what is extremely challenging for them may be nearly impossible for somebody else. My son is very smart, but how far would he get in a regular college if he won't go through doors he has never seen before? How many online tests will he pass if he can't bring himself to type the letter "R"? So, even though what causes autism in one person does not result in a disability, the same thing can cause a disability in somebody else.
So, that is probably why we and so many other parents focus on the "normal' part, even though we accept the reality of the 'autistic' part. it is also why so many people reject the concept of separate "autistic" humans.
And again, I do appreciate your insight into this stuff.