Aspies For Freedom

Our entire culture is dying, Gareth. It's not just one aspect. Art went from formal European designs where man was always the subject, as in a Napoleonic battle scene, to the art of the impressionists in which light and shadow interplay, with both man and nature as the focal points. Then came the deco era with both some realists such as Rockwell and some fantasy painters like my favourite, Maxfield Parrish.

I don't claim to be an expert in all areas of art, nor do I wish to cut down anyone's particular art. However, it seems as though the structure of art deteriorated along with the music and other aspects of culture.

Now and again an unknown musical composer for a major motion picture will break the trend, or, in art, someone like Whalen comes along and the people are amazed and flock to his highly commercialized galleries.

Yes, I agree with this.

It really bothers me when after I explain AS to someone they go "oh....so its just a lesser form of Autism right? You don't really have it but its just like a lesser form?" That really irritates me and brings me back to the iPod analogy. An iPod nano, video and shuffle are all iPods and differ in price, features and size, but they are all iPods. Just like how every single autism on that spectrum is autism. It bugs me when people play it down like that.

I don't know that art is the answer.  I think the problem with representation of autistics in language is the medicalization that pervades our language.  Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Asperger Syndrome.  Pervasive Developmental Disorder.  Treatment.  Therapy.  Intervention.   Even people who do not actually agree with the pathologization of autism still use these terms.  If we stop using medicalized language to describe autism, maybe people will not have such medicalized connotations of autistics.  

I don't think differentiation based on "functioning" is useful, because such differentiation is not used for non-autistics.  A gifted or highly talented non-autistic person is not referred to as a "high-functioning neurotypical," nor is a non-autistic person with some kind of disability or impairment referred to as "low-functioning."  Don't these terms imply that no matter what, autistic can only ever be second best?  "High-functioning autistic" really means "high-functioning for an autistic," as if the default position for an autistic is substandard, less-than.  There are some areas in which autistics are or can be disabled (like social settings), but there are also areas in which we excel.  Autistics who are good at things autistics are not usually good at are called "high-functioning," but non-autistics who are good at things at which autistics are usually better aren't called "high-functioning neurotypicals."

I have found that the mistaking of Asperger as mental retardation by lay people is easier at younger ages, until maybe high school, especially during special education.  People with mental retardation do go to high school.

But in college and certainly graduate school it stops being plausable.

I guess that is when they just call you odd instead.

Language is very powerful, it's true. There is a huge difference between using the phrase "boots on the ground" and "My Uncle Bob's platoon from Iowa". It's just easier to dehumanize the former for one's political goals. Sorry to use that analogy, but that's all that came to me this morning.

I don't think you should despair. I grew up during the early years of the woman's movement and I no longer hear "woman judge" and think of it as anything inferior. I suppose there are still people (men and woman alike- look at Hilary Clinton's campaign for president at the moment) who think "woman judge" and think it's a second-class version of the male variety, but I think it's probably all generational at this point. Some pundits have said to be elected Hilary will have to do EVERYTHING right- talk about pressure!  But attitudes are changing all the time- about gays, about May/December marriages (now ok for older women), about this, about that.

The 20-21st Century is all about breaking down barriers in order to grow spiritually. We are entering an INTENSELY spiritual age, fortunately, though the birth pains are pretty horrible at times (Iraq, the disappearing middle class, minorities' rights, recognizing the worth of ALL people and even animals, the collapse (finally!) of sexual, racial, age-related discrimination, I could go on and on). So we are in the forefront. It helps to remember this, to recognize this. Most have no idea of their importance socially, globally even.

Great suffering leads to great understanding.

So get out there and proclaim "Autism: Something to be understood, not cured!" I just got $16 worth of buttons, magnets, and small bumper stickers from cafepress.com which I am placing here and there, most notably on our fridge door so DD will be inspired. I also like the one aimed at Aspies with the caption: "Autism: Would you recognize it if you saw it?" surrounded by images of Einstein, Mozart, Emily Dickinson, etc.

Also, I am personally spreading the word that there is now another apparent major duality/reality out there other than right/wrong; left/right; black/white; male/female and it's NT/AUTISTIC SPECTRUM!!!!! After my daughter was diagnosed I suddenly understood many people I had grown up with that I thought were just "off", or cold, or snotty because they weren't particularly good at socializing. And with understanding comes love.

Do you see the revolution? It may become OK not to be social finally! People might learn NOT to take it personally or feel threatened by it. What a concept!

But, you're right, someone, some group, WE in this community need to grab hold of the terminology and try to control it/spin it to our benefit.

Maybe groups like yours (Aspies for Freedom) could hire a pr firm even to place ads, public service announcements, you name it in major periodicals, on tv even. The physically disabled have been doing it for years to get employers to hire them.

The West, and Americans in particular, are so used to instant gratification and instinct "cures" that they think all that is needed is some magical pill or diet or therapy and autism will be a thing of the past. But if enough people start seeing its usefulness(attention to detail, bulldog obsessions that lead to new discoveries/insights, the inherent dignity and worth of ALL individuals whether they are seemingly productive or not) they will stop clamoring for a cure. The profoundly autistic give the NT an opportunity to SERVE, for God's sake, and isn't that why we are here?! That's also why all this talk about genetic manipulation makes me very, very nervous.

Most people can't see the inherent worth in anyone, much less the autistic. And most people also seem to be happiest when able to separate themselves from the rest of the human race by a variety of ways- socially, politically, sexually, you name it. At first I thought the internet might finally bring us together, but it seems to just keep fragmenting us into smaller and smaller special interest groups.

Sometimes I want to take out a PSA urging people to stop thinking of themselves as primarily male or female, or black or white, or Hispanic or British, or whatever and just try to see themselves in everything and everyone, especially God. It's a bit of a mental trick, but can be done. I, myself, am working on this as I feel it is my next major spiritual goal- to see God in everyone and everything and to love them accordingly. I doubt I accomplish it this lifetime, though.

Re the above- I am thoroughly NT, but secretly don't like people so have my work cut out for me!

A shrink once gave me permission not to like people in the aggregate as long as my OWN interpersonal relationships were good, which they are.

I've posted this before, but here goes again: Maybe if Aspies work  harder than the norm the workplace will notice their gifts and they will be sought out finally. That's if they can manuever the workplace to begin with and that's a tall order I know even for an NT.  Afterall, blacks and women have had to do this for years** to get the white man's attention. It's not pleasant having to work harder but sometimes that's what it takes. I drew the line at long hours, however. By 5:05 I am OUT the door!

I see all the above in one local professional who is clearly autistic, perhaps an Aspie. I hear rumors/asides all the time about him (about how odd and cold he seems; very few people skills) but he has become prominent in his field because he is so good at what he does. He even gives lots of public speeches/presentations. But he won't admit (if he even knows) he's AS. Instead he has told people that he suffered brain damage as the result of a stroke which may be true, but it is clearly a cover in my mind.

**I have been discriminated against because I was pregnant, because I was a woman (couldn't be a bldg. inspector because I might get cursed at! God forbid!), because I was a Southerner working in a Michigan office, even because I was too capable - often. I had a manager once who played divide and conquer with the staff so people wouldn't report him for running a business on the side on the company's dime!

I did like the commercial last night on NBC, to the effect of what do you mean my autistic child is broken, I love my child.