01-18-2007, 03:01 AM
01-18-2007, 01:08 PM
I appreciate this link. I have come to understand my son and realize that his earlier difficulties were because of nueroligical differences. Violent resistance to getting his hair cut. Coordination problems. Learning differences. Even though we had him tested by several psychologists, physcians, educators, etc, we were never steered toward aspergers until a new occupational therapists, naturalist talked with me about it. I had no idea what it meant. A mother at a pre-school identified his sensory problems. The doctor did not. So it has been a learn as we go process of understanding. Anyway. I am encouraged by your postings. One question (for now). My son knows that he is different. He wants to be liked, but I can see him pulling away from kids because of years of rejection. I talked to him about a diagnosis of dyslexia and he reacted so negatively and does not want to accept that he was any different than the other kids in his class. He is 10, sweet, funny (at home), original, artistic but is bullied, will not fight back, afraid. I want to do what is best for him, not us. When were you told? How were you told? How did you accept yourself "as is" and begin loving yourself for being who you are and what you have to offer this world.
01-18-2007, 08:26 PM
ranger2736 Wrote:
The seam in the bottom of our socks is very bothersome. (I'll bet the princess in the "Princess and the Pea" fable was an Aspie.)
lol, the seam in the sock, I swear to god that drives me crazy when I just throw on my socks in a hurry. All day I'm twiddling my toes trying to get it in the right position.
03-07-2008, 08:06 AM
Metalted Wrote:
funny i dont have food allergies, atleast that i know of.
1.. all of us are different and all of these lists are absolutly pointless
1.. all of us are different and all of these lists are absolutly pointless
I find myself thinking that really this is the best point in the thread. I don't fit the criteria for a lot of these "we are like this/like that" lists.
03-07-2008, 08:08 AM
IAintRainMan Wrote:
I'm not stupid. I'm not *** or idiotic. I have an IQ in excess fo 140 and an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire history of the world. I have better grades than most of you guys and the reason you're not getting to college for free is because guys like me keep on raising the curve on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. So for the last time, stop offering to help me.
You're disregarding the Aspies that are very poor in school, though. As if you think Aspies are "naturally better" in academics than NTs are. If people like me are proof, that's just another annoying stereotype.
03-08-2008, 08:13 AM
Ethel Wrote:
Don't worry Batman - I was good at churning out good grades, too, but it didn't actually count for much once I was out in the real world. It's sheer ***-mindedness that's got me through since I left uni.
**NOTE: the below is NOT aimed at anyone on this forum. It sounds a lot angrier than I intended and I can't figure out how to word it any better. It's not anyone here who's made me angry, it's my life and all the ruddy nonsense going on in it right now. Please do not be offended. Ta**
What I'd like NTs to know is actually the same thing certain elements of the Aspie movement need to get their head around: no one (individual or group) is better or worse than any other. Aspies are not better or worse in any way because we're Aspies.
Carrying on like every Aspie is a potential Einstein is no different from treating Aspies as "Indigo children" or for that matter saying autistics have no emotions - all those things are just ways of forcing people into some stereotype regardless of how poorly it fits. Saying Aspies are intrinsically superior because of this 'genius' myth is monumentally unfair to the millions of Aspies who will never achieve any sort of greatness. Does that mean they're less worthy somehow?
Ballocks it does. Because no one's worth any more or any less than anyone else.
I'm sorry, this is a button-pushing issue for me - it makes me really angry when people expect things from me which I cannot deliver. See, I am NOT your genius. I am NOT your next step in evolution. I am NOT your indigo child. I am NOT any of your myths or stereotypes. I'm just me, and I'm ordinary. Maybe not normal, but ordinary.
**NOTE: the below is NOT aimed at anyone on this forum. It sounds a lot angrier than I intended and I can't figure out how to word it any better. It's not anyone here who's made me angry, it's my life and all the ruddy nonsense going on in it right now. Please do not be offended. Ta**
What I'd like NTs to know is actually the same thing certain elements of the Aspie movement need to get their head around: no one (individual or group) is better or worse than any other. Aspies are not better or worse in any way because we're Aspies.
Carrying on like every Aspie is a potential Einstein is no different from treating Aspies as "Indigo children" or for that matter saying autistics have no emotions - all those things are just ways of forcing people into some stereotype regardless of how poorly it fits. Saying Aspies are intrinsically superior because of this 'genius' myth is monumentally unfair to the millions of Aspies who will never achieve any sort of greatness. Does that mean they're less worthy somehow?
Ballocks it does. Because no one's worth any more or any less than anyone else.
I'm sorry, this is a button-pushing issue for me - it makes me really angry when people expect things from me which I cannot deliver. See, I am NOT your genius. I am NOT your next step in evolution. I am NOT your indigo child. I am NOT any of your myths or stereotypes. I'm just me, and I'm ordinary. Maybe not normal, but ordinary.
Brilliantly said, Ethel. This is exactly the point I've been trying to get across on AFF for millenia (ever since I came), and I'm still not sure anyone is listening. But it always helps to have others who agree.
03-08-2008, 08:17 AM
GuessWho Wrote:
Don't give up so easy.
AS stands for All Stars.
Always Shining.
They're not doing what the school system thinks they are supposed to be doing, they are pushing the envelope, they are years ahead of grade level, they are doing special projects, building internal combustion engines, for example.
They have a school within a school, they are seldom within shouting distance of a learning challenged bully struggling to stay on grade level, let alone close enough to be punched. Escorted by adults in groups of kids. Other kids also know the achievements they have (kind of like Olympics of the Mind we had in high school maybe when OM was new craze)
AS stands for All Stars.
Always Shining.
They're not doing what the school system thinks they are supposed to be doing, they are pushing the envelope, they are years ahead of grade level, they are doing special projects, building internal combustion engines, for example.
They have a school within a school, they are seldom within shouting distance of a learning challenged bully struggling to stay on grade level, let alone close enough to be punched. Escorted by adults in groups of kids. Other kids also know the achievements they have (kind of like Olympics of the Mind we had in high school maybe when OM was new craze)
Just more crap from guess-who-I'm-talking-about-when-I-say-Aspiecentric-elitism-is-ruinous...
03-08-2008, 08:21 AM
skyblue1 Wrote:
whether you are aspie or nt , life is what life is , noone`s is better or worse , it just is
I'm afraid there's a lot people that don't really agree on this. And some of them might be on this forum, unfortunately.
03-10-2008, 06:23 AM
Ethel Wrote:
Quote:
people should be free in this thread to express their individual thoughts without fear of critisism or being told their ideas are crap.
I take this to mean that I should shut up and allow the Aspie Supremacists to spout their nonsense without challenge or question.
That barb was directed at me (my comment on GuessWho's post), as well. No matter though: The person who said it should have been banned by now for stalking-by-proxy. Pay no mind...
03-10-2008, 06:44 AM
EvilZakkie Wrote:
Ethel Wrote:
Sorry Zakkie (and everyone else too!) - I was still on page seven when I posted #112, and I didn't realise there was another page to go, and the discussion had moved on somewhat!
This thread's been great. Really, really valuable. And no, I'm not being sarcastic, I mean it. It's gone from being "what do Aspies as a group want to tell NTs as a group" to "what Aspies agree on as a group anyway" - and we've found some pretty big rifts. That's important, because we have to have these discussions and arguments between ourselves to sort out what we DO stand for, before we march out en masse, banners aloft and heads high, campaigning for, um... whatever it is we agree eventually we're campaigning for.
This thread's been great. Really, really valuable. And no, I'm not being sarcastic, I mean it. It's gone from being "what do Aspies as a group want to tell NTs as a group" to "what Aspies agree on as a group anyway" - and we've found some pretty big rifts. That's important, because we have to have these discussions and arguments between ourselves to sort out what we DO stand for, before we march out en masse, banners aloft and heads high, campaigning for, um... whatever it is we agree eventually we're campaigning for.
*grins* No probs - it's the problem with these threaded discussions...
That being said, I think the above is a big enough question to warrent its own thread - especially since this one is going to be used as an info source for a magazine article.
I've started one here: http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthre...?tid=12314
I'm also quite elated with the direction this thread is now moving in (at least up to this page--there's one more I haven't yet read...).
Indeed, one of my greatest problems with belonging to the AS community is I have trouble feeling I belong, when there's a lot of AS people still perpetuating stereotypes about intelligence, academics, and "cognitive superpowers." The more this goes on, the tougher it will be for "ungifted Aspies" to embrace their AS identity, or even be taken seriously. Not to mention, it seems the majority of NTs are still subscribing to this stereotype that Aspies have "enhanced intelligence" and should be good at school.
So then, with that logic, those of us not good at school--are we not AS? Not trying? People on the spectrum should be held on an even keel; an Aspie with pseudo-savantism should not be thought of us "better" than an Aspie who can barely pass in grade-level, unweighted classes.
03-10-2008, 06:51 AM
EvilZakkie Wrote:
Ah, I see - that makes more sense. I was intervening on Ethels behalf, but you're correct that Batmans post was out of line.
It was out of line, but I felt the point behind it... that this Aspiecentric stuff is ruinous for those who don't fit certain stereotypes... I feel has merit.
I suppose GuessWho's "righteousness" arises from a lot of bullying and I guess that justifies it, but still, I feel it was my right to say that this Aspiecentric stuff--no matter who is saying it, or what perspective they come from--is just not that great. We should be making the spectrum more inclusive, and not less. A way to do this is to combat some of the stereotypes.
Do you at least agree with that?
03-11-2008, 06:36 AM
MomofHrick Wrote:
One thing you seem to be saying here is Do NOT assume, that just because I am AS it means I have some unique talent or hyperability. Sometimes it just means having to struggle harder at things, a lot of things. In which case we should at very least give you credit for the struggle.
I admit to not having the best attitude about this very point... as in: I don't quite believe that I should have to struggle "more than the next Aspie who DOES have hyperabilities" because of my lack of them.
My idea right now is to find something I'm good at and like to do, and maximize that, and avoid the rest of the crap I'm really no good at. Make my struggle about improving my strengths, not about "fixing my great deficits."
03-11-2008, 06:40 AM
GuessWho Wrote:
I was shocked in school: what? People find this algebra stuff difficult?
*throws hands up, gets up, and runs away screaming from this thread, never to return for all time*
03-12-2008, 06:12 AM
Connections in any area of Math might make sense, but they don't naturally come to me (like they do for some of you.) If you're Aspie and you can't fathom how someone would have trouble in "symmetrical Math" (or non-symmetrical, for that matter), I'm always here to help you understand--I'm better qualified than most to explain that a lot of Aspies are poor in Math. GuessWho is still learning from me, to be honest.
03-13-2008, 06:26 AM
GuessWho Wrote:
Yes, sorry Batman. It seems I was misled by WIRED magazine that Asperger is correlated with those "math and science genes" (you know, algebra), or to put in a Marsh way, chemistry uncle and math teacher uncle.
I have a chemist father and a scientist uncle on my father's side, but that sure as hell didn't help me... and I'm stuck asking "why me.." .. with all the learning difficulties and whatnot.