Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
A little cheer goes up from the pond!
Stella
*Delights on behold*
Bravo!
Joe we're all very proud of you here!
Stella
I am amused to see that the computer analogy i cooked up a fewq days ago on some thread somewhere is hinted at here, that an autistic brain can be explained through a computer analogy or somethiong like that...
this betterhumans place sounds neat. reading an article like this just warms the cockles of my heart.
Revenge of the Nerds
Once outcasts, some autistics now see their condition as a cognitive gift and even the next stage in human evolution—at the dawn of the transhuman age, who's to say they're wrong?
RDOS that's who. He says we are descendants of neanderthals and thowbacks to the ice age, not the next step in human evolution.
Revenge of the Nerds
Once outcasts, some autistics now see their condition as a cognitive gift and even the next stage in human evolution—at the dawn of the transhuman age, who's to say they're wrong?
RDOS that's who. He says we are descendants of neanderthals and thowbacks to the ice age, not the next step in human evolution.
Actually, his theory doesn't say that at all. His theory was that Homo Sapiens in Europe began to partially co-habitate, and interbreed with Neanderthals (Explaining the sudden emergance of farming, technology and behaviours previously only used by the neanderthals) within the homo sapien population. Those hybrids then bred back into the homo sapiens population, giving positive genetic gains.
His theory was that Aspergers have a higher degree of Neanderthal genetics (and behavioural traits), which is actually a nice, not negative theory since it's now believed Neanderthals were probably more advanced than the homo sapiens, but less socially orientated.
I know when the article was posted though a lot of people got uppity saying "Aspies arn't neanderthals!" - but the misconception of "neanderthals = low brow thickos" is basiclly as messed up as the "autistics = retards" theory we ourselves hate so much.
Actually, his theory doesn't say that at all. His theory was that Homo Sapiens in Europe began to partially co-habitate, and interbreed with Neanderthals (Explaining the sudden emergance of farming, technology and behaviours previously only used by the neanderthals) within the homo sapien population. Those hybrids then bred back into the homo sapiens population, giving positive genetic gains.
His theory was that Aspergers have a higher degree of Neanderthal genetics (and behavioural traits), which is actually a nice, not negative theory since it's now believed Neanderthals were probably more advanced than the homo sapiens, but less socially orientated.
I know when the article was posted though a lot of people got uppity saying "Aspies arn't neanderthals!" - but the misconception of "neanderthals = low brow thickos" is basiclly as messed up as the "autistics = retards" theory we ourselves hate so much.
How is that different from what I said. RDOS thinks we are descendants of neanderthals and not the next step in human evolution. He said that himself right here.
This reminds me so much of the X-Men films and the so-called debate as to whether Mutants are the next step in evolution. Has anyone seen the plot outlines given for the third film, by the way? I won't spoil it for anyone, but I expect that with a director like Brett Ratner, the series will go from being loved by Aspies like me to being utterly offensive.
Anyway, it is a common misconception that evolution means forward movement. It simply means change, simple as that. In an environment where waters constantly freeze, one species of fish might evolve to be capable of storing heat while another might evolve to swim faster to warmer climes. Both are examples of evolution, although one will not be as successful as the other. You can also see a case for example of evolution in certain kinds of mental illness. I have seen one man on TV who stated he has schizophrenia, and lost his leg one day when he went off his medication before deciding to lie down on the railroad tracks. (The interview was a greatly-timed backhanded slap to Scientology, but that's not the point here.) Axl Rose, arguably the most famous man to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has managed to alienate every other musician he has come into contact with. Even when they are so heavily addicted that normally hanging out with him would garantee a supply of high-quality dope and thus negate any issues they have with his personality. One could easily argue that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are examples of evolution in the human brain. But as is said during Resident Evil: Apocalypse (a terrible film, by the way), evolution has its dead ends.
I just looked again, and "neurodiversity" is now up to 70,000 entries in Google.
I think we've hit critical mass! :grin:
Poor Lili, having to put up with all that. It's marvellous you do as well as you do, under such unfavourable circumstances.
Wow, Google is up to 133,000 entries for neurodiversity!
:groupjump:
I think it's a great word, too, and it has come to be associated with Kathleen Seidel in the public's view, instead of that other person who does not deserve to be mentioned.
As for what is causing the increase... thanks for the compliment, and yes, that was one of the things that started the ball rolling, but to be fair, I'm certainly not the only person whose efforts have led to greater visibility of pro-neurodiversity sites. Many of us have been writing busily, creating new sites, linking them, and so forth. And the more new sites are created, the more it inspires people to get involved, or at least to discuss and/or link to our sites.
Kevin Leitch deserves a lot of the credit for the recent increase. Autism Hub was a brilliant idea.
What you are describing sounds an awful lot to me like a suburb of Sydney. There are things one can take for granted in Sydney (being able to get to work by public transport for instance) that are regarded as arbitrary in the Fraser Coast.
The worst thing is when Australian normies tell you that the present arrangement works for them, therefore it needs no improvement. Its at times like that I wish Australia had American-style gun control.
Um, I like living here...?...
Alison (ducks back down into the trench)