Heh, maybe I should start watching this guy's show..
He's got a point, although I could have sworn that Jack built a house and another climbed a beanstalk :?
I've read that article twice now and I still can't see where it says autistics. :?
I thought he was having a dig at religious people being brainwashed from childhood and whilst I don't agree with him fully I think he has a point.
If anything he said that religious people have a brain disorder that stops them from thinking, not that all people with brain disorders don't think. He might well have said phobia to get the same point across.
Honestly, I don't see how his comments are especially offensive. They actually seem to be relatively accurate, as far as I'm concerned.
I agree with that
I prefer dogs. Dogs are honest and caring animals. I never liked cats.
Also the strain of trying to stop your own natural behaviours is a lot of pressure, and those that NTs must be somehow detecting, yet I don't see, are impossible to change or inhibit.
I have had a lot of "faults" pointed out to me (we had a thread where we wrote some of the negative comments that we get), but there must be subtle things aswell, that maybe even NTs can't define, but nevertheless they are detecting.
The anticpation of these things makes social situations more stressful, and unpleasurable in every way.
"This is why I stated that it is morally imperative to politely notify others when you observe them exhibiting especially abnormal behaviors. It is extraordinarily difficult for a person to become self-aware without such notification."
Jay, without any offense to you, you may be somewhat naive in stating this.
I see many abnormal behaviours in NTs, blatant lies from door-to-door salesman, guilt tripping charity collectors trying to pressurize, jehovah's witnesses traipsing from house to house, and pestering people.
I have learned from harsh experience that people DO NOT like having abnormal behaviours pointed out to them at all.
They can react very badly, and nastily, I often see things that I wish I could inform and cause a change, but I am too nervous now, which is better for me.
For instance, people who walk around with a swear word on a t-shirt, one woman did this while taking her child to school, and my daughter saw it too, I was angry and wanted to tell her that it was disgusting and wrong, and what on earth was she thinking. But I know now that people don't want to hear anything like that, and don't care what others feel in the first place. She did this on numerous occasions. Obviously no-one else complained as she did it over months.
Thats just one example.
kittymom, so do you think that it is the cultural differences that people can be reacting against with racism, that could aslo be the case for reactions against autism, part of our being a social minority is that we do have our own culture too.
Have a look in general at the thread at the top if you haven't read about our efforts to be recognized as a social minority group yet.
That Harvard big-wig who made the stupid comments about women and science and sex and brains deserved a mountain of criticism, because he overlooked the obvious fact that there are lots of men who are not your typical male, and probably have a female-type brain, and there are lots of women who are not your typical female, who probably have a male-type brain, or even an extreme male brain type. Thinking in stereotypes is unforgivably lazy thinking.
Jay said
Frankly, I don't feel as if I'm presently being discriminated against based upon my neurological condition.
That is probably why you don't feel strongly about the social minority aim.
In the UK only 10% of aspies have full time employment, and many of those jobs are of a very basic low paid manual type work In other words, jobs that are unpopular and have little competition.
I don't see that being recognised as, not being made, a social minority would be to give an unfair advantage to anyone.
I also believe that my opinions may be of some intellectual value to members of this forum. If the administrators of the forum wish for me to discontinue posting based upon my beliefs, I will.
You are very welcome here to post your views.
First is why would you post that it is "virtually impossible" to change the behavior of humans for the benefit of society also stating that "legislation without harsh punishment would be largely ineffective" in a forum that is titled Aspies For Freedom? The main goal of AFF is Fighting for the Rights of Autistics against the abusive treatment of All Autistics and bringing about legislation so that autistics can be considered a minority group. Is this a goal you do not see as possible or as beneficial to society?
I do not agree with implementing this legislation and do not wish to be considered a member of a formal minority group. I do believe that people with Asperger's Syndrome should have the same rights that other members of society do. However, I do not condone special treatment for people with Asperger's Syndrome, as this is merely a covert form of discrimination. Frankly, I don't feel as if I'm presently being discriminated against based upon my neurological condition.
I post on these forums for the same reason that I participate in the online Asperger's Syndrome community in general. I feel that I am more likely to have things in common with others who have Asperger's Syndrome than I am to have them with the general population, so I dedicate a certain amount of time attempting to make connections with them. As my social life outside of these online communities is essentially nonexistent, this is probably a good thing.
I also believe that my opinions may be of some intellectual value to members of this forum. If the administrators of the forum wish for me to discontinue posting based upon my beliefs, I will.
Secondly, why would you bring up Big Brother already having his nose where it doesn't belong when talking about changing the way society behaves when you work for the Department of Defense? The US Government, Dept. of Justice and Dept. of Defense is all about monitoring the movements, electronic mailings and goings on of the majority of its US citizens with the Patriot Act.
I only work out of a want for money. I have no special regard for the Department of Defense. This was simply the only good career opportunity that was available to me after I finished graduate school. My career choice was based purely on financial self-interest. I am not in a financial position where I can afford to make career decisions based on idealistic criteria.
Your argument of not giving special treatment to a minority group is the exact same argument that has been used for homosexuals. But offering protection against discrimination does not automatically mean giving special status to those who are protected. Do you also claim that black people have special status in pre-dominatly white countries because it is illegal to discriminate against them on grounds of skin colour?
As you are in a decent job you may not appreciate why others feel being declared an official minority group is such an important issue. But for those who have struggled to find work even when they are highly qualified would most certainly understand why this is such an important issue.
Fruit and vegetables are expensive here. It is much more expensive to eat healthily. The government has a campaign that people should eat at least 5 portions of fruit or veg a day. Unless you eat carrots and the cheapest apples every day it is hard to afford it.
Did anyone see the documentary on the work of one scientist from India, who had that theory of people catching a type of bird flu and it making their cells hold onto to too much fat? That is my vague description of the theory, of course it was more detailed than that.
He found that a bird disease caused the creatures to gain a great amount of fat which they couldn't lose afterwards. It was possible that it had spread to humans, and he tested people for the antibodies, showing that they would have had the illness at some point. He found that some obese people did have antibodies.
He showed a map of the increase in obesity across the USA and it seemed to follow a pattern of an epidemic. It was a lot more convincing than I make it sound, and may be plausible.