To some autism is a disability. To some autism is a difference. To most, including me, I’m betting its both. Its not always bad, its not always good. It leaves some people virtually unable to communicate in an NT world and it increases other peoples intellectual ability to the point of near genius.
Some see it as a gift, and others as a curse. Some, including me, see it as neither but as simply something that is. Like the colour brown, or the shape of a circle it exists above others perceptions and therefore is amoral as oppose to moral or immoral.
Some see it as something that needs research into its origins. Others see it as something that needs research into how it can be stopped. Some, including me, see it as something that needs research into how best we support autistic people as they become – and continue to be – adults. How we help them with housing, employment, education etc.
Some people would be shocked that others don’t see research into a cure as the number one priority – or even as a priority at all – and others would be shocked that others don’t seem able to see autism as anything but a state that medically affects children.
As we enter the last year of the first decade of the new millenium, the question needs to be asked: where do we go from here?
Left Brain Right Brain 
When there are 2 or 3 standard deviations between actual IQ scores and “practical IQ”, (I forget what they call that), you can have a situation of being a “faux genius”, where a person has the intellectual ability, but is unable to put it to practical use. There’s frustration in that, a dissonance that affects self-esteem, at least until a person realizes the reason why, or gets diagnosed.
The communication of one’s ability is easier online, but easily gets lost in the superficiality of “NT space”, where we just don’t seem to be on the same wave length. When that communication is in real life, the gulf just seems to get wider…
I did some of the work for my Certificate of Professional Studies in Education on Autism as a Para-Cultural Phenomenon, and – yeh – I passed it.
My people at the Teacher Training College at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences liked this work very much.
Clay,
Interestingly enough, my bright boy’s IQ tests show more nearly 3 standard deviations between the verbal and performance, with the performance being above average and the verbal down at the 1st percentile.
As to wavelengths, I think we’re all searching for others resonating at the same frequency; it appears to be the dance we all move to. Some of us appear to have an easier time at it than others; the problem is that superficial appearances are just that and none of us are privy to the inner workings of another’s mind and so cannot know whether the exterior matches the interior.
Nicely said Kev. For what it is worth, I believe causes and cures are irrelevant when you are at the sharp end, to put it bluntly, management and handling of situations arising are more important. What us self important know it all NT’s need is a better understanding and tolerance of a different vision of the world.
“What us self important know it all NT’s need is a better understanding and tolerance of a different vision of the world”
Why do NT’s need to do all the accommodating?? Why are “autistics” special?? What makes them more special than any other person in the world?? Why are their needs the only one’s that matter?? Why is autism considered only a “difference”?? Why is it “ok” to be disabled whe someone has autism and not “ok” when someone has another illness?? Why is “OK” to condemn 80% of the autistics out there that cannot blast Kev and other Hubites b/c they think it’s “OK” that they live in group homes. Stephanie, Droopy and other’s that have lived in them and tell the horrors of doing so…. they are ignored, shunned… those on the Hub won’t even let Stephanie post her blog or Jonathon’s b/c they talk about the difficulties of having autism… The realities.
Autism isn’t “wonderful” or “joyful”. It is a disability. A life long, disability for most, like my youngest son. Doesn’t mean we still don’t work on the 3 R’s, on speech, on play, on living life to the fullest… but that doesn’t change the fact that he will never be an independant adult… And it’s NOT ok that he won’t be.
Then the rest IMO need to stop their whining and become productive members of society. If my eldest son can do it. What’s your excuse.
Who said they were? Autistics already accomodate an NT world – or try to. Whats wrong with the NT world giving a little bit?
Who said it was only a difference? Who said it wasn’t OK to have other forms of illness? The deaf and blind community also feel that who they are is pretty OK too.
Where did the 80% figure come from exactly? I think you just made it up. I also don’t think its OK that people live in group homes (unless they want to).
Everyone with autism talks about the reality of autism. How could they not? The Hub isn;t stopping them talk, its just not giving them a platform as they disagree with its core concepts. They’re welcome to start their own Hub should they choose to. In your own words, why don;t they stop their whining and become productive about it?
Wow! Do you know what would be really OK? If some or the more opinionated members of the autistic community, diverse or typical, adult or child, male or female or any other set of opposites you care to mention, would just try and see things from a different perspective for a few moments. some of them might realise how counter productive single mindedness can be!
You get what your given in this life and you should make the most of it. As far as I am concerned it is more than OK to find joy in difference and (shock! horror!) disability. I was always told variety is the spice of life, I tend to believe that. Autism, like everything else, is a part of our culture.
@farmwifetwo: where did you get the guarantee that your children would grow up and become independent adults? I didn’t get one. No one does. My cousin’s 3 children started out normal and were found (as the eldest started to develop symptoms at age 8)to have a genetic disease that, as years have passed, have led to mental retardation and increased physical disabilities. Hers will never live to be independent either. (In fact, they may not even live to adult age, depending on the course of the disease.)
@Irene: You are right. Variety is the spice of life. Some people are disabled. I’d rather work with my cousin’s children who find joy in simple things now (we can stare at a daisy for hours, marvelling at the beauty of it). I’d rather be with them than people who are always looking at the dark side of life.
“Then the rest IMO need to stop their whining and become productive members of society. If my eldest son can do it.”
Time you learned to STFU if you can’t be sensible.
“What’s your excuse.”
What’s your excuse, whinger?
@farmwifetwo
For your son’s sake I really hope he doesn’t ever get to read your post above. I would hate to imagine his feelings. Why so much anger and denial? Whether you like it or not, autism is part of who your son is. This is not to say that he is not an individual – of course he is, but his autism doesn’t prevent him from being a human being who deserves love and acceptance.
Why wouldn’t you want a world where your son was understood and accepted? You are fighting and denying something that simply is.
Your son, just like my daughter is amazing in his own right, and I will never stop trying to increase other people’s understanding and acceptance of my daughter. By failing to just accept your son’s autism you are missing out on so much.
My youngest daughter btw is NT. I don’t automatically assume that she will live independently, go to university, get married etc. Life offers no guarantees to anybody. Stop mourning your son, he’s alive – go accept and enjoy him.