Autism compared to X-men

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With all the recent drive to "cure autism" doesn't it seem similar to the X-men movie? I noticed that within the movie and real life there are a lot of similar things like this call for a cure and how many people seem to feel that the X gene is a disease which will only bring society down. As for the regular people, there are the people who are curious and the people who see us an inferior and the nice people who accept us. I noticed this similarity while thinking about the second movie when the mom said "Have you ever tried. . . not being a mutant?" Now that I rethink these words over, they make me pretty irritated. That would be like asking an aspie not to be. . . well, an aspie. I'm not really good at deductive comparison and my brains totally at a stand still so I'm not sure if that was enough info, but that's what I think. I just think it feels like people are trying to make people with Autism extinct (being bluntly honest on my opinion).

I thought that X-men three was very much a metaphor for the curing autism issue. There are people like Rogue, who feel they would be better off without it (and perhaps would be) as it negatively affects their ability to have relationships (although as seen in X2, she has at least some potential to counter this herself). Then there are people like Storm and Angel, who can use it beneficially (the difference between them though is that Storm can pass for a mundane human whereas Angel can't - yet both see their mutation as a strength).

Ultimately it seems to be saying that some are better off with it while some would prefer to be without it, but it should be the choice of the mutant (or autistic) whether they are 'cured' or not - as shown by Rogue's decision at the end, compared to Angel's father's attempt to get his son cured.

Overall, it seemed to take a fairly balanced look at it, if that was their intention. (Even if it was an accidetnal metaphor, it's still pretty fair.)

I've felt that way too. Like the X-Men, Aspies are a different sort of people, unique, gifted, special. And it's because they are different that NT people who do not understand them are scared that they are the next step up. There are probably loads of Aspies out there would love to be able to fit in and be like everyone else, and there are loads of Aspies who are happy how they are, personally, i think it should be up to thsoe Aspies to decide what they want. I would rather like to stay as i am, but there are moments i wish i did not have to be like an Aspie, when im upset, worried, depressed. But i fear, becoming NT would change me for the worse.

I definately think there is a connection whether it be a sub-conscious idea that needed to be expressed due to the stage of history we are at, or whether it is a conscious agenda...

either way it's very interesting...

NT super hero, time to go back to The Bat-Cave Robin.

Yeah... We're not exactly superheroes, but I do think that with this new digital age, the world really does need us.

With more and more Aspies on the scene, though, we may be able to find cures for those comorbids that bother us so very much, or workarounds... Find ways to keep autism and low IQ from being linked, or else find ways for low-IQ auties to be happy and fulfilled, at least as much as a guy with Down's syndrome and a really great family... Find ways around sensory overload... Find ways to combat depression and anxiety in Aspies... Find ways to communicate with NTs...

That's the research that really needs to be done. There's nothing wrong with being an Aspie; but all that other stuff makes our lives miserable sometimes.

Oh, yeah, and with sensory overload... it would really be great if whatever workarounds we found didn't steal our unusually acute senses--because, for example, if I block out bothersome sounds with white noise, I can't hear everything like I usually do, either.

Anyone not being happy having aspergers "syndrome" is because of all the negativity associated with it

Imagine if you lived in a country where the majority were Aspies - you'd have a different outlook on life

I saw it 3 days ago and thought the exact same thing!! !!

Im agreeing with Corvus...it's the isolated feeling of being different and misunderstood that gets so frustrating which theoretically wouldnt happen as much if u were in the majority... also Alex...some synchronicity there....saw xmen3 3 days ago too for the 1st time eheh...i had heard it wasn't as good as the previous ones....so waited for the dvd....thought it was great tho! thing is while maybe aspies can see a striking connection....maybe NT's who aren't feeling different...would treat it as just another entertaining movie etc?

I always felt the X-men comics, cartoon and series covers the general concept of discrimination and striving for rights; and I think that was the intention of the creator too. I agree that the X-men movies perfectly covers the Autism issue as well because of the cure debate.

Personally, I'm more like Magneto than Xavier in such a stance

Funny enough, I've read several auties suggest the same thing.

Although I'm waiting for anbuend to jump in here because we had a similar discussion on AWARES about auties and X-Men, me taking the pro, she taking the con.

I think in many ways as a metaphor it works. A metaphor is never exactly accurate but usually hits on some key points and reflects them. I think X-Men does that relatively well.