How would you feel about... A cure?

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Sorry for the double post--My answers to the questions:

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).
Before you even get to assuming it's possible, you would have to define what a cure is. I think this would, in practice, be impossible. I see naive discussions of a cure that are based on a hypothetical etiology of autism based on a some very simple factor. We are to imagine an "autism switch" somewhere that can be in an on or off position. But there is no evidence to support the idea of such a thing and there is a vast amount of evidence suggesting something much, much more complicated. Without dealing with this, the discussion of "a cure" seems to me to belong with philosophers debates about how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. There is nothing there to believe in.

2. Would you want to be cured?
I think it would be great to be able to have relationships with people more easily and not to have some of the misunderstandings that arise between me and other people.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?
It has become clear to me that many things that I always believed were uniquely mine are part of a larger pattern called autism. Certain autistic traits have been significant factors in every part of my life and it's good to have a name for that and a way of understanding it. When the my reading into autism first made me suspect it in myself, I found myself reconsidering events from every period of my life and recognizing that my behavior and the reactions of those around me were consistent with this larger pattern. It dawned on me that some people had tried to tell me years ago and that I had been unable to hear it, but I had to check that perception by asking them. When you go back and see the way these traits were significant in your early childhood, first school experiences, more advanced school, general socialization, romantic relationships, university experience, and life seeking employment or working, it's impossible not to see that autism is part of what you are. You are the sum of all those experiences. It's not the only part but it's a key part, like being bipedal or having opposable thumbs.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?
Of course not, because of the impact mentioned in question 3. But personal identity is a complicated thing. See the work of David Wiggins to get a sense of how complicated that question can be, if you care to look at it in detail:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 516.x/full

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)
I don't know what that would mean, exactly. My parents were odd people from odd families. They were from a literary and artistic world that did not value conformity and found great worth in individual expression and unique perspective. To that extent, they were naturally friendly to some degree of neurodivergence. "Would you try to cure Motzart, or Newton," they would ask--not because of retrospective diagnoses of those people, but because of a sense of their value to humanity as unique individuals. They avoided labels and avoided having their children classified in any way.
They would regard any attempt at a gross change in personality as obscene, and something very deep in them would have to have changed for them to try it. To them it would be like signing up your child for mind control experiments with a caring CIA doctor. They did try to help me overcome specific things that were bothering me, but when that didn't work, they just agreed that people were awful and left it at that.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?
I believe that my ability to focus, affinity for digital systems and appreciation of algorithms, math and science as well as aspects of my visual aesthetic sense are connected with autism and are all positive things.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?
Misunderstanding people's intentions and being misunderstood by them. Difficulties making and maintaining friendships.

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).

Depends. If it takes away the social issues then yes. If it take away my focus and obssessive interests, then no.

2. Would you want to be cured?

See above. It depends on what goes away.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?

Yes. Despite coming across as awkward, I love company and socialization. My interests are a defining part of my character, and if I wasn't obsessive about them, I would be a completely different person.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?

That depends. More socially intelligent, yes. And therefore probably more inclined towards developing relationshis than to try to excel in my interest. So my priorities would probably turn me into a different person.

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)

I wouldn't know what I'd missed out on since I'd be a different person. I'd be spared a lot of grief from being socially clumsy and awkward.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?

Extreme focus and passion for my interests. This gives my life meaning.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?

Social isolation, phobias and paranoia.

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).
For a cure ... that is, if the person to be cured wants it.

2. Would you want to be cured?
No.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?
Yes.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?
No. Because I wouldn't have autism! XD
Comics and bluntness aside, I don't know what I would be like, because I have never experienced it.
Autism effects a lot of areas ... so in turn, it would be too hard to imagine how different I would be!

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)
As a young child (before teenage years) I wouldn't have minded it.
After that, I would have minded. This is because in this part of my life, I've developed a real sense of self. Hence taking away part of myself would be quite upsetting, especially being that my favorite things to do are based around my "intense interest" (can't quite figure out how else to explain it XDDD)
Sort of like, there was a "turning point" in my life.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?
Being unlike most people. Unique. I like being different. Being different allows me to interact with the world from other angles.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?
The negative stereotypes about us. We often get made fun of because other's can understand (ironic, huh! )

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).
I am against a "cure". I am against people hypothesising about a "cure" (as research nullifies the idea). I am against funds being directed at a "cure".

2. Would you want to be cured?
To me, this is not a legitimate question.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?
Very strongly.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?
I would be no person at all without autism.

E.G.: I'm an INTP by personality type. Who would I be without the INTP? Would I automatically become an ESFJ because someone feels that it is more favourable to be an ESFJ, or because a larger part of the population is ESJF?

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)
Violated.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?
It has gifted me technical talent, immense creativity and imagination, attention to detail, passion, perseverance, keen observation of details, the ability to think way outside the box, unique problem-solving skills, optimism, unending curiosity, a logical view, ambition, honesty, and empathy (yes, empathy). Because of it I rarely feel boredom, loneliness, or the need to follow trends. That's what I can think of at the moment.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?
With autism comes high levels of anxiety and anxiety-related issues, such as SPD, fatigue, and insomnia. Relationships are generally harder as well. I certainly cannot deny I suffer these issues related to my autism, but that's a trade-off. Every single human mind has a balance, and being exceptional in one area will always leave another area less exceptional.

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).
Definitely against it, because I feel like younger people who get diagnosed would be pressured into it without being given a chance to see the positives.

2. Would you want to be cured?
Not permanently, though I would be interested in perhaps going a day as an NT to understand them better.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?
How could I not? It's as much a part of my identity as being human.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?
Nope.

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)
I wouldn't be surprised. As a kid I probably would have leaped at the chance having been made to feel guilty and ashamed of being different. I would probably stop speaking to them if they tried now.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?
The ability to focus, the apparent richness of my experiences compared to other people's, and (this may seem strange to some people) the lack of instinctual social understanding. Because of that I am free from the pointless games of one-upmanship, sucking up, and outright manipulation that riddle NT communication. I can see right and wrong without being blinded by status.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?
Struggling with executive function - it tends to lead to procrastination and getting easily distracted... so the important things don't always get done when I want them to.

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).
For.

2. Would you want to be cured?
Yes

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?
No.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?
No.

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)
Not happy because it is not curable and the attempts to do it bring pain.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?
None.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?
Being treated like a fool and someone to be bullied or patronised by NTs.

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).

Against.

2. Would you want to be cured?

No. Why not cure the societal sickness of only catering to persons that fit a certain single mold (i.e. neurotypicals) rather than "curing" people that do not fit said mold?

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?

Yes

4. Would you be the same person without autism?

No

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)

Angry.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?

Nearly flawless musical ear, practical approach to things, a different perspective.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?

Difficulty navigating a very neurodiverse-unfriendly world and social deficits.

This piece (not written by me) well articulates my own thoughts about the fallacies of cure advocacy:

https://purpleaspie.wordpress.com/2012/11/

I don't want a cure.

Imagine a world where there was NO neurodiversity whatsoever. I get very scared by merely thinking about such a nightmarish reality.

I like this topic, and if it helps you write your article... why not?

1. Are you for or against a cure. (hypothetically, let assume it's possible for this question).

Absolutely for. If this could be made possible, denying the option to those who want it seems selfish and immoral.

2. Would you want to be cured?

I would. It would need to be proven effective and reasonably safe before I'd go for that, but... yes. I'd actually accept some level of risk, here.

3. Do you feel autism is part of your identity?

Maybe. It's certainly affected me in a lot of ways, but it's not something I share with people in the same way as political, philosophical, gender or other aspects of identity. I could probably argue for either position; it is, or it isn't.

I don't group myself with other people with autism. I almost never discuss it at all.

4. Would you be the same person without autism?

I have no idea. Are we talking about if I could take a magic pill and make it go away? My personality would change, and I'd be fine with that. If we're talking about my whole life? Probably, but what does thinking about that get me?

5. How would you feel if your parents tried to cure you? (as a child)

Very, very confused and possibly angry. But I don't think my father would push me into it; he is the kind of parent who would have explained the situation to me and waited for my agreement. And I probably would have come around to the idea after a while.

6. What is a positive side of you being autistic?

Different perspective on a lot of things, I guess? That can be useful. In truth it's very hard for me to find the silver lining here. I spent about fifteen years looking before concluding it was a fool's errand.

7. What is the negative side to being autistic?

I'm at a disadvantage with social interaction, which I'd consider the basis of everything that truly matters in the world. Wanting to connect with people and having to fight and struggle to do that is... it's incredibly painful. Also painful: the fact autism is comorbid with conditions that make my knees hurt all the time, but that's considerably more palatable than the first problem.

Hypersensitivity, being distressed by things I shouldn't, needing all sorts of "downtime" when I could be doing something more productive, getting things done more slowly when I am doing something productive, etc., etc. A lot of things, really.

Anyway, I'm interested to see your article, Dysmania. Are you going to post a link when it's done?

I could go into a very comprehensive expression of my thoughts on this topic however, due to my writing style, I'd probably be seen as a little kid or something therefore, I simply state that my AS has defined me in many ways but, it's not the hindrance nor obstacle of my life.Rather it's the manner in which I'm able to understand and relate back to the world and all those people in it.