Did Any Of You Have Special Role Models?

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Optimus Prime. And Spider-Man. They both had perseverance and altruistic values. I never wanted to be like a believable person, apparently!

Yah, I certainly got the impression he wasn't such a nice guy to be around. Phony, though?

Einstein.

And my father.

In mid-childhood, Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood, Merlin, and the two wild horses, Thowra and Baringa, in "The Silver Brumby" series of books.

Later, with the help of alcohol and dope, and hypo-mania, "acted out" a lot of Madonna's role in "Desperately Seeking Susan", among other film characters.

More recently, as a mother, I found comfort and self-affirmation in the roles played by Julianne Moore in "Safe" by Todd Haynes and "The Hours", and by Christine Lahti in "Housekeeping" by Bill Forsyth, again among others.

All fiction, although I have had crushes on a few wonderful women, mainly teachers; inspiringly original or vibrant individuals.
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This will be a strange one. But when I was 10 years old to about the time I was 12 or 13, I was fascinated by the fictional character of Captain Quint in Jaws. By the time I was 13, I had even grown sideburns like his and sported a moustache in junior high school---I matured early. I came to appreciate the actor Robert Shaw who portrayed Captain Quint, and I was greatly upset when Robert Shaw died a mere few years after making Jaws. I still regard him as the greatest actor who ever lived. When I was in college I bought a Penn Senator 16/0 guage trolling reel just like the one used in Jaws. I then began collecting fishing reels, though I never used them. So now upon analyzing this role model interest---perhaps a fascination with the fishing reel had something to do with it.

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Last edited by Jenk on 02 Dec 2008, 10:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Phileas Fogg (no, really!)
Spock
Jules Verne (I began to collect newspaper clippings because I read somewhere that he used to)
Albert Einstein
Mme Curie

Wow, interesting to hear about other people´s role models! I also related to many of yours, too...

I, too, was fascinated by Helen Keller as a child, and found that whole story of her learning very interesting!...there was also another one, what was her name? Laura...Laura Bridgeman? Could that be it? (Laura something, I´m terrible with names...)

I always totally related to Spock in "Star Trek".

Loved Merlin (the King Arthur tales were a special interest of mine). Of course, obviously the character I related to most was Morgaine le Fay...

I always liked the Beatles, particularly John Lennon, though that never quite reached "special interest"/obsession status

I never read much about Queen Elizabeth, but just love the movies with Kate Blanchet as Queen Elizabeth. I relate to that character, too, which is rare for me- (I almost never relate to women portrayed in film).

I liked Margaret Atwood´s books also when I was younger. I think I read that she is an Aspie too???

Yes I'd forgotten about Mr.Spock. Loved the way McCoy's sniping never shook him. Later I moved over to Kirk but began to question that eventually. He seemed to be a role model I just couldn't act out.

But I must have a whole library of phrases and ways I've borrowed from other people.

Mine was John Lennon...his writings and music helped me accept myself quite alot when I was a pre-teen...


I was fascinated by Helen Keller as a child as well for some reason.

There are other ones, but I can't quite think of them as clearly as i can John Lennon.

-Seven of Nine
-The Doctor
-Data
-Lt. Barclay
-Einstein
-Newton
-Tesla
-Daniel Jackson
-Jack O'Neal
-Jesus Christ (not as much as I should, though)

OK, I was diagnosed w/ Asperger's in 1998, when I was 13, and this list begins there.

Skywatcher

I've been thinking about this Q. I have integrated models of behavior from others. But lately have come to realize that the person I want to be, that fits my traits, doesn't exist on account of Asperger uniqueness. So now I'm out there on my own, wondering how to set about realizing myself if I cannot be like those from whom I might learn.

Also back when I was in my teens (like 13 to 17) and REALLY wanted to be a filmmaker more than anything (before I realized how crippling this sort of condition and basically just my personality is for it), Robert Rodriguez because he does everything himself so I figured....

"Ah. I don't need other people as much as I think."

After reading "Rebel Without a Crew" that told about how he made El Mariachi almost completely alone, it made me really think I could do it....

but then the second half of the book was about him going around with Hollywood executives and having to be social so I sort of gave up that dream, but I did hold him in pretty high regard until he got involved with that skank Rose McGowan.

Oh, another thing... I believe I have different "minds" in the sense that when I do something I've had a special interest in (my special interests tend to fade, linger and then revisit sometimes), I feel as if I'm entering that special interest's "mind". I.e. I have my cooking "mind", I have the "mind" of an engineer. I think many people have this experience, and they refer to it as "putting on my _____ (enter subject of expertise) hat". I think my "minds" in particular subject areas definitely take impressions from experts and internalize them.

For example, in my "cooking mind". Cooking is an immersive, intensively engaging autistic talent activity for me because it evokes all my senses and the textures, tastes and colors saturate my moments when I cook. Lately, cooking is a "special interest" for me (the first time cooking itself has been a special interest). I've spent literally thousands of hours thinking about cooking, watching videos and learning new cuisines, lately.

I've watched probably more than a hundred YouTube videos in the past month and a half. The Japanese "Iron Chef" show is awesome... those chefs are masters. Of the Iron Chef American show, I like Batali and that chick.

All those "Iron Chefs" are definitely role models for my "cooking mind"!

I think with Feynman there was a little bit of smoke and mirrors. Yet I can't help but be drawn to him. Q - where on the web will i find reference to his aspi tendencey?

Role model? Isaac Newton was interesting.

Yes, Laura Bridgeman. She was the deaf and blind woman at Perkins that Dr. Anagnos was working with, but she never got as far as Helen Keller. I believe she began to receive instruction much later in life, and did not use Braille, so was really not able to break through her disability in all the ways Helen Keller did.

How can I still remember this stuff? Just to remember my phone number, I have to try it out on the keypad.

BTW, anyone ever seen a whole book in Braille? When I was in the fourth grade, I did a report on Helen Keller, and my father went to the Perkins School and borrowed some Braille books for my presentation. I remember that one of them was "Harriet the Spy."