Autistic as Monster Advert

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New anti advertisement You Tube video

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ6U3XWoCRY

I have to say, I have seen the advert and I was angry. Not so much about the whole monster thing but more because I wish some charity like that had helped me when I was a kid. Maybe I wouldn't be so messed up now if they had made me less angry. I don't think they are trying to turn autistic people 'normal' just improve on the anger.

Hm, I can see some point - many people do not know what autism is and this advert may add to the damage done by some stupid news articles; people thinking autism=violence.
I don't think people should get so angry at the advert and the charity, because I think it's great that they let a troubled, autistic boy tell his story in his own words and drawings. However, I think maybe they should have thought a bit about how it might be misinterpreted ('autism is a monster' rather than 'anger is a monster').

I appriciate that many people here have been bullied because of their AS, and that must have been horrible, but this advert doesn't say he was bullied, it just says quite vaguely that people insulted him. A certain amount of that is part of life. And people have to be able to deal with it. Also, it never says that it was acceptable for anyone to annoy him or insult him, just that they helped him not go mental over it.

I think some people are making a fuss because they are prejudiced against anyone who's not autistic. Some people on this forum certainly are.

Woodpeace - you are not too laidback.

Jellybean - I kinda know how you feel with that. I often wonder if I'd have had some of the problems I've had if my school had bothered to recognise my Aspieness and tell me it was okay.

Well, I'm afraid that's what a hard life does to one.

The complaints stem mainly from the imagery - not the finely analysed text of the ad.

Many autistic people and parents just don't want to see autism and monsters in the same ad.

There was no reference to the fact that on the whole our lives are made difficult by other people not autism...

Hm, I can see some point - many people do not know what autism is and this advert may add to the damage done by some stupid news articles; people thinking autism=violence.
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Yes, this is true, and I have personal experience with this. Last summer, I told my parents that I was quite sure I am on the spectrum, most likely AS. I was hoping we could have a nice conversation, and that they would finally understand why I did all those "weird" things in my childhood. However, they reacted with total horror! They did not want to hear about it. It became clear, as they spoke at me in their parental fashion, that they have no idea what AS really is. My mother told me that I was quite "easy" as a child- (if I was upset, I would tend to cry alone, removing myself from people. I was rarely angry). Then later, when we were visiting my brother, my Mom asked my sister-in-law- who has studied psychology- what she knew about AS. She, also, said that AS people tend to be "very violent". Well, it´s amazing what some people believe! There´s a lot of misinformation out there. I realize I will probably never really be able to talk to my parents about what´s going on with me, due to their beliefs. So I am very concerned about how it´s depicted in the media. I have no problem with what they´re trying to do, by the way, help a young boy deal with his anger. Of course, ANY kid could have problems with anger, he could be neurotypical. This has nothing to do with autism, per se.

Therein lies the problem - they shouldn't of even mentioned autism if the problem was anger management.

I saw the advert the first time yesterday and I felt quite uncomfortable watching it.
I think it gives autism even more bad press than it already has, especially when refering to it as a monster

Good evening everyone, well it was good, not so sure now! Anyone got a scraper? I am on the ceiling currently.................... This is part of a post that I have had permission to reproduce and it sums my feelings up TOTALLY.

So who’s up for a punch-up with Action For Children?Hasten to add I am NOT being literal! In my book, that wouldn’t be an ‘error in behaviour’ . It would be a pleasure. In fact, a Facebook page of protest has been filling up rapidly with posters all with behavioural errors. They’re a funny old thing, these developmental disorders. Many people with them tend to grow up (unbelievable though it is) into intelligent and articulate adults, some of them with articulate and funny blogs.

In the last few days AFC has been bombarded with email protests from around the world.
That should leave all those media executive directors, like Polly Neave, with eggy faces and bullet holes in their feet. ” We deliberately avoid the more traditional charity methods of playing on guilt or shock” she says. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/de ... tising-nch

I have worked for charities, many of them over the years. Phah, charity? The one I worked for...........a national third world charity had the boss being ferried about in a limo, travelled business class and had a generous expense account....................mmmm thinks and come to think of it, I was not even management and I HAD AN EXPENSE ACCOUNT! Watch out where your money goes folks, if you have any left to give.

I AM DISGUSTED WITH NATIONAL CHILDRENS HOME OR ACTION FOR CHILDREN AS THEY ARE NOW KNOWN. Action??? For who??? Rich fat cats who appear to control many of these so called 'charities'.

Maybe it is my age, I am getting cynical in my autumnal years..............sorry rant over just simmering gently now.

Daniel the monster.

lmao!

The thing that bothers me here is the bullies being able to get away with their behaviour and the victim being blamed for the bullies' actions.

I've seen so called "normal" kids lash out at bullies in desperation because they just can't take any more harassment.
If you're being bullied and called horrible names trying to defend yourself from the onslaught is a natural reaction.

The bullies should be being reformed, not the victim.

I've heard lots of horror stories about what happens if victims don't fight back or go on the defensive. If the victim is taught not to use basic self defense, the victim is going to have his or her head shoved down the toilet or get clobbered to the ground.

I view bullying as a whole school community issue that everyone has a duty and responsibility to monitor. Bullying is a culture, if a school doesn't tolerate a bullying culture and provides clearly defined support networks for everyone, the bullying is much less frequent and severe. That's been my experience anyway.

The ethos repeated over and over again in assemblies:
"Everyone in this school is valued. All for one and one for all. We're in this together"
Really helped me a lot: it also helped everyone else.

I find it sad that others want to treat the victims of aggression as scapegoats.
Get rid of the "irritating" victim and send him to "correction camp" and they think that the problem is solved. It's not: the bullies will just go and pick on someone else who they see as "different".

This bulls**t isn't based on me is it, Dan's my name?