New research brings autism screening closer to reality

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I'm sorry to say I'm a moral relativist - If the majority accept a genocide based on a full presentation of the facts (and the fact that jews are no different to any1 else wasn't presented in nazi Germany), ergo genocide is acceptable. But even if good old Hitler had actually done his research and realised that it is we auties who are other-than-human (and therefore 'subhuman') to varying extents, he still wouldn't have had any reason to treat us any differently to any1 else, apart from his own will.

Then I find your view of morality disgusting.

Autistics are human like everyone else. We are neither sub-human nor super-human. We often have a different profile of strengths and weaknesses, which may be either advantageous or detrimental depending on the context. We are not a priori inferior to other humans.

I read that the employment figure for Aspies is 70 to 80% but that includes self-employed as very many are.

I was trying to explain that the structure of an autistic mind is simply less complicated than a NT one. We have studies that show that autistic brains form fewer intra-regional connections, others that show that shutting off activity in most of an NT brain produces a number of savant skills (in which we do indeed surpass NTs), and ofcourse the everyday observations of NTs, LFAs, and every1 inbetween. Deprived of the complexity that fills NT minds to capacity, autistic brains will naturally outperform NTs at simpler - i.e. technical - tasks, while the less simple - i.e. interactional - tasks will remain beyond those core strengths.

You realise that the average person (read NT) uses a tiny fraction of their actual brainpower and anyway intelligence is really the number of connections formed, not connections between regions. Within regions we have a lot more - not that you would be able to easily prove it directly.

Edit: Readings - http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnou ... 0020070720

Last edited by Kangoogle on 12 Jan 2009, 12:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

I can't believe some of the stuff I've read in this thread.
"We're inferior because we have fewer multi-layer structured process going on in our head"? I don't know where that one came from but I've got hundreds of such things going on in my head constantly as do a lot of people I know who who are on the spectrum.
"None of us are out in the garage building rocket ships" Don't be to sure about that one either or I'll post a picture of my garage.

Also see my earlier post about contributions not needing to be big huge inventions or discoveries.
I think it best we do as the Eskimo's do and just put the bad babies out on the ice with the descarded old people when they become to much of a burden on the family. It's cheap, effective, relatively humane and at least we get a chance to see the newborns face to face and determine their worth. By doing this we also get the benefit of using all the resources of everybody until they get old.
Whiny people will also get put out onto the ice if the family feels like it.

I think the views and comments about Down Syndrome (and persons characterized by Down Syndrome) in this thread are ironic and potentially pertinent.

In fact there are people with Down's Syndrome who are aware of pre-natal screening and abortion of persons with Down Syndrome, object and protest/campaign for change.

I wonder if we're anymore expected to resist or be able to resist? I wonder if in the event our objections and voice will be anymore heard than those of protesters against Down Syndrome pre-natal screening and abortion, who themselves are characterized by Down Syndromre.

Last edited by pandd on 12 Jan 2009, 5:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

It was from a British study done a couple years ago.

Aware yes - actually doing anything about it on their own, not really.

We on the other hand should be able to draw on a sizeable grouping of smart people who are prepared to do pretty much anything necessary to make sure we get our way. Given that we are fighting for our survival we may have to explore the option of fighting really dirty and lets face it - we can easily do so on the proviso of commitment.

Doubtful. There are very few WP'ers who are employed successfully, of the ones who are over 18 that is. In our local AS group none of the Aspies have fulltime employment, even with having a phD. I think most of us really are underachievers.

If you accept that there's no higher power or ultimate meaning, there's also no ultim8 morality. But humans have evolved sympathy (as well as empathy), which is why - now that I'm mature - I cry at TV about the holocaust . It's hard to feel that sympathy for a tiny embryo, by the way; genocide has become a loaded term that most non-religious people just wouldn't apply to such things.



I agree with all of this, but add that we ASers are both subhuman and superhuman as well as neither.

We may indeed be no 'less than' other humans if removed from a social context, but if you or I were an earthworm who'd suddenly realised how much 'more than' him those humans were, we'd still be tempted to deny it. What would make more sense would be to focus on everything humans and earthworms have in common, but I won't pretend that would be easy_

Last edited by undefineable on 12 Jan 2009, 9:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

That study referred to the entire spectrum I recall.

Here's another employment study that's more in line with what I read. I'll go dig out the big one.
http://life-with-aspergers.blogspot.com ... yment.html

I know you are way passionate about this, but you do realize the majority of Aspies on here are unable to effectively speak in front of other people. How you going to start this crusade? You can't always depend on NT's to do everything for you. If anything the NT world is getting pretty sick with the supposed increase in ASD.

But relax they won't do away with us because the youngsters are a great means to make money to the medical professionals. The psychologists, occupational and physical therapists and vocational rehab counselors love us because they rake in so much money because of us.

Here's a study about jobs that is very upbeat and shows employment levels close to normal.
http://www.autismvox.com/study-on-adult ... ers-in-mn/
I'm still looking for big governemental thing.

I believe it was Aspergers only. Doesn't matter either way because Aspergers now is most of the Autism cases these days.