Ronnie Reagan as creative, maybe on the spectrum?
AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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Location: Houston, Texas
I think a case of some strength can be made that President Ronald Reagan was on the Asperger's-Autism Spectrum. Now, I am aware that alternative explanations can be pushed forward, that it could instead have been early symptoms of Alzheimer's. Or, some of Ronnie's loner aspects can be explained by the fact that he had an alcoholic father, which can also explainwhy he mixed it up and took it personally with dictators such as Muammar Khaddafi when arguably he didn't have to and there would have been better ways.
The book The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage by Anne Edwards was the main source which got me thinking that Ronnie may have been on the Spectrum. And also a chapter on Reagan in one of Jack Germond's books. Now, specifically . . .
1) After Ronnie completed his two terms as California Governor (ended in January 1975), he spent a lot of time at his remote ranch thinking and writing, much too much time for Nancy's tastes.
2) He had political supporters, but he didn't really have friends beyond Nancy. He had his one special true love.
3) He spent a lot of time working on his radio broadcasts, and thus working through his own ideas.
4) After Ronnie survived the assassination attempt in March 1981, he showed optimism and a good heart. He also seemed to have one liners such as "Honey, I forgot to duck," that is, kind of the aspie mode of all sending, no receiving.
5) Ronnie would believe things (this one from Jack Germond) which he got from a very conservative publication such that all the nuclear waste in the entire United States could be condensed to the size of a softball and safely stored at the bottom of the ocean. And when challenged, he would smile and tell the person look into it and they will find out that it's true.
6) And then frankly, just a number of people who met Ronnie and a number of commentators just viewed him as a different individual.
Now, I would also want to address, Did Ronnie have sensory issues, did he sometimes stim? For me, that would make it more definite.
At this point, I think we can only say, Ronald Reagan was a unique, creative person who may have well been on the Spectrum. He is viewed as a largely successful president, and I say this even though I personally bat from the left side of the plate politically. I think it will be a feather in our cap to state the possibility as long as we don't overclaim and make it more definite than the information we have.
The book The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage by Anne Edwards was the main source which got me thinking that Ronnie may have been on the Spectrum. And also a chapter on Reagan in one of Jack Germond's books. Now, specifically . . .
1) After Ronnie completed his two terms as California Governor (ended in January 1975), he spent a lot of time at his remote ranch thinking and writing, much too much time for Nancy's tastes.
2) He had political supporters, but he didn't really have friends beyond Nancy. He had his one special true love.
3) He spent a lot of time working on his radio broadcasts, and thus working through his own ideas.
4) After Ronnie survived the assassination attempt in March 1981, he showed optimism and a good heart. He also seemed to have one liners such as "Honey, I forgot to duck," that is, kind of the aspie mode of all sending, no receiving.
5) Ronnie would believe things (this one from Jack Germond) which he got from a very conservative publication such that all the nuclear waste in the entire United States could be condensed to the size of a softball and safely stored at the bottom of the ocean. And when challenged, he would smile and tell the person look into it and they will find out that it's true.
6) And then frankly, just a number of people who met Ronnie and a number of commentators just viewed him as a different individual.
Now, I would also want to address, Did Ronnie have sensory issues, did he sometimes stim? For me, that would make it more definite.
At this point, I think we can only say, Ronald Reagan was a unique, creative person who may have well been on the Spectrum. He is viewed as a largely successful president, and I say this even though I personally bat from the left side of the plate politically. I think it will be a feather in our cap to state the possibility as long as we don't overclaim and make it more definite than the information we have.
Nuts.
btbnnyr
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AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,665
Location: Houston, Texas
1) Ronnie really didn't have any friends other than his one true love Nancy.
2) A lot of focus was on his internally generated ideas, which he got a lot of enjoyment out of expressing.
3) At least occasionally (often?), he was in the mode of all sending, no receiving.
Goodness, seems like lot of famous people have AS. It never ends.
Maybe I should suggest Lori Petty could have it. Here is why:
She dresses immaturely so she dresses like a teen
She is an artist and very creative and designs her own clothing
When she was four years old, she took off her shirt because other boys did and her mother told her to put it back on and she refused and argued about it. She took it off again after her mom went back inside. She couldn't understand why it was okay for boys but not for girls.
When she was handed a balloon at six years old, instead of blowing it up and playing with it, she starts to draw on it instead
I think I read somewhere that she said she feels like she is still a teen on the inside.
She always keeps her hair cut short like a guy, is it a sensory thing?
Could she be autistic?
_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed and ASD lv 1.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses. Possibly OCD. Is very private about herself.
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