Mini-Rant: Disability vs. Ability

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This is a mini-rant, brought to you by FedUpAsp. I'm fed up, frustrated, confused, disgusted, you name it.

Why is it all right to be identified by your deficits but not your strengths? I am someone who is both disabled and has a high IQ (here we go again.) Yet, I am only identified by my disabilities. I am a whole person, so why isn't the whole of me considered valid??? I'd be a twice-exceptional activist if I could/knew what I was doing. This frustrates me so much.

One should be identified by one's totality.

Ability should be emphasized at least as much as disability.

Thank you, kraftiekortie. I don't know why this is considered taboo.

First, it's not true that only disabilities are identified.

I got the label "gifted" when I was young, then later "depressed" and only recently "autistic" the last one is partly about disability. But the first one is about ability and the second says nothing about ability or disability (well, when it's very bad, it is disabling, but that's another story)

The point is that they don't put a lot of time into describing people's strengths for the same reason they don't put a lot of positive events in the news. Strengths are not a problem needing attention.

The focus is on what a person might need help with. What you are good at--that you are free to pursue to the best of your ability.

It's been like that my whole life, and I'm so fed up with it. It's like the disability is all that matters.

This sounds like me... YAY family!

The problem is we live in a world where normal and NTs are the majority and have constructed society.
People who are different are assumed to have something wrong with them and are expected and pressured to conform.

The U.S. is just as bad as Japan and the rest of Asia on this, despite always hearing about how SE Asia strips you of your individuality.

I agree with this.

Canada isn't much different from the US in that way, in my own experience.

The pressure to conform seems to have two aspects. You either conform to the definition of normal, or you conform to the heavy pressure to idenfity by what is "wrong" with you and have that be your identifier. I could have all that I've hoped of having in life and still be identified as that mostly-blind developmentally disabled person. But if I was NT and not disabled I'd be identified by my intelligence.

Last edited by FedUpAsp on 08 Dec 2014, 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I never said one's "weaknesses" shouldn't be addressed in a diagnostic session, or in therapy.

What I meant: is that one's strengths should be addressed as well, especially in therapy to alleviate weaknesses. Many "weaknesses," in truth, are caused by a lack of perceived "strengths."

Well I'm not going to derail this thread about what's wrong Canada compared to the rest.

What I mean us Americans are taught even in college is how Japan (the closest Asian country to the U.S. in development) and it's conformity culture is the main reason why Japan is unable to sustain an economic recovery since the meltdown in the early 90s.

Us Americans were able to build the biggest economy and regularly create ground breaking inventions and innovations, because we embrace everyones individuality.
This made us the #1 in everything and lead us to victory in every major conflict, especially in the World Wars.

This is also touted by the world as the American Advantage, that no other country has...

As we say in the U.S., it was conformity that brought down British Empire.
We also say it was conformity that brought down the USSR, Germany, and Japan.
This is also supposed to kill China and India.

USA! USA! USA!! !!

With that said If it wasn't for my AS and other I would be known for my personality, intelligence, creativity and artistic genius.

Ok I do get some recognition currently, but not full.

Ugh... American Nationalism and Exceptionalism. Too busy pointing out the speck of dust in everyone else's eyes while ignoring the log in their own eye.

No, we definitely are a conformist nation that really does shun individuality. Sure, you can be individual, as long as it doesn't conflict with what their idea of individuality is.

I don't think it's helpful to dwell too much on the stupidity of one's culture or family. You have to work with whatever circumstance you are in and cultural change is slow. The thing is to make the best of your strengths while minimizing your weaknesses.

If your family isn't helpful, it might be better to get away from them, if you can.

I agree with kraftiekortie--assessments of autistic people should also look for strengths. It would be great to have some guidance from assessment on about what positive characteristics might be beneficial to support as well as areas of weakness that need support.

But you should not feel that you need some piece of paper to use your abilities. There have always been odd people of ability on the fringes of society who have been able to do great things.

This why I've been saying a high IQ aspie colony would be an interesting idea. Unfortunately I get shouted down by Americans who are all anti-segregation because of their history. In Australia, we are all anti-assimilation because of our history so it can be really offensive. In our culture, forcing someone who is different to conform is quite the deadly sin.

FedUpAsp, try the Australian pronunciation "High IQ Aspie". Rinse and repeat like a mantra. Always lead with the high IQ part and that's what people will hear. If they ask questions, just say we are the next step in human evolution. HomoSapienAspius

Many, many such people.

Many people who have come up with the greatest inventions/theories were even greater eccentrics.

There certainly was no autism diagnosis in the time of people like Isaac Newton.

High IQ does not equate, necessarily, to high smarts.

Such a colony as you described would be doomed to failure. Nobody would cooperate with each other.

It's not dwelling.

Negative reenforcement furthers the negative cycle.

Positive reenforcement furthers the positive cycle.

Or to put this way:

Growing up in poverty, normally leads to one staying in poverty (there are exceptions).

Growing up rich, normally leads to one staying rich (there are exceptions).

You can break the cycles, though it is really hard when all the way through schooling (including college) you were forced to see therapists and councilors, while your teachers and professors kept tabs on you to ensure you were able to fit in and be like the other boys!

It also is even harder when your family is constantly trying to fix and cure you at all costs, never leaving you alone about it.

You end up diverting all that time and energy from work and school into being fixed!

Just like growing up in poverty makes it quite hard to save enough money to get ahead to better yourself, since you are always struggling to breakeven at the end of every month.
You are also at an educational and societal disadvantage because you don't have the resources to keep up in society.

Essentially you are starting at square -10, while everyone else is starting at square 0, and you move at 1 - 3 squares at a time, occasionally going 4 squares at time. Most people move 2 - 3 squares at a time rarely going back any spaces.

This is why many people struggle hard just to catch up and fail to get ahead.

Sure once I land a job, I plan to move out when I can afford it (After I get a car of my own, mine bit the dust in October).

Hopefully I will eventually find stability, but that is a big IF.