Culture or condition?

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I used to post on a site that embraced the idea of autism having a metaphorical heritage, can't for the life of me remember what it was called though, I'm sure some of you would know exactly what I'm referring to straight away, was ran by a guy named "Eden".

Do you believe that the fight for minority rights for aspies (UK) is justified or laughable? Do you believe a part of a person's existence (or that which defines you, if you feel that way), that can be diagnosed by a psychiatric professional can then be used as a means of forming a community?

Essentially, what I want to know, is there a rational, logical arguement for the existence of a culture consisting of people recognised by others and not by one another? Or is it just a way of coping with our condition?

If the condition known as autism or asperger's, along with others on the spectrum, is hereditary, and caused by a combination of traits from relatives or simply passed down from someone already having it, does that mean that there was possibly "The Original Aspie/Autie"? A man/woman, who was the first to appear however many years/decades/centuries ago that could be recognised as having these traits?

Does the increase of diagnoses made for AS/Autism mean it's becoming more prevalent and has only come to exist within the last century, or merely just because it's become accepted in a clinical sense and has therefore been around all along?

Sam.

The increase in Au/AS is part of the definitionof AS and DX for it being part of a medical model in the past 15 years.I believe it was around just like microbs were around before the invention of the microscope to "see" them.And just like microbs,the effect of them was called something else....like witchcraft,before we understood how virus,germs "worked".

I think AS was more "tolerated" in different periods of time.There were many situations were people lived in isolated situations or were allowed to learn through apprenticship that might have made AS less of a "disability".Prearanged maragies may have premoted it being passed on.Many of us in our 30's and older have been DXed with other things before AS was around.I think many with AS( also died from suicide,were institutionilized or are currently homeless because they cant function in mainstream society.Some of us are still living in moms basement and never will be DXed until their support system collapses.

On Sunday, I'm going to my first Meet-Up for people with Asperger's Syndrome. It will be interesting finally to see in others what others perceive in me. And, a room-full of us, in a restaurant no less. My my. We'll probably all be avoiding eye contact as we swing from the rafters. I was never really aware that I avoided eye contact more than anyone else.

The way you're describing it, it almost sounds as if the autistic "heritage" is the Mark of Cain.

Which isn't something I'm saying to be inflammatory, but just because it strikes me at this white-hot moment as an interesting metaphor.

And calling it an "interesting metaphor" is far from calling it "true".

Sure, why not? Homosexuality was once listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders just like Asperger's is, and has since been removed since they realize it is not a disorder...just a difference. Not all differences are disorders. I'm not saying AS isn't, just saying...who is to say for certain?