TV show poorly represents AS

Post Reply New Topic

Today I was watching one of my favorite shows, Third Watch on NBC. The episode was called "Man Enough". Part of the story consisted of an extremely violent young boy who had AS. What kind of threw me off was how poorly this was acted out (some points were right, like obsessions and over reaction to touch). Basically if this were in real life and an aspie were treated like that (which I doubt most aspies would be that violent) it would be considered abuse. Did anyone else here see this episode? After seeing this, it gets me thinking: should the public be educated more about AS? I don't know why (even though I know this was not in reality), this episode really disturbed me. As reffered to by this show, they wanted to put the young boy with AS into Creedmore!

I did not see the episode as I lost interest in television, other than news or public broadcast a long time ago. The social dynamics and media representation of these mostly fictional shows are complicated. What you appear to be expressing is your dislike for showing only the negative, inaccurate, or partial portrayal of one said to have Asperger Syndrome.

Unfortunately, that is what the general public is attracted to in order to take notice and become aware. Unless it has a negative impact on society in general, nobody really cares about the plight of anyone who struggles. Mostly because they have their own lives and personal problems to contend with.

It appears there is a new therapy developing in the use of movies. And in the presentation of news (Farenheit 9/11 being a good example). It doesn't appear many read newspapers very much nowadays. I don't find them strewn around public places as I once did.

Gosh, having grown up on Long Island myself, the mention of Creedmore brought back memories. It use to be a joke to say that someone being a little off centered in behavior compared to most, needed to visit Creedmore. That's not so funny, because it appears they might not have been joking.

LadyBug

What disturbs me is not just the negative stereotypes put out there in the media, but the vapid lack of more positive ones. Heck, let's get more Rainmen and Rainwomen out there, or even more sci-fi characters like Data -- who a lot of Aspies can relate to for obvious reasons and who is a fan favorite.

Positive role models? It appears nobody wants boring success stories anymore. They want the gory details of the pain endured. I'll bet the sinister data was more popular among most. Were there any statistics taken?

LadyBug

I don't know about statistics, but what about an Aspie that undergoes great pain and suffering to come out winning on the other side? Hey, people love underdogs -- like the success of that movie, Dodgeball, not to mention William Hung. Even authors like Stephen King and JK Rowling had to struggle greatly (lots of guts in the case of the former) to get their message out.

And yes... coming this September... The Apprentice 2, featuring my personal favorite, DONALD TRUMP! He's a very positive man. Jealous people call him arrogant, and I think he's arrogant in a good way. He makes it -- and the haircut which is often talked about -- work for him.

As for Autistics, Temple Grandin is really inspiring... we need more!! ! MORE!! !

Are those you spoke of diangnosed or have early childhood symptoms of Autism and have made it known to others? Or at least making strides to support those who struggled that are like them? There is one who is said to have recently joined Temple Grandin on the conference circuit. I think she has the power of being in herself as having become more comfortable in communication to "rock this world". She will have all stereo-types of one who is autistic changed dramatically, as did Dr. Grandin.

In my opinion, part of the problem in the recognition to the struggles of one on the spectrum, is that what normal (average) people would consider tragic or difficult is overcome more easily than the average person. They are often clear and concrete devastating situations. It's the sensory and social issues that are tragic or difficult, for they are not clear and concrete.

Very much the opposite of the normal (average) person. It's only considered entertainment to display the "dirty laundry", like what appears to be a higher instance of physical and sexual abuse and rape among those who are socially vulnerable, regardless of intellect. It appears it might be equally among males and females on the spectrum. That's what the public wants to hear about.

LadyBug

I was unable to edit this post, therefore I am replying to myself.

This I describe about can be considered emotional abuse for one on the spectrum. It is debatable which is the lesser of 2 evils, emotional abuse of phyisical/sexual abuse. One is prolonged abuse, the other is over and done with rather quickly. Sometimes thay are both done in symphony to breakdown the person.

Now, many average people have accused those on the spectrum to be emotionally abusive toward them in the literal and brash delivery of their words. Thus, the spectrum person can end up in some difficult situations of which they don't have the social and communicative skills to defend themselves. Often they self implicate through learned scripted words and descriptions of behaviors observed in others.

I strongly believe in mentorship, job coach, or a translator as one would do for a person who speaks another language. It is very much different from what children are provided in school having an aide. It appears the aide is there to explain to the spectrum child, but is often unable to translate, or tease out intentions completely.

LadyBug

I did not see this episode but will try to see it when it airs here in France.
Here, one TV show (fiction) has featured an Asperger boy.
It was in "L'Instit", a popular show that has existed for a decade. The show is about a primary school teacher who goes from school to school when the teacher in charge can not teach his/her students. In the episode "Adrien", he was in a school where he was surprised by the fact that 10-year-old Adrien Danville was not there on the first day. He decided to ask his parents why the child was not at school, and learned that he had been sent home by the former teacher because of his behavior in the classroom. Adrien has Asperger's Syndrome. The teacher decides to let him go to school and help him.
Adrien had an incredible, encyclopedic memory, an IQ of 140, could not manage his feelings, avoided eye contact, hated being touched, did not understand metaphors, had sensory issues.
This show was rather good, although a little stereotyped sometimes (Adrien ended up being a good student, appreciated by all the students in his class who convinced the director to let him come back, and all the students in the class have a computer - since Adrien needed one).

Loy

I am speaking, LadyBug, of autistics who are inspiring to others because they have risen to the challenge to face adversity head-on and make their lives better despite so many difficulties like social ones. Who is the one you speak of who joined Temple Grandin?

As for Autistics, Temple Grandin is really inspiring... we need more!! ! MORE!! ! [/quote]

What about Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokemon, or Steven Speilberg? Also, Albert Einstein.

In most shows dealing with an Aspie character. The character is usually, very textbook Aspie. They'll get the obsessions right, I'm suprised they picked up on the sensory issues. Usually the character I've seen, ends up being more OCD then Aspie. I'm speaking of the Aspie characters who have been on Law & Order, outside of Vincent D'nofrio's character, who has been perceived by some to be Aspie.

It's the typical typecasting of characters one sees, when a new subculture or type of person, is brought into the media. So it's like, we're being recognized now. It's the first step, the next is waiting to see if we'll be recognized authentically. Sadly though, alot of overweight women are still waiting on this. So I wouldn't hold my breath.

What about Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokemon, or Steven Speilberg? Also, Albert Einstein.[/quote]

Well, it's not 100% that Einstein was autistic, even though most of us feel he was.

Wait...in your reply to LadyBug you said you were talking about positive autistic role models, so I got really confused. Are you saying that Donald Trump and JK Rowling are Aspies? I've heard people say Stephen King is, and William Hung probably is, but I'd never heard this about Rowling and Trump. I know J.K. Rowling had a difficult life, being a single mom and so on, but I never knew she was also autistic.

Spock could make a microwave oven out Data in about 60 seconds with his Vulcan
death grip and set of torx drivers.

I can't believe that either!