proud to have asperger's?

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Neither pride nor shame, just curiosity.
I am currently proud to be an emu egg though.

One interesting thought here concerns the debate that some say they are not proud of Asperger's because they were born with it, and therefore it wasn't something they accomplished.

But let's think of this. Asperger's has the potential to give us gifts---talents, skills, special intense interests, etc. If we develop those talents, skills, interests, etc. that Asperger's gave us---then there is something that was accomplished to be proud of that came from Asperger's.

Many people consider Einstein to have been autistic. Einstein's brilliance came from his "different" way of thinking. He developed theories that changed the world. That was a brilliant accomplishment---an accomplishment brought forth by his special brain---possibly and autistic one. Had he not developed his theories---then all would have been different.

Pride isn't a bad thing to have (there are two types of pride). The pride I speak of is the one that says one is satisfied with what they have done in life---therefore who they are. There is nothing wrong (IMO) with being satisfied with one's accomplishments in life---therefore the good pride. And with me, my musical talent came from my special intense interest with the contraptions on electronic organs and synthesizers---brought about by autism.

I do not see why anyone can have pride in a pathological label. I have HFA but I do not often think about it. I do not have insecurity with who and how I am. When I do I feel like rejecting the label absent of social services I receive because of the classification. In the case of Asperger's which is similar without the speech delay I do not see why anyone is proud of a doctor who named it which is the origination of the label and perpetual awareness of it in his name.

Good for the doctor he created a label but being proud of a pathological term does not make sense to me. Being happy, content and reasonable with who and how you are is not so much about pride that is needed for self-acceptance but an indifference and lack of insecurity in self-image and idea. It seems to me in this collective social interest derived of a pathological term thus finding one another by means of this there is this peer based need to re-define the label as something other then a label which it is such as it not being a disease when in pathological terms it is just how pathology frames these ideas and is in spite of this insecurity with self-image.

I find it to be an entire waste of time which only leads to demands of political correctness which may evade the need to see ASD as something serious people with it need help with the more disabling the condition is for someone. It is a risky public relations manifestation. All for the need to feel good about oneself when if thought about the label taken to seriously by an individual seems to be the source and when the label is more obvious in an individuals such as classic autism this need to redefine the label does not seem personally as relevant to individuals with it.

I do not see why people call themselves a pathological label such as "autistic". To me this is kind of degrading. Some of these same people do not like people first language either which to me when they find stigma insulting why even publicly or privatively relate and or affiliate in life with a label when not needed. Does a person born with seizures ask to be called an epic?

People without autism can be brilliant, dedicated to their focuses and so on. So called "normal" people do not refer to themselves as a label. It is interesting that at times everything of someone with autism is considered the autism and not the normal many people share in spite of difficulties. The idea is to overcome barriers I'd think.

I see Asperger's (label or not---we have to call this difference something) as a special condition that allows the potential to achieve wonderful things. Asperger's to me is a tool that needs to be understood. It has challenges, but the potentials can be incredible. And once this tool is understood and used---amazing things can happen. And we that use this tool in this way have every right to be proud of what we accomplish with this tool. We as human beings need to feel good about ourselves, and if having pride accomplishes this---then have pride. Life is too short not to feel good.

Before I was officially diagnosed with Asperger's in 2008, I was quite unsettled with who I was. I had some bad times. I was often unhappy. Then I got diagnosed and learned I had Asperger's. I researched this unusual condition and learned how it worked. Now that I better know who I am, I have been able to receive some therapy and learn how to work with Asperger's. I have progressed my talent savant music skills to launch a music ministry that has been successful. I have been able to further my novel writing that I had previously procrastinated by linking it to my special intense interests. I have learned to focus less attention on the negatives and more on the positives. I have learned there is a reason for my eccentricities, and that I am not alone in this world because of my unusual ways. And at this point in my life (and I know things can change) I am much more settled and happy. I am accomplishing things. Before my diagnosis, I was unable to get anything I had written published on a national level. After my diagnosis, and learning how this condition operates in me, I have been able to get three pieces of writing published on a national/world level. Yes, I am proud of that. I have a right to be proud of that. Asperger's allowed me my talents. So therefore I am proud of this label. I am proud in a good way---being satisfied and pleased with what I do with Asperger's. It is not the pride where one looks down on others---it is pride that "I am now satisified to say I am content with myself." For me, I am proud to be a part of the autistic community. I am proud to say (when the circumstances are right to do so) that I have Asperger's. I am not an elitist. I am merely satisfied to belong to a group of different people that I respect.

So to powder puff the label helps self-esteem in a group therapy and dynamic sense. Well I don't think anything is wrong with that. Keep the A.S label but with regards to Autism it ranges from profound to mild in the disability sense.

Yes, I am well aware of the range from mild to severe. I am a gifted intervention specialist that works with many types of individuals---I have been serving children's needs in a public school system for the past 23 years.

Good. Tell me about intervention and the specialty please.

You can read all about that on the OAGC website for Ohio. Although it deals primarily with gifted IQ 126 and up, many of us in the gifted field also have training in dealing with twice gifted which includes those children with autism.

So the idea is to view autism as a gift?

Can you tell me about how this is good and the potential bad?

Hoagies is also a good website to learn about dealing with the twice gifted. Yes, autism is considered as a gift by many---including myself.

The Good.

Autism Gift:

1. Self-esteem.
2. Confidence.
3. Positive outcomes.

The Bad.

Autism Gift:

1. Public does not take it seriously when people with autism need help.
2. Accommodations in workplace and educational environments are not provided as readily.
3. Early interventions are not politically taken as seriously helping with improved outcomes as a priority in fundability.

The Subjective Facts:

Each individual circumstance and trend of need govern the moderate views of autism. Facts do not consider political correctness just as 1+1=2 does not change simply because someone does not like it. The label being so broad some aspects apply more then others to each subjective individual. Special interest can have allot of investment into not taking autism seriously especially politically and what might seem like a good move for self-esteem can backfire such as a lack of priority for social service funding resulting in reduced quality of life, isolation, poor outcomes and neglect.

This article called "Temple Grandin: Why autism is a gift" from CNN Opinion March 1, 2010 is how I view autism in me.

Temple Grandin sees her autism as a gift, not a disability.

The professor at Colorado State University, who has become a prominent animal rights activist, spoke at the recent TED Conference in California about how people's brains work in different ways -- and how that's something that should be appreciated, not stigmatized.

Grandin, for instance, thinks in pictures, "like Google for images," she said.

She also grabs hold of details, a brain function she feels could help politicians.

"I get satisfaction out of seeing stuff that makes real change in the real world," she said. "We need a lot more of that and a lot less abstract stuff."

After being diagnosed with Asperger's in 2008 I have no longer focused so much on my social awkwardness and other challenges. I now know why I am the way I am. Asperger's is not like many other conditions that do not seem to have positives. Asperger's way of thinking allows for differences in thinking through special intense interests, attention to detail, etc. that allow for positives to surface. I focus more on the positives, and that has made a huge difference in my life. I am now relaxed and much happier. I am progressing better with my projects---such as two novels, short stories, and poetry. My music has grown as well as I have been able to launch a successful music ministry on various musical instruments. All of this has grown because I have come to terms with who I am after learning I have Asperger's.

Since we are all individuals on this earth, I can truly only speak for myself. If I were to be born again I would wish to be born with Asperger's. I enjoy life, and Asperger's has made my life fun (despite its challenges). Asperger's made me obsessively interested in things like roller coasters so that I instantly memorized the statistics of every roller coaster in North America by the time I was in high school. And because of my talent savant skills, I am able to play any musical instrument I become obsessively fascinated with without lessons and in little time. I now combine my interests together when I write creatively. Since being diagnosed with Asperger's, I have gotten some material published on the topic of autism.

I believe many people with Asperger's have special intense interests. I believe most people with Asperger's have gifts---whether they have discovered them or not. The key is to find those interests and gifts and learn to use them to create gifts.

Rhetoric Filter

Yes I know about the Temple Grandin. She would have many people believe they have a bit of autism at least so others would relate. Was it her that said a world without autism would be something like "a bad thing" in an interview. This ties into the abortion politics (a bias) and choice treatment politics for the development of cures said as treatments (another bias). I've paid special attention to some of her philosophies and she typically stays clear of direct controversy. I believe she is very smart and very famous. However not everyone despite trying to relate with her thought process is a clone of her or going to have as good of outcomes. She has a great amount of wealth from her autism popularity and is not in need of government funded social services it would seem unlike many with autism I know.

The self-esteem politics to redefine autism is in some circumstances a political tactic to re-enforce positive outcomes reducing government costations. However in spite of this reasonable psychosocial strategy in the macro a balance is needed ethically. Notice how those with more severe disabilities are not interviewed, made popular and those who wish to portray the difficulties at times are pushed out of advocacy groups and in politics to the point it is autism is a tragedy vs. pride advocate extremes governing the major macro-sphere.

I strongly believe this will balance out and the truth will be made clear. The humble truth and the humility of those who say the truth should be protected for fairness. Understanding why it is extremes exist in root in the first place I believe is also important. We can conclude autism is a difference ultimately and it is the world which is impaired enough not to make enough room and understanding to include. Legally however autism is a disability and attempts to redefine the legality of this is suspect especially from rich people that pay taxes.

Sensibility, balance and facts.

We all have our own personal opinions. I am sticking behind mine. I personally admire Temple Grandin greatly.

If opinions avoid truth and the debate to discover fact then it is simply opinion and belief.

A governing socio-political dynamic exists.

1. Abortion prevention.
2. Self-esteem enrichment.

Ultimately the truth as fact cannot be demoted ethically due to political correctness even if unpopular. Truth exist despite stubbornness, politics (directly and indirectly) and propaganda. Rhetoric is not about the truth but points of view. Fact is indifferent, not selective for social bias and just is.