a plan to destroy autism speaks

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1. What do you define as "basic mental abilities"?

2. Why do you get to define whether or not someone's life is bearable?

3. Who decides what humans are meant to do? Is there some master plan that you are privy to and I am not?

1. Motor skills/coordination. Sufficient short-term memory. Self-care skills. Doing errands. Knowing how to do things at home and how to drive. Ability to understand language and express oneself with it. Ability to interact with others. Ability to learn from instructions and apply them accordingly, thereby learning skills. Things like that.

2. It's obvious when someone's life is unbearable. Many out there are suffering. If they were alright, they wouldn't be trying to succeed.

3. Individuals who aren't coerced or exploited by others or by scarcity, in cooperation with other free individuals. Many would think that is natural. I don't think there is a master plan really. But it seems some groups are currently deciding the way things are now. Not necessarily with the consent of others though.

Who are you talking about, even ignoring Einstein and Newton? I was talking about Bill Gates, who has already donated billions to all kinds of health research, development and who has still lived for years in his appartment after he got married. 'Stealing' something here and there doesn't make him an ass, it made Microsoft and a lot of its technology possible.
I have yet to see a 'non-ass' controlling a company without stealing anything.
This is unlikely but if you just said this because you hate(d) Windows, keep in mind that Gates has already lost the rudder over Windows (and actually Microsoft) a while ago.

Bill Gates and about 100 million other members of society have at least 1 trait of autism per research in in the US and Sweden. There is the likelyhood that Bill Gates is among those 100 million people, but no evidence that his symptoms together impair him in an important area of life functioning, a mandatory requirement, rising to the level of an actual diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome.

Moreover, he is living and has made no indication that he has any disorder. The only famous person that has indicated that they have may have an actual diagnosis is Dan Akroyd, and it is questionable if he was serious, on the radio show years ago, where he made that statement.

Suggesting it is possible to eliminate autistic traits from the population through any means is like suggesting it is possible to eliminate shy people from the population through any means. It's never going to happen, regardless of what prenatal test is available. Autistic like traits are seen throughout the animal kindgom in social animals. And there is the potential that prenatal environmental influences such as hormonal influences trigger autistic traits along with genetic influence, as well as a myriad of other potential environmental factors.

As far as I know there are no diagnosed individuals with Aspergers running large companies, and there is good reason for it, it is a disabling disorder that limits one in an important area of life functioning. It's highly unlike that a diagnosed individual with an actual disorder in social/communication would be up to that task.

However, there are definitely individuals with traits of autism that don't likely meet the criteria for an actual disorder, that run large companies, particularly those associated with systemization. Steve Jobs, Zuckerberg, along with many other CEO's in tech industries likely fit into this category, known for their propensity as intellectual bullies whether intentional or not, in the workplace, because they don't show much awareness of the impact of their behavior on others. It's a problem for others, but it doesn't stop them from being successful.

Autism Speaks Vice president has a young adult son with autism, he more than likely has at least one autistic trait himself. Potentially the founder of the organization as well with a grandson with regressive autism.

Autistic traits are everywhere one looks in society. They are never going to go away in the human species as long as the species exists.

1 in 3 women have had an abortion by the time they are 45.

That's not reducing the reported number of diagnosed autistic individuals in the population, even with current genetic counseling, that suggests the potential of aborting male foetuses, when there is a strong family history of autism, to reduce the potential of having an autistic child. If the number of women in the US start to exceed the number of men significantly more than they do now, one might consider the potential it's having a significant impact.

But it's not going to result in an additional 1 out of 3 pregnancies ending in abortion. It's currently at 22% that would put it at over 1 out of 2 pregnancies ending in abortions. A good portion of the country will not consider an abortion, or take a prenatal test, unless a potentially life threatening condition is present. That's not going to change as long as there is religious influence in the US. And Autism Speaks, is not going to have a significant impact on whether or not a prenatal test is developed, there are many other organizations working on this issue, that have no relationship with autism.

If one is concerned that potentially disabled individuals determined through prenatal tests are going to be aborted, the only answer is to protest Roe vs. Wade, but legal abortion throughout the world is a standard, per the World health Organization, to reduce human suffering, that would definitely be incurred through illegal abortions if legal abortions were not available. As is the case in the few countries where it is still illegal or the many countries were access and availability to legal abortions are sparce.

It's not likely we will see the achievements of another Einstein, Newton, Beethoven, or Mozart in modern culture. Culture has not been conducive to the type of patience and focus required for that type of creativity, for quite some time. If Einstein had been born today, he might not have ever left the grips of a videogame or pornography or Google, long enough to involve himself in the type of deep abstract original creative thinking over the course of years, that provided amazing theories, that no one had imagined before him.

Approximations of those creative efforts yes, but lifetime achievements equaling those historic efforts, not likely. There is so much other information available it's almost impossible not to duplicate someone elses efforts, or get lost in a niche somewhere leading to nowhere, that videogames and pornography provide.

And it's not likley many are going to be convinced to turn it off, and focus on something else.

Elvis will likely be remembered 50 years from now, as he was remembered 50 years ago. Lady Gaga is the most well known recording artist living today. Not likely many are going to be listening to her music 50 years from now, or even remember her name. That one of kind quality that sets an artist from the rest of the pack, is lost in a sea of duplications.

And by the way, Elvis and Lady Gaga, both likely have/had at least one autistic like trait, if it is only an RRB. Along with more than a few Hunters, Nascar fans, football fans, and evangelical Christians. Again, Autistic Traits are everywhere one looks in society, and often in places where one might not expect to find them. Such as Politicians and CEO's.

It's part of the reason we have over 2000 charitable organizations associated with Autism, in the US, and 340 thousand volunteers for just one of those organizations, Autism Speaks, people can relate to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, on many levels, some very personal.

These folks care, and there is nothing that is going to stop most of them from caring. It's the last thing many of them are going to want to hear a complaint about, in their busy lives, with much more important concerns than conpiracy theories about autism speaks, one of the highest respected charitable organizations in the US, per their supporters.

Lots of others likely deserve credit for what is out there today, besides that guy. Anti-competitive practices aren't something to just overlook, if he was doing something like "stealing" to make his products.

Interesting. We will see.......

TheSunAlsoRises

Under those definitions I don't have all of the "basic mental abilities". My life is certainly bearable, and I don't want to be "cured". I'm certainly disabled, but being disabled isn't something that makes me feel like I'm lesser or that my life is unbearable. I just have different needs than others.

So, no, I have to disagree. If you want a cure to exist for those who choose themselves to be cured, sure, but those skills are not required to have a "bearable" life or a happy, enjoyable life. I'd disagree that its obvious when someone's life is unbearable. I have no reason to think that others will be happy in the same situations I'd be happy in or unhappy in the same situations I'd be unhappy in (even if it did take me quite a while to realize that people weren't faking having different preferences than I did).

I'm not against a "cure" existing, and people who want to be "cured", having that happen to them. I am against someone saying that its obvious that someone is unhappy, and curing people against their will, just because they can't do everything others expect. I am against the idea that if you're not neurotypical, you're wrong. I'm disabled, I'm not wrong.

In terms of looking for a "cure", I'm mostly against it, in that I feel its currently wasting money looking for it instead of putting the money towards helping autistic people live with their disabilities - those who are verbal, those who are non-verbal, those with high IQs, those with low IQs, those who need minimal support, and those who need a full time careworker. Help shouldn't be limited to only some of us, and the money that is being spent searching for a cure, in my opinion, would be better used on helping us than trying to change us.

this entire thread is a farce,no seems to understand there own arguements

OK, for those against a cure, if there ever could be a cure for autism. Go to YouTube and watch those videos that the lady puts up of her son who is low functioning. He has to be restrained and wear a helmet just to keep him from hurting himself. Look at his situation and ask yourself if you had a "magic pill" to give him to help him function better, communicate, etc, would you not give it to him?

If you wouldn't, then you are too cruel for words.

Everybody has a different perspective(on this subject matter) which speaks volumes on the diversity THAT exists in the Autism community. From opinions on Autism Speaks to a cure for Autism, it shows THAT it's NOT wise to make assumptions for everyone.

This is a good thing......

TheSunAlsoRises

You do realize that mental retardation and Autism are not one and the same strictly speaking. Some low functioning Autistics have mental retardation as a co-morbid state. If it were a persistent link to Autism than there would no such thing as high functioning Autistics at all.

So what you'd be actually suggesting is a magic pill to cure mental retardation. I wouldn't object to that because the end result would be a high functioning autistic that can learn to cope and function reasonably well in society. I only object to the notion that people feel that social awkwardness and eccentricities need to be cured to conform to a status quo.

If you're not against a cure existing, you should agree to not interfere with the designing of a cure for those who want one, by not trying to prevent Autism Speaks and the IACC from starting the research into cure.

I dunno, on the flipside I look at the SN class my son is in, there are 11 kids in there and 2 trained teachers and 7 teacher aides..probably enough resources to provide for around 120 normal kids. And down the track when my son is older and perhaps in shared care, the govt will house him and have helpers for him, he will not work or contribute. That will be for the next say 55 years. Life-long including not being able to work, he might cost the taxpayer in the order of 10 million dollars? I don't consider that a burden as that's what society is for; to look after each other, BUT when you multiply those costs out by all the other people needing that level of support..it starts to get up there, and maybe then that wasted money is not so wasted, assuming something comes of it which I personally think will happen myself, a matter of not if but when.

i have a plan:

I tend to think the whole co-morbids are just the ways and degree to which the underlying mechanism presents itself.
I think AS and HFA are just less affected by the same thing that LFA people with functional MR are more affected by.

I'm new to this Asperger's thing.

I might even create a thread about it later...

But I find this elitism of people with Asperger's very distasteful. This group resent that there is a movement trying to cure autism, because autism is "not a disability", it's "cool"... even "trendy" (just some things I've read).

Good, you're free to feel that way.

Guess what? I don't. I'm autistic, I have a dx, and I'd LOVE a cure. I have a life, I'm an accomplished academic, but my life is misery.

So... don't speak in my name please.
I dare say other autistic people think alike, but I won't speak in anybody else's name.