Susan Greenfield. UK - Negative attitude to AS ?

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Susan Greenfield ( Baroness) is suggesting that the internet is creating AS in individuals who have little or no genetic, or other environmental predisposition to being AS . In crude terms neurotrypicals ( as she defines herself , not an insult) brain plasticity is morphing to resemble our own.

This is an interesting question , and we can debate the change and its effects .The question I am asking is should she be allowed to use and describe AS as a negative thing to measure the process of neural evolution.

What do you think?


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... f-comments

If this is a negative attitude , how can we change it.

Please pass this to other forums.

Last edited by memesplice on 15 Aug 2011, 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yes. She may have enough political influence to eventually have AS legally declared as as full-blown disability with all the protections and benefits that other disabled persons receive.

We don't. Instead, we could get behind this and work it to our advantage.

Spamming and cross-posting are not allowed.

I am not disabled.

Yes laze around and do nothing. That will surely make our lives so much better. Newsflash. We have been doing it for the last twenty years and it has only made our lives worse.
Telling other forums on the internet about this is not spamming. Get a grip.

Fnord- That is another way of looking at it. Hmm, the negative label is the bit that bothers me, is there any way this could be removed and disability rights developed ?

Join the Guardian debate?- we need another voice, I just got a bit radical at the continual message in the media that AS is negative one, and it bothers me how this impacts onto kids growing up over here - its like a casual putting down all the time- not good for a child or adult's self esteem.

Gedrene also will you join for debate, there is one AS guy in the whole place and he's genuinely OK but into his own thing.

Fair enough ... although many Aspies feel otherwise about themselves.

I did not say "Laze around and do nothing"; YOU did. I said "get behind it and work it to our advantage". Such advantages would include being covered under anti-discrimination laws for the disabled.

You get your own grip. A website (such as this one) has many forums in it, and each forum has many threads. This is common knowledge, and I suggest that you get up to speed with it.

Is there any way to communicate this message without spamming?

I don't like spam myself btw.

Yet you actively support me gettingdisability support nevermind the possibility that since I am not disabled, people with AS aren't.


Excellent deduction. Fantastic job. I said what I said. Maybe you don't understand but what you are saying has negative implications.

But if we aren't disabled then isn't what we are receiving unnecessary help? Also just throwing money at a problem doesn't fix it. Or do you forget that people have actually tried this 'they need help' rubbish and failed spectacularly to even pin down what exactly we need help with.


This has nothiong to do with the original point you made. At most it is tangential. Putting this topic on to another forum like aspies for freedom isn't wrong.

Of course! Post just ONE copy of this message to each relevant social website related to AS and ASDs.

One of the issues I referred to is this article (link): "Boy 'Not Disabled Enough' to Receive Tax Credit".

The article describes that a the parents of child with AS can not get tax credit for his care because AS is not considered enough of a disability in Canada to allow such a credit.

If AS were listed as a disability, we could not only get tax credits, but legal protection in employment, education, housing, and medical care.

I don't need credits because I am not worse than other people. Quit living in a psychological ghetto. Unless you just want support without proof you are actually worse than other people.

Are you saying that because you don't believe that you are disabled for having AS, that no one else should either? That's selfish.

Like what?

If you are not disabled, then this topic does not apply to you. Instead of denying other people's right to receive assistance, why don't you go find another battle to fight? Besides, who are you to say that AS is not disabling for some? It certainly seems to have made you contentious.

I did not say that it was. I said that posting in another forum is wrong; posting on another website is not. WrongPlanet and Aspies For Freedom are WEBSITES, not forums. Websites contains forums, and most websites also have rules against posting the same message in more than one forum one the same website.

Now you're just arguing for the sake of arguing. Support without proof is the worst form of entitlement abuse.

Why don't you want others to get the assistance they need? Why do you want others to be just as miserable as you? Why don't you care about those for whom AS is a living nightmare?

We want rights but I think part of that nightmare for some is attitudes, and I am taking issue with someone being able to broadcast in a respectable news forum that autism is a negative - this can be separated from other issue of the disability rights.

Good point.

However, the word "disability" is a legal term, in that the law uses this word to define certain medical, physical, or psychological conditions that do receive anti-discrimination protection under those very same laws. It would therefore be extremely difficult - if not impossible - to gain legal protection against discrimination without stating that AS and ASDs are disabilities.

I and many others would greatly benefit from such legal protection, since (as you well know) once people learn you have AS, they treat you in many unpleasant ways.

I have to be honest - I do not know to what extent AS is legally regarded as disability in the country. I can work so I have never regarded mine as disability and for myself I would reject the label

Of course, I do recognize there is a need for disability recognition and many AS require protection in all areas of life.

The only thing that disables me is the mild effects of other peoples attitudes sometimes, like casual racism I suppose.

If this effects me like this I can imagine the hurt it causes to some not able to fight back, (or resolve thoughtfully) , and who take it on board.

I will look into parameters of diagnostic inclusion here .

I waived my right to preferential hiring due to my physical disabilities by simply not mentioning them to my present employer. It's been over 12 years now, and I still work here, and some people treat me badly even though they don't know about my disabilities.

There are just some people that treat others badly, regardless of ability.