Tony Attwood on Greta Thunberg, Superpowers, mental illness

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Like I said in the other thread while the Autistic Superpowers meme is mainly a well intended counter to the Autism mentally ill and ret*d ideas, and in this case to counter the vicious attacks on a teenager by middle age adults, it is supremacist. Instead of saying autistics are not fully human in a negative way it is saying it in a positive way but it is still saying that. Autistic or not if you keep on telling kids the are special what do you think is going to happen?

It is much better to say we all have strengths and weakness and autistics have certain strengths that are useful so it is worth the effort to accommodate them. This enforces the truth that autistics are human.

I think the superpower meme has been used in Australian children's hospitals for paediatric children's wards with chronically ill patients. The general community find it cute seeing small children who are presented as little superheroes in costume (for the parents and doctors the children are heroes). It's also found some resonance for the disability community here in helping disabled children improve self-esteem when they isolated, excluded and ridiculed by their classmates.

I am aware there are plenty of bright Aspies who claim to be endowed with "mental powers". Got no problem with self-confidence. However not so keen on them putting down others in order to self promote themselves, that's an irritating and decidedly NT trait to feel superior by kicking people when they are down or less privileged.

In this respect Greta Thunberg (like temple Grandin) is a brilliant role model for young autistic kids