‘Today Show’ article about “Autism Wars”
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,483
Location: Long Island, New York
09 Feb 2023, 1:28 pm
Dengashinobi wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
Dengashinobi wrote:
I don't understand what is this fixation with language activism. Especially activism that interferes with scientific research. It's truly an Orwellian world this one we are living in. How control of language controls our ability to address reality. If you stop calling it a mental illness then it stops being treated as a mental illness. It is what it is though. We are not normal in the sense that we struggle to survive. Those who claim they are just different I bet you they come from privileged backgrounds. For the rest of us life with autism can be hell on earth. Not to mention those with intellectual disabilities and their families.
This has changed a lot since this ok boomer grew up when pretty much all the adults in my life said “Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never harm you”. That was not quite correct. If bad inaccurate words about autism are repeated often enough autistics are going to be hurt. The problem is we have gone to the other extreme where people are allowing microagressions and what should be trivial slights to cause them to develop PTSD. I am not talking about a person who has been repeatedly abused and what normally would be a trivial slight triggers PTSD.
I read the article that you posted and I see some commonalities with other topics of scientific research where SJ is involved. I recently had a prolonged debate with several people on the topic of gender dysphoria. The common features between the ND and transgender activism are: 1. outrage regarding the general approach towards the respective mental illness. Is it a disease or is it the fault of the society that is not accommodating otherwise normal people. Should we even try to cure or treat it. Is it an issue at all?; 2. Debate over the language used, the belief that language can change cultural attitudes; 3. Targeting the researches, organizations and professionals; 4. Professionals avoiding research on the topic in order to avoid heat and possible damage to their carears; 5. The specific field of research becomes stagnant, which is damaging to the people that it would otherwise help.
In my opinion, we should leave researchers do their job without politics involved.
These tribal attitudes have infected not just autism and gender dysphoria research but most areas of life.
10 years ago the debate was completely informed by the medical model. Reading their articles it was obvious these researchers were clueless about the autistic experiences. Autistic input was desperately needed. The problem is the type of input the Autism Justice Warrior wing of the Neurodiversity movement is providing. Yelling, canceling, bullying, censoring. Unfortunately they are the loudest so they get listened to. When more “moderate” people object warning of harm from an inevitable backlash the AJW’s will respond “Progress is inevitable, those that urge caution are worse then those that openly object because they give credence to the evil people and delay the inevitable. Just wait, our opponents and you will praising as moderate things you call too radical now as you try and fail again to hold onto the next thing progress will inevitably destroy”. There are a few problems with this.
1. Not all progress is good
2. Progress in inevitable but not everything touted as progress is.
3. A lot of progress is good and most of it is caused by loud people that say “f**k caution”. Problem is while ASW’s celebrate owning the “curabees” the avoidable harm done to their fellow autistics during the backlash is forgotten collateral damage from a victory that would happened with a less arrogant approach.
One other thing. As a small minority we are the last people that should advocating for censorship. If the tide turns the censorship we made acceptable will be a very bad thing.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
09 Feb 2023, 1:46 pm
ASPartOfMe wrote:
Dengashinobi wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
Dengashinobi wrote:
I don't understand what is this fixation with language activism. Especially activism that interferes with scientific research. It's truly an Orwellian world this one we are living in. How control of language controls our ability to address reality. If you stop calling it a mental illness then it stops being treated as a mental illness. It is what it is though. We are not normal in the sense that we struggle to survive. Those who claim they are just different I bet you they come from privileged backgrounds. For the rest of us life with autism can be hell on earth. Not to mention those with intellectual disabilities and their families.
This has changed a lot since this ok boomer grew up when pretty much all the adults in my life said “Sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never harm you”. That was not quite correct. If bad inaccurate words about autism are repeated often enough autistics are going to be hurt. The problem is we have gone to the other extreme where people are allowing microagressions and what should be trivial slights to cause them to develop PTSD. I am not talking about a person who has been repeatedly abused and what normally would be a trivial slight triggers PTSD.
I read the article that you posted and I see some commonalities with other topics of scientific research where SJ is involved. I recently had a prolonged debate with several people on the topic of gender dysphoria. The common features between the ND and transgender activism are: 1. outrage regarding the general approach towards the respective mental illness. Is it a disease or is it the fault of the society that is not accommodating otherwise normal people. Should we even try to cure or treat it. Is it an issue at all?; 2. Debate over the language used, the belief that language can change cultural attitudes; 3. Targeting the researches, organizations and professionals; 4. Professionals avoiding research on the topic in order to avoid heat and possible damage to their carears; 5. The specific field of research becomes stagnant, which is damaging to the people that it would otherwise help.
In my opinion, we should leave researchers do their job without politics involved.
These tribal attitudes have infected not just autism and gender dysphoria research but most areas of life.
10 years ago the debate was completely informed by the medical model. Reading their articles it was obvious these researchers were clueless about the autistic experiences. Autistic input was desperately needed. The problem is the type of input the Autism Justice Warrior wing of the Neurodiversity movement is providing. Yelling, canceling, bullying, censoring. Unfortunately they are the loudest so they get listened to. When more “moderate” people object warning of harm from an inevitable backlash the AJW’s will respond “Progress is inevitable, those that urge caution are worse then those that openly object because they give credence to the evil people and delay the inevitable. Just wait, our opponents and you will praising as moderate things you call too radical now as you try and fail again to hold onto the next thing progress will inevitably destroy”. There are a few problems with this.
1. Not all progress is good
2. Progress in inevitable but not everything touted as progress is.
3. A lot of progress is good and most of it is caused by loud people that say “f**k caution”. Problem is while ASW’s celebrate owning the “curabees” the avoidable harm done to their fellow autistics during the backlash is forgotten collateral damage from a victory that would happened with a less arrogant approach.
One other thing. As a small minority we are the last people that should advocating for censorship. If the tide turns the censorship we made acceptable will be a very bad thing.
Yeap, beautifully said. I don't think I have anything more to add to that.
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