Note: I posted this in GAD instead of PPR because I think that this is more related to autism than politics.
Some journalism students in Singapore were selected to go on a school trip to North Korea to hone their journalism skills, so the newspaper published their reports and reflections. When I read their writings, I thought that their experiences in North Korea reminded me of my experiences as an Aspie in a predominantly Neurotypical world.
When we visited kindergartens and primary schools, we were greeted by cheering students who ran towards us and grabbed our hands. I saw a look of panic across a girl's face when she realized she did not have anyone's hand to hold. It was as though she had failed to complete a task. It was then I realized these young children had been unknowingly inducted into the adults' routines of false impressions. (When NTs act friendly, they might do so merely because societal norms compel them to show friendliness, not because they are genuinely in the mood to act friendly.)
As a journalist in training, my first instinct is to ask questions, to get to the bottom of things. But that can be a futile effort in North Korea where sweeping statements and evasive responses are the order of the day. And that is if the officials bother to answer my questions at all. (Most NTs entertain my questions, but some NTs ought to have the courage to confess that they don't have the answer to every question instead of asking me to go figure out the answers on my own, or worse still, ask me, "Why are you asking the obvious?")
Of course, sometimes we have no choice but to hear things we did not necessarily want to hear. And when we received such snippets of information, I would suddenly miss the ability to filter content as and when I wanted. (So... NTs are less likely to be affected by sensory overload because of their innate ability to filter unwanted details out.)
They performed so effortlessly and professionally, it seemed as if they had been doing it all their lives. (Please replace "performed" with "socialized".)
The children seemed to understand exactly what was expected of them and they played their roles to perfection. (Is the Theory of Mind at work here?)
24 Dec 2011, 1:02 am
