Learning how to act to become more "humanlike"

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My current job is involves public speaking. My problem, is like with most PDDs, i have a monotonic voice. I have little to no emotion in my voice, and therefore every lecture ill ever give out will never really capture the attention of the aduience. Therfore, i thought about how could i learn to spice my tone with emotion, and it suddenly came to me - Acting!

I am amazed by the way actors can cry, laugh, or create any kind of expression by sheer power of will! Great actors are great emotion makers. Therefore, learning acting is learning emotion, i.e. the solution to my problem!

What do you think?

Yes, absolutely. Your idea is a very good one. In fact there are classes specifically for actors to develop their vocal abilities - for many actors, especially theatre actors and of course those who work in the radio and audiobooks, the vocal acting is the most important part, since the audience can't see their face and body gestures close up like they can a TV actor. You would probably really benefit from this.

While I haven't taken any classes, I have the same problem and I am currently working through a book called "The Right to Speak" by Patsy Rodenburg (a famous vocal coach for theatre actors and singers). It is amazingly good, includes clear descriptions and exercises, and is probably just what you are looking for at the moment - and it might help to clarify things for you and see if these things help you before you commit to things like acting classes.

Good luck with it .

I object to your talk of becoming more humanlike. You are just as human as any NT. You don't need to become human, you already are human.

I'm 46 years old and just now got diagnosed because I learned well enough how to mask and sound like human. I'm a woman. The biggest lesson I have learned at an extraordinarily high price is that by masking WE ALL missed the signs and an entire life has been rather misplaced. It can hurt more to try to be like human (we are humans) than to try to show our broken sense of self. It is better for everyone around us to recognize and accept we aren't like they are....

Yes, I act all the time including when I speak publicly. I found smiling from time to time helps moderate my tone of voice and it usually puts in a positive undertone. I start by saying good morning or good afternoon with a smile. And then put in a few appropriate but sort of funny comments as I go along. It can be kind of risky, but usually goes ovr well. being trained as a counselor helps too. Explaining this makes me realize just how complicated my everyday life is. But then its not always as complicated in practice.

Since we're talking about what we object about, I object to other people acting like they have the right to edit the way someone asks a question. If someone is posting on here chances are they are in a position they need help with, not people nitpicking on how they word it. Have a little respect, people!

You answered your own question here. Become a better actor. Imitate the expressions of people and their manner of speech. Become a good mimic and you may pass on the superficial level. Get a good coach/director and you should increase the rate at which you achieve that. And after all, practice makes the master (practising in front of a mirror is a good start).
The one thing you will always have issues with is what to talk about. We have certain tendencies when conversing with other people.
Public speaking is a bit more complicated. Usually I don't focus on the members of the audience, unless I'm delivering a "punchline".
In general I try to keep a serene expression on my face interchangeably with somber and joyful (should cover your bases in most cases).
Keep practising and if you want to have some good social experience along with the learning one, take up some acting courses or better yet join a theatre company (local community, ethnic etc.)

The semantic argument about whether we're "human" or not is silly. That's for scientists (probably geneticists) to decide.

Personally, I say we're not. I do believe that sufficient differences exist to render us a separate species, or at least a separate subspecies.

Homo novus? Homo sapiens aspergensis? Homo sapiens autisticus? Homo sapiens neanderthalensis?

I really don't care. The only societal argument that's valid, in my opinion, is whether we are to be considered superior, equal, or inferior.

I'd vote for equal, 'cause I want to be equal. I want to be me and be a person too. I want to, metaphorically, sit where-ever on the bus I can find a seat, and stay sitting even if another sort of hominid gets on after me and has to stand.

Ain't seen no sign saying, "Welcome to Fair." Fair is a place you go to eat cotton candy and step in horse doings. Right is a direction you turn in.

Might makes right. Numbers make might.

We are, therefore, inferior. If we want to interact with Homo sapiens typicus, it is going to be in their world and on their terms. Period, end of story.

Yes, I think acting lessons are a great idea. I wish I'd taken them. I'd know how to act interested, act happy, act calm, act aroused, act satisfied, act normal. It would all be an act, but I imagine that a successful act would be more pleasant than an honest failure.

What a wonderfull range of human responses we are getting in the replies.

My previous conception of autistics as a group of cerebral and logically correct entities is being thrashed.

Bias, bigotry, cherry picking information, all are here and while less than other forums it shows the humanity of autistics.
Human is as human does. Acting is human, autistics just need more formal training at it.

Love this site, I learn every single day.

Acting takes energy that I don't have, not to mention I already have enough trouble trying to figure out who exactly I am and how to be comfortable with that....putting on an act all the time would probably make me feel even more lost and clueless as to what my identity is. Learning acting skills could certainly be helpful for your purposes though.

If an AS and an NT marry, they can have fertile children. Furthermore, AS have never formed a separate population - only a subsample of a larger NT population. What possible basis could you have for saying we aren't human? None of the arguments that biologists use to define separate species apply to NT versus AS.

Bias, bigotry, cherry picking, hypocrisy, faking it...this is what I love about humanity and being human in general. I love people, I learn every single day.

I'm not being sarcastic at all. The less you trust people, the more likely you are to accept their flaws, and the more likeable the whole lot becomes.

As for logic. An argument can be logically sound, and if the premise is wrong, completely useless. If the data is flawed, thinking "logically", especially if there's already confirmation bias, can be more damaging than making decisions purely from emotion.

I agree

The NTs can learn to be more like me, not vice versa!

I completely agree with the trust component. I became cynical to the point where all I see are scared children (implies constant posturing) no matter the real age, searching for the real meaning of life in the mess they live in (everyone is a "whore" for truth in the end, even if it scares the living s**t out of most people). I must admit that being fatherly to people in general is a lot of feel good fun.
They teach me sensitivity and I teach them reason and how it stems from passion.
Selfishly selfless

P.S. The real meaning of life is a bit of a joke. Simply live, experience and develop your own conclusions in life and it shall dawn on you eventually.

I'm working with an acting teacher in the Austin area. Very helpful for this. She really knows her stuff and makes me do exercises for vocal and facial muscles that aspies don't typically use. Also integrates posture and body language. Makes me wish I had done this much, much sooner.

I think people with Aspergers are split between those who want to fit in and hence strive to be as NT as possible and those that just want to be themselves and hence have a constant battle on their hands. I prefer to be in the latter category as I don't want to be just like everyone else - I'm me.

If a person has to put on an act to be accepted which is the real them? the act or the person they are trying to hide?