For those who think AS/autism isn't a disability

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2ukenkerl
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08 Feb 2008, 9:45 pm

nominalist wrote:

Thank you very much for that well-written, nuanced posting. I downloaded the article you recommended. So far, I have scanned it. I will read it more thoroughly later.

I have been trying to think of how to express this idea without offending anyone. Unfortunately, I have been unable to come up with a method, so I will just try to say it respectfully.

Perhaps I am wrong, but, speaking as a guy who will be 52 years old later this month, my impression is that most, if not all, of the people who post messages on "aspie superpowers" and the like are quite young. As I said before, given the constant bullying I experienced, I could imagine being attracted to the idea myself when I was a boy.

I don't even really know what you mean by "superpowers". The most fantastic things I have read were not attributed to ALL AS people, and some definitely DO have them. Still, I wouldn't call them "superpowers"

Most people here ARE young, but a number ARE 30+.

anbuend
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08 Feb 2008, 10:12 pm

nominalist wrote:

Perhaps I am wrong, but, speaking as a guy who will be 52 years old later this month, my impression is that most, if not all, of the people who post messages on "aspie superpowers" and the like are quite young. As I said before, given the constant bullying I experienced, I could imagine being attracted to the idea myself when I was a boy.

When I was interviewed along with another autistic person, we were asked about that particular set of views, and the other person (who's 50) did mention that it's mostly teenagers.

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nominalist
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08 Feb 2008, 10:21 pm

anbuend wrote:

When I was interviewed along with another autistic person, we were asked about that particular set of views, and the other person (who's 50) did mention that it's mostly teenagers.

Okay, then that is a good way to explain it. Without engaging in adultism, one could simply say something like, "Most teenagers, autistic or not, are trying to come to terms with their own identity. The "aspie superpower" idea appears to be a way in which these teens are trying to build up their self-esteem."

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nominalist
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08 Feb 2008, 10:31 pm

2ukenkerl wrote:

In the postings I have seen on WP, those who have claimed these aspie "superpowers" believe that they are superior to NTs - like the next stage in evolution.

2ukenkerl
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08 Feb 2008, 10:37 pm

nominalist wrote:

anbuend wrote:

When I was interviewed along with another autistic person, we were asked about that particular set of views, and the other person (who's 50) did mention that it's mostly teenagers.

Kind of ironic! I felt worst when I was like 13. The feelings I had about social problems were about identical to the fealings I had 20 years later when arthritis rendered me nearly an invalid!! !!

nominalist
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08 Feb 2008, 10:42 pm

2ukenkerl wrote:

Kind of ironic! I felt worst when I was like 13. The feelings I had about social problems were about identical to the fealings I had 20 years later when arthritis rendered me nearly an invalid!! !!

Sorry to hear about your arthritis. I have it, too, but, fortunately, I have almost no symptoms with the anti-inflammatory I take.

Danielismyname
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09 Feb 2008, 1:11 am

A lack of self-help skills, even in a "mild" form that those with Asperger's are supposed to have (it's only in childhood where one doesn't need age appropriate self-help skills for Asperger's; they neglect to mention in the diagnostic manual our big failure in adapting to the adult environment--we're still at the level of children in many ways), is one of the big reasons it's a disability.

We're good as "children", not so well as "adults".

Personally, my hunch is that those with Asperger's ("mild" autism) will improve as they become older, much like with autistic disorder (midlife onwards), since it's not as severe (Asperger's to autism), the improvement will be far more pronounced and "normal" in appearance.

2ukenkerl
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09 Feb 2008, 11:20 am

nominalist wrote:

2ukenkerl wrote:

In the postings I have seen on WP, those who have claimed these aspie "superpowers" believe that they are superior to NTs - like the next stage in evolution.

Well, the stereotypical aspie IS supposed to be much better in certain areas. Are they better overall? Maybe not, but they can be a lot better in some areas.

Not every step in "evolution" takes off. Still, do you remember the episode of the twilight zone(or was it the outer limits?) where the son went to take a test and, because he was deemed to be too inteligent, he was killed? Aspies don't want THAT kind of thing.

Still, that isn't to claim superpowers.

2ukenkerl
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09 Feb 2008, 11:26 am

nominalist wrote:

2ukenkerl wrote:

Kind of ironic! I felt worst when I was like 13. The feelings I had about social problems were about identical to the feelings I had 20 years later when arthritis rendered me nearly an invalid!! !!

Sorry to hear about your arthritis. I have it, too, but, fortunately, I have almost no symptoms with the anti-inflammatory I take.

MINE was due to osteoporosis.(The cervical damage caused hand/arm/neck problems, lumbar caused leg,foot,hip problems, and others just caused malaise.) LUCKILY, I managed to get it to a very manageable level. For a time, I considered major surgery.

anbuend
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09 Feb 2008, 11:41 am

I always think the "next stage in evolution" stuff comes from a lack of understanding of how evolution actually functions.

Genetic diversity on the other hand, I can believe. Along with every other form of genetic diversity including ones most people would consider "useless" or worse. But that's within-species genetic diversity, it's not like we're a different species. (Although the idea of not being human did appeal to me as a teen... why am I seeing a pattern here?)

fernando
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09 Feb 2008, 2:17 pm

Reyairia wrote:

Dyslexia has no benefits. Autism does. The ability to distance yourself from the pressures of society and come up with your own original ideas and not be afraid to pursue them (due to being oblivious) to the point of being obsessively dedicated is something that society should not be without.

Amen. I'm proud of being a non-imitator of my peers.

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Spokane_Girl

09 Feb 2008, 3:00 pm

Why does dyslexia have no benefits?

What about their education? They have troubles with reading so they have troubles with spelling too.

What about when they are adults and they are still effected by it bad enough they can't get a job. They can't fill out an application, it's a big challenge, they can't spell well so it limits what they can do for a job.

Few of them are unable to read because their condition is so bad they couldn't learn how.

Think it would put an effect on their life for that, I think it would. They should get benefits if theirs is so bad it disables him.

My boyfriend has it and it effects him and limits him. He didn't learn how to read till he was in 4th grade but the biggest problem might have been because of his brain damage so it made it hard for him to learn to cope with his disability. He was lucky he got accepted in the disability program that trains people with disabilities for jobs and they help them get a job for where their strengths are and what they are able to do. But this fall my boyfriend is going to get tested by the service to see how bad his disability is and see if he is still elegible for them.

nominalist
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09 Feb 2008, 4:41 pm

2ukenkerl wrote:

Well, the stereotypical aspie IS supposed to be much better in certain areas. Are they better overall? Maybe not, but they can be a lot better in some areas.

The strengths may be distributed differently. However, that is different from claiming, a la Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer), that aspies represent a higher stage of human evolution.

Quote:

Not every step in "evolution" takes off. Still, do you remember the episode of the twilight zone(or was it the outer limits?) where the son went to take a test and, because he was deemed to be too inteligent, he was killed? Aspies don't want THAT kind of thing.

It sounds vaguely familiar. However, there is no evidence that aspies are more intelligent, on average, than the general population, only that they are, on average, more intelligent than those with some other types of autism.

Quote:

Still, that isn't to claim superpowers.

Right.

Quote:

My mother had that (as did my aunt), so it is in my family.

nominalist
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09 Feb 2008, 4:44 pm

Reyairia wrote:

Dyslexia has no benefits. Autism does.

Whether a particular condition has benefits is a function of social context. Perhaps some dyslexics might say that, in the long run, the extra tutoring they received made them better than average readers.

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