Thursday, March 20, 2008

On The Pursuit Of The "Opposite" Of Autism

As I've mentioned in the last few entries, a question formed in my mind recently - what is the "opposite" of autism?

If I'm picking up the lingo correctly from the autism community, the word they generally use is "neurotypical", but I'm pretty sure this is a euphamism for "normal" or "average", because of course these words in common usage are usually loaded with the connotation of "good" and "proper" and the like.

But I'm pretty sure that "neurotypical" on the true spectrum of behavior marks merely the mid-point - a set of behaviors that is neither particularly autistic, nor particularly anti-autistic.

Now where would one begin the pursuit of an anti-autistic? Well, one might try to think of someone who is hyper-social, very flexible to change, an impeccable dresser and NEVER gets angry EVER.

Of course there are numerous individuals that come to mind, but I got to thinking of another angle.

In the on-line world at least, it's arguable that the title for the highest-profile formally diagnosed autistic has passed from Temple Grandin to Amanda Baggs. Now, although obviously I am not completely up to speed on all the background in this community, one thing that strikes me as a fascinating difference is that Amanda Baggs has quite a throng of detractors, whereas I don't think Temple Grandin has any to speak of.

So might Amanda Baggs' detractors be the elusive anti-autistics?

Well, maybe, but almost immediately they themselves start to exhibit traits often associated with autistics.

The ostensible leader of the group, so far as I can figure out, has a severely autistic son and, per my analysis of the original "refrigerator mother" articles, someone with an autistic child is suspect not necessarily of bad parenting techniques but of HAVING AUTISM GENES HIMSELF.

And oh brother does this one put me in mind of some people I've crashed into in "high-functioning" support groups - getting thrown off message boards, going into death battles with Wikipedia and a whole list of other behavior that would likely get him shocked silly for a couple of days in a number of "behavior modification" programs.

And what has triggered this behavior? Believe it or not, if I understand it correctly, what I think he percieves in his own mind as a miscarriage of justice - that for some motive I don't even think I could invent in a bad sci-fi novel, Amanda Baggs and other members of the neurodiversity movement are conspiring to encourage government officials to keep autistic children in diapers for the rest of their days.

Now, just like Barack Obama recently had to attempt to clarify his relationship with his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and, yes, Jeremiah Wright's mouth, would someone from the neurodiversity movement care to step forward and make some sort of formal "Potty Policy" statement to clarify this issue?

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6 Comments:

At March 20, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Blogger John Best said...

Hi,
I don't know who or what you are, only that you wish to criticize me.

Maybe you don't know the whole story.

Getting thrown out of different places does not reflect poorly on me. It shows that the places that throw me out are incapable of defending themselves. If these places were legitimate, they would be able counter whatever I say and make me look like an idiot.

They know that if they try to debate me, they are going to lose. So they try to hide their deceit by trying to silence me.

You see, you must be one of those people who believe that other people can make rules for you, including limiting your right to free speech. I make my own rules. If someone is doing something that is harmful to my child, I will say whatever needs to be said. The only way to shut me up is to kill me. And, the only way to defeat me is to face me.

These fools who throw me out of forums won't face me. That means I win. And, I have my own forum where those same fools are afraid to venture. That means I win again.

Sorry kid, nothing on the spectrum about me. I'm just an old guy who doesn't take crap from, morons, psychopaths and mental defectives. And, as long as liars like Amanda Baggs and her cult of wackos are lying about autism, I'll be around to put them in their place.

 
At March 23, 2008 at 8:28 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

O gnoes! Not a carrier of the gene!

lol, ax, you so craaaazy.

 
At October 5, 2008 at 2:42 PM, Blogger BCC said...

FWIW, I thought Williams Syndrome - not neurotypicals - is considered the "opposite of autism."

 
At February 21, 2010 at 12:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Go to you tube and search for the video: "autism epidemic out of control" to see a mom of a severely autistic child challenge the frauds of autism....very compelling and her son is a doll, he's real autism 101. It is disgraceful that the media has not retracted their bogus story on Baggs, this woman is totally nuts! She has factitious disorder or some kind of psychogentic autism....any professional that says she's autistic should have the licensed PULLED asap because they are showing they don't know what the hell autism is

 
At February 21, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Foresam: You are a breath of fresh air. Finally, someone who tells the truth and isn't afraid to stand for it. So tired of the weak public who just go along like sheep led to the slaughter, never asking any questions, sitting like dead ducks in front of the ever propaganda boob tube soaking all he shit in. Keep telling it bro, you rock

 
At July 21, 2011 at 5:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ADHD is the opposite of autism. They represent extreme choices on the exploit/explore dilemma.

 

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