After reading through my Aspergers/Autism news feed just a few minutes ago, I found a very disturbing article. In may ComputerWorld magazine published an article on Aspergers and the Information Technology Environment. The articile prompted a battle in the comments section on if Aspergers should be cured or not. Today ComputerWorld editor Don Tennant published a disturbing editorial.
In Don Tennant’s editorial on the comments regarding Aspergers Syndrome in Information Technology he makes a reference to a comment made by a reader who claimed to have Aspergers Syndrome:
Why don’t you just leave us alone and let us do what we do best — create the world as a better place?
If you ask me that comment does not reflect the majority of the oppinions of those who have Aspergers Syndrome, but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. While Aspergers does make the world a better place in a way that people with Aspergers are often able to look at things from unique prespectives, and be extremley well skilled at there few obsessional areas - its not really what we do best, and saying so seems kinda supremist.
Don Tennant also asked Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Movement on whether Aspergers has been a hinderance in his life. Stallman replied:
It’s certainly been a hindrance to me in my romantic life, but other than that, I don’t think it has held me back much. At the same time, it may have given me the strength and firmness and thoughtfulness to do something important with my life.
Tennant used this and the tone of many of the Autisitc people replying to his magazine to develop a very disturbing oppinion in his editorial:
For me, the answer lies in the wistfulness of the first part of Stallman’s response, about his romantic life. And it lies equally in the negative tone of many of the Aspie readers who commented on the article.
A fundamental prerequisite to doing something important with your life and making the world a better place is forming bonds and building relationships with other people. Making the world a better place alone is an oxymoron, because no place of solitude is a better place for human beings.
I’m going to pick apart his oppinion here, because frankly its filled with many half-truths.
As far as romantic lifes, I know of many people with Aspergers that have strong romantic lives - which include marriage and kids. There are also many people with Aspergers that choose not to be in relationships as they really have no desire to be in them.
As far as the negative tone of many Aspies, I have run into this problem before myself. There are many immature aspies who seem to think that acting rude, and hatefull is a way to convince people of things. This is a prime example of how mainstream media sees this negative tone, and how it can be used to develop very disturbing oppinions - and causes a 2 front battle for those advocating and persuing things in a productive manner.
As far as solitude for people with Aspergers Syndrome - yes I get lonely on occassion, but I have plenty of freinds - both in the real world and on message boards. I think for people with Aspergers Syndrome relationships and bonds are formed differently, and much more deeply then those without Aspergers Syndrome. Yes I have fewer friends - but I have very deeps bonds with those few freinds.
I think some well written oppinions of our own should be addressed to Don Tennant - he can be contacted at don_tennant@computerworld.com.
4 Comments until now
I contracted a mystery respiratory virus (a sore throat virus), which produced autism-like mental symptoms in me, as well as many other symptoms.
I am wondering if this mystery virus might in part explain the worldwide rise in autism. The virus is easily passed to other people in normal household contact, or in normal social contact, so it could well be one of the causal factors behind the autism epidemic.
For more info on this autism-like virus, see here:
http://chronicsorethroat.wordpress.com
I am posting this, as I wish to help in the process of bringing to light the likely causes of the autism epidemic.
Bravo! Well said.
My son has Asperger’s and he is in no way malicious. Quite to the contrary he makes every effort to interact with other people everywhere we go. It turns out that it is actually the ‘normal’ people who are rude and unable to communicate with him. He has been mistreated more often then not.
Based on the my son’s experiences with the general public I have to say that Asperger’s is in no way a handicap. My son is very articulate and seeks social interaction. The ‘normal’ people on the other hand seem to have a hard time being friendly to a kid they don’t know. Is it because he talks like an adult? Or is it because he invaded their space without being invited to do so?
Who knows. But I do agree that people with Asperger’s can have very deep bonds with friends.
Hip-Autism is not an epidemic and is not a disease. Therefore, we would prefer that you not spread curebie hype here. Thank you very much.
Astrid Bidanec-Very good point made. Autism does not necessary cause someone to be anti-social. If an autistic person doesn’t socialize very much, it is because s/he prefers not to and should not be expected to do it all the freaking time! Overall, humans are only moderately social. Therefore, they shouldn’t be expected to socialize all the freaking time! And this doesn’t only apply to autistic people. There are also NT people who prefer not to socialize and for the most part, they are left pretty much alone. I say live and let live and not put a label (social/anti-social) on an entire group just because they have a common neurotype.
As a matter of fact, I myself have enjoyed a mild Asperger type personality from an early age, and a familiar with both the extraordinary gifts this condition can bring, as well as certain difficulties. I was well aware even when I was an infant that I was not of the mainstream, and sense that this would be both an advantage and an disadvantage.
As for friendships, autism can sometimes bring an amazing amount of empathy and deep intuitive understanding, which I think can be the basis for these deep friendships. Such empathy can create the most intimate of relationships, including romantic ones.
Nevertheless, there are those with autism whose internal suffering is immense, and not to try to help would be immoral. There is no cure of course - that might take 50 years or more, since we cannot even stop the common cold virus.
What you should be aware of is that it is currently coming to light that a whole array of neurological and mental state conditions are caused by viruses and other microbes. Anxiety disorders, phobias, anorexia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, bipolar, etc, all turn out to have connections to viral causes.
But ironically, it would take someone with an brilliant Asperger mind to fully appreciate the complexities of this!
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