Increasingly, I am aware of the “communities” to which I don’t belong. An overused word in the humanities, “community” is more than a group of people with some minor similarities. A community has to have some manner of unified sense of purpose. I belong to several organizations without any desire…
Category: General
General topics.
Summer is conference season. I honestly don’t follow the “autism community” and did not know there was an autism conference for individuals with ASDs. The “Autreat” is currently underway, but I thought I’d mention it so people could learn more about the sponsor and consider future events. Autism Network InternationalAutreat…
Anosognosia is the state of denying a serious disability. In the most serious cases, it is a mental health disorder, causing the deaf to insist they can hear or the blind to insist they can see. Obviously, not a good thing and potentially dangerous. I have received e-mails critical of…
As I read articles on, interviews of, and blogs by the family members of people with special needs, I keep encountering apologies and guilt. This is particularly true of parents and spouses who feel guilty for wanting personal time. The sense of being trapped by a routine is a regular…
The Autism Hub is the best guide to autism blogs on the Internet. However, it is primarily a way to track the latest posting and topics on blogs. It is not really meant to discuss the nature of blogging or the technology challenges. To help autism bloggers keep in touch…
After so many stories about autism and genetics in the news media, a parent asked me “that question” yet again: Would I want to be cured? What if my “autistic traits” could have been prevented? I have answered this multiple times, on this site and elsewhere. First, my life is…
Scientists are seeking what makes people different, at least genetically. What is done with this information is the realm of ethics and morality, not genetics. I’m autistic or a person with autism or whatever. I don’t care what the label is. I was what I am before the label even…
People excuse parents and caregivers for abusing and even murdering autistics. Colorado mental-health counselor charged with murdering infant son – The Denver Post Police: Autism was motive in Colo. child’s killing BOULDER, Colo. — Police say a woman accused of killing her infant son did it because she believed the…
An acquaintance noted, “I never hear you swear.” Probably accurate. I seldom use harsh language, finding it generally pointless. Generally, I also find it offensive. Some people I find quite funny do (or did) use such language, but I’m not on stage performing like George Carlin or Denis Leary. Language…
I generally skip the Facebook app nonsense, but after a few friends took the “Autism Spectrum Quotient” inventory, I thought I’d complete it again. From the ASQ app: I’ve calculated my Autism Spectrum Quotient as 45, which is very high. Most women score about 15 and most men about 17.…