Article: Autistic Trekdom

[green]

I found this article while browsing delicious.com. I'm not quite sure what to think of it.

The author recognizes that it is potentially problematic: To draw any more parallels would be to invite controversy—and perhaps equating those with ASD with fictitious aliens is not the best of PR campaigns.

Autistic Trekdom

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and discussion.

Comments

[cheyinka]

Hmmm. It's not a bad article, and it's nice to see "Autism is not, in fact, something far worse than cancer!" by someone who sounds like "just another parent".

Too, "I'm an alien, learning by rote the ways of the people of this planet, that's why I seem strange sometimes and why sometimes I just get tired of pretending," is an explanation I've heard (and given) before, so I wasn't bothered that he was using an actual alien as a comparison.

[green]

*nod* It was the second part I wasn't sure of. Thank you.

[torachan]

It's an interesting article. I am leery of the comparison myself, but glad to see that the author realises it could be problematic. I'm also glad to see it's coming at it from a fairly autism-positive perspective, that the future he wants is not one where his son is cured into being NT but one where neurodiversity is accepted as valid.

[green]

the future he wants is not one where his son is cured into being NT but one where neurodiversity is accepted as valid.

I wish all parents had this same kind of outlook.

[maryavatar]

I like the article, it clarifies a few thoughts I'd had in that area myself. Plus, Spock is a much better ASD role model than Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.

[alchemia]

Overall a refreshingly positive article, and I appreciate the author noting that the comparison can only go so far. I have to agree too on Spock vs Data- Spock is a much more positive and self accepting role model. Data has been used in the past to describe autistics (Grandin comes to mind), and besides his wanting to "be more human" that the author comments on, i don't care for the robot/computer analogy. Yet, i don't think I've ever seen that cautioned against like the author cautions about the 'alien' issue.

I find Spock being half-alien less problematic actually than Data being all-circuitry (even when he got emotion, it was a chip and arguably 'artificial'). A machine, no matter how 'life-like' (or arguably alive) is, I think, easier for people to dehumanise than a humanoid half-alien who made of "real" flesh and blood (even if it is green!). This actually reminds me of the "flesh carnivals" in the movie AI, where it was acceptable to torture/kill androids because they were seen as entirely artificial, regardless of how life-like they appeared/acted)

[animeshon]

I think the intention behind the article is positive, and therefore I liked the article. Let's face it, the ASD role models one sees on television or in the movies don't inspire people to think that ASD doesn't need to be cured.

Cause you know what I don't think I need to be cured. I've learnt enough to function within society, and that's enough for me. I would like more people to just accept people with ASD for who they are and not expect them to be like all the so-called "normal people".

[green]

*claps* Well said.