It's Autism Awareness Month.

[Kimonio]

This post by Kimonio was thumbed up by: 2

CedarBranch (April 7th, 2013, 10:40 am) • Killswitch (April 6th, 2013, 5:50 am)

[MessengerOfDreams]

I tried describing autism once, but I couldn't, because it'd be like you guys describing not being autistic.

[CedarBranch]

Edit: Redacted

[Raz]

Mate, you aren't retarded. Don't call yourself that.
That's all I have to say in this thread.

[CedarBranch]

Could someone please delete that post? I wouldn't think like that.
I was just going through another random moment of depression. I shouldn't have had taken that one moment to express things. (Something I'll make sure doesn't happen again.)

I cannot really describe what I mean by "those moments," however, I'll wait until I can collect the memories, then will edit this post with an actual overview on my Autistic experiences.

[darthbrowser]

I recently came into conflict with some of my collegues who support the "Austism Rights Movement" (wiki has a nicely objective article, for those of you who are unaware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_rights_movement), as I was claimed to be ultimately eugenic is saying that autism and similar conditions should be removed when such techniques become possible.

My answer to them relied heavily on the same principles of transhumanism - if something, 'normally present' or not, causes an individual to suffer unfairly, how can one claim a progressive approach by advocating its presence?

Their argument is also flawed on a factual level. I once looked into a study conducted by ESE into autistic salvants, the goal being to identify what gave them mathematical prowess on a genetic scale and then discuss how it would be possible to isolate and replicate the effect in non-autistic individuals. The conclusion gave a genetic overview of the results, and it clearly stated that the conditions required to create autism are epigenetic (i.e. enviromental), and that the rise in autism can be called a direct effect of the degradation of the enviroment caused by human activity - this explains why autism seems to be far more prevalent in industrial nations.

I have known many autistic individuals, and have yet to meet one who enjoyed his or her condition. Some claim attempting to remove autism because it results in individual discomfort would be the equalivalent of ethnic cleansing performed against a group which is discriminated against, as doing such will result in an end of the discrimination. What these critics and pseudo-progressives fail to realize is that such an analogy merely reflects an imperfect species - thus, they unknowingly advocate transhumanism to clean up the base problems by pointing out said problems.

As for the Autism Rights Movement, I join those who point out the only ones who want all treatment for autism ended, and the condition recognized as entirely normal, are universally high and very high performing autistics. I have yet to hear of anyone handicapped to the point where they cannot interact, have severe cognitive difficulties, e.t.c. state that they believe they should be left alone, and autism should not be cured. While my expertise in psychology is limited, I would dare to say that such bantering from high performing autistics is a Freudian attempt to belay a deeper sense of inferority with excess external narcissism - and at the expense of all other autistics, I might add.

[nin10mode]

I wish I had a higher level of vocabulary so I could more easily understand what you say, heh.

Though I can simplify it as best as I can.
Starting with the third paragraph, some of your 'friends' falsely believe that autism is a genetic disorder, when it is really attributed to the environment, namely industry. I can back up this claim, living in Brick, a town with a relatively high autistic population (There is actually a small care center very close to my home that is dedicated to the caring of elderly people with aspergers). Most of them come from the northern parts of the state(closer to NYC) because our school district has some great special education programs.

Some people think that trying to get rid of autism is the same thing as discrimination against autistics. I don't quite get what you mean with them not realizing that their claim is a reflection of a flawed species, though after a quick google search of transhumanism, they unknowingly believe that getting rid of autism will create a better population of people for the future(which it would).

The only ones that believe that autism is not a problem are the highly skilled ones, and their desire for autism to be declared as normal and that there should be no studies made towards a cure, are not fair towards the rest of the autistic population that suffer from social and mental problems.

---
As for myself, curing it would only help, right? Most of the autistic kids I've met in my school career so far have had pretty big problems with communicating with most people. I'm not quite keen on what it is anymore, but doesn't autism slow the brain down in varying levels? I'd think that you'd have a better chance getting a job and everything that modern life requires if you could easily talk with others. I know one exception in real life and he has quite a bit of friends and talks confidently as far as I observe, and Moy is probably one too (given he is now open about his sexual preference and he makes speeches for his bus transit group thing), though for the most part, the autistics I knew were slow with words.

[MessengerOfDreams]

I can understand finding a cure for people who truly suffer, but I'm very thankful to have asperger's, and I'd be very sad if I were forced to lose it. For the current generations, I would hope the Cure was an option even if it was 99% of the people who took it. I'm sort of reminded of X-Men and the mutation cure...

[~MP3 Amplifier~]

But autism is what makes you, well, you...taking a cure for it would just turn you into a different person. Then again, I suppose it's the person's choice. If you are truly suffering then you should have an option to take it. Personally I love being autistic, it's what separates me from everyone else IMO.

I'm pretty high-functioning, so I don't have it all that badly. I can fit well into social situations (most of the time) however sometimes I can panic and just randomly start crying if I feel uncomfortable.

***

This might be a personal question for some of you. But anyone with asperger's here- do you have...imaginary games?

[Megar]

Yes, Amp. Yes I do. Also, looking at it I think we're the same in these aspects.