Friday, September 18, 2009

Neurotypical understanding of other types of brains

"Members of this loosely defined faction agree that autism is a neurological condition, but so, after all, is the state of what they call neurotypicals. Most people who will read this essay are, despite our oddities, neurotypicals. It is also true that many people who will read it can, like its author, notice autistic traits in themselves. For millennia we neuro- typicals have refused to acknowledge neurodiversity and so (it is said) do not understand even ourselves."

From Ian Hacking’s paper “Humans, Aliens & Autism.”

Why should we bind ourselves to what they think of us, then? Has he not stated our opinion very well himself?

Why should we not try to figure out the things they've forbidden us?

The human brain? There is so much that psychologists haven't discovered yet. The conditions, the what ifs.... What if they are ours to discover. What if we developed a theory of mind? One that was better than theirs? What if we were to use our stims to express ourselves (as I think we mostly already do) and also develop a solid system of understanding them and ourselves?
Neurotypicals argue. We should take our fixative capacities, stick it to them, and become curious about the communication they've already given us an aversion to. Imagine if we could beat the system, and form our own style of communication, that could be unique for every person, and still retain the peace that comes with having some things standardized? What if? Who wants to beat the system with me? I want to. I desperately want to.

We could quite possibly become more familiar with the types of minds of other individuals. Right now, we're just as, or less interested, than they are, in the minutiae of the mind. I certainly hope I won't be an outcast for this.

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Live Long and Prosper! I am an eccentric. I like Jewish/Hebrew music, focusing on whatever special interests I have, especially if it concerns my friends. Quintessentially, I love my gifts from God. I dislike it when people dislike the lives of their own children, and torture them in the name of training and treatment. My dreams for the future are to become a Professor, writer, wife and mum. May the Force be with you!

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