If neurodiversity is the natural variation of cognition, motivations, and patterns of behaviour within the human species, then what role do Autistic traits in particular play within human cultures …
A thorough blog essay covering contributions that autistic people make to society as a whole.
Too many supposedly autistic traits are present in neurotypical people. In my study of autism I’ve seen a lot of autistic chauvinism and I’m finding myself viscerally opposed to smug celebration of the challenges autism poses for the people who suffer from it.
Put bluntly, autism doesn’t prevent autistic people from falling into line and propagating “civilized” dysfunction. I enjoy the quotes this article puts around “civilized” from the standpoint of delegitimizing social approval as anything but a convenient and easily misused fiction, but not if it is used as a prop for autists to feel as if they are in any way superior.
Pride in neurodiversity is one thing, but autistic chauvinism is dangerous.
Traits which are adaptive in some contexts are maladaptive in others. Traits which when paired with other traits are sometimes more adaptive than they are by themselves.
Traits which cause interpersonal conflict are traits which cause interpersonal conflict.
I agree with this. As someone who is closely involved in the autistic community, autistics aren’t immune to sexism, classism, racism, or any other biases that are also ingrained in neurotypicals. And yes, this has caused interpersonal conflicts where some autistics are marginalized in their own communities.
We need more realism in the autistic community, not toxic positivity nor ableist self-hatred.
Too many supposedly autistic traits are present in neurotypical people. In my study of autism I’ve seen a lot of autistic chauvinism and I’m finding myself viscerally opposed to smug celebration of the challenges autism poses for the people who suffer from it.
Put bluntly, autism doesn’t prevent autistic people from falling into line and propagating “civilized” dysfunction. I enjoy the quotes this article puts around “civilized” from the standpoint of delegitimizing social approval as anything but a convenient and easily misused fiction, but not if it is used as a prop for autists to feel as if they are in any way superior.
Pride in neurodiversity is one thing, but autistic chauvinism is dangerous.
Traits which are adaptive in some contexts are maladaptive in others. Traits which when paired with other traits are sometimes more adaptive than they are by themselves.
Traits which cause interpersonal conflict are traits which cause interpersonal conflict.
I agree with this. As someone who is closely involved in the autistic community, autistics aren’t immune to sexism, classism, racism, or any other biases that are also ingrained in neurotypicals. And yes, this has caused interpersonal conflicts where some autistics are marginalized in their own communities.
We need more realism in the autistic community, not toxic positivity nor ableist self-hatred.