Specialists of Autism Culture:
 http://thiswayoflife.org/whatisitlike.html

http://www.AmyAmes.com

Celebrating Those With
Autism Spectrum Differences
Who Lived With Odds Against Them.

So many press those with ASD toward normalcy. When all that is observed are the deficits and traits that tempt social ridicule, it's difficult to imagine any solace in future optimism.  Milestones of early developmental behaviors are often the indicators of future success.  A parent becomes convinced of Autism's permanence after observing many years of early development where very little changes.  Even when things do change, each small step seems to be accompanied by a series of regressions where one often surrenders all hope.

One of many stories, Pauline and Hermann had a Son who was slow to learn and talk.  His teachers said that "nothing would ever become of him."  His older Uncle (the odd one that the family didn't like to visit) viewed the boy as "one of his own kind" and helped to tutor him, even when the Parents thought it was futile.   This Son would clash with the school system; his grades would drop and he would eventually be expelled.  If it were not for the intervention of one with "like thinking," world history would be entirely different.

Who was this Boy?

The Damage of Secrecy

Throughout early childhood, most with ASD can sense something is not right between themselves and the world around them.  The insistance of normalcy and appropriateness becomes an obsession among the socially typical.  Being tossed back and forth, from "nothing is wrong" to "you don't belong," the one who is the most injured is the ASD child or person.  One major practice is the insistance of secrecy by those who consider the socially dominant as threatening to their loved ones with ASD.  The predominant myth that "all will be well if higher functioning ASD people can pass as normal" continues to this day.  Due to mistaking ASD behaviors as a mental health issue instead of a neurological one, diagnosis is avoided, thus the positive qualities of ASD is never mentioned, let alone acquired.  Social acceptance becomes the greatest focus of concern; it also becomes a frequent irretrievable mistake.  The pretext of normalcy that is enforced upon the ASD child, usually through applied behavior conditioning and medicated through coercion, often creates a cage of superstition, paranoia and self-inadequacy from starving the ASD's natural means of operation and understanding through self-discovery.  That significant, advantageous edge that guarantees survival, even great achievement, among the socially dominant is often driven out of the ASD personality long before reaching adulthood, often programmed to fail miserably.  Many undiagnosed adults continue their pretext unaware, always wondering what is wrong with them, feeling isolated, inadequate and astranged.  Many become misdiagnosed as schizophrenic; many become homeless or are underemployed in job environments that are extremely below effective capability, thus  living in unnecessary poverty and forced to cope with a socially imposed disability.

A Comparrison of Differences

The focus of Autism Culture is to show that Autism is a natural difference among the neurologically typical, though lightly sprinkled throughout, yet rapidly growing in number.  Some reports have described this growth as being in "epidemic proportions."  Such comparrisons to any group as being epidemic is truly an insult, as though being compared to a disease and considered less than human; unfortunately, those with ASD are often treated in such a disposable manner.  The natural differences between autistically typical and socially typical are just as comparably natural as male and female differences, both unlike each other yet needed by each other.  To expound these natural comparisons, we can observe different indigenous cultures throughout the world, without the concern of anything being amiss, that is, until an obscure culture is transplanted and practiced among another more different yet commonplace, predominant one.  Needless to say, the predominant culture will attempt to redefine the more obscure one, whether out of good intent or self-implied morality of right and wrong.  When one neurologically typical (NT or normal) person is dropped into a large, dominant autistically typical group, that one NT will not only feel "out of place" but also undoubtedly feel confused and somewhat dysfunctional, since the majority of interaction protocol is drasticly changed.  For millennia, autistically typical people have made every attempt to merge and synthesize the two cultures into a productive fellowship, mostly due to survival reasons.  It was not until ASD became numerous enough where it can no longer be ignored nor pushed aside, when recient scientific discoveries and observations regarding ASD became something to reckon with, that any attempt was made to communicate between the socially typical and autistically typical differences.

Crises Shared Among
the Autistically Typical

Today, ASD has grown to such an extent that those with ASD can no longer escape those conditions imposed upon them.  Common terms toward ASD now circulate such as "epidemic," "intervention," "medication" and when not cooperative, "institutionalization" which produce a cloud of foreboding apprehension.  Many with ASD often consider normalcy as insignificant compared to the right to exist and to be who they are.  They daily face ridicule being viewed as disposable citizens with their human rights regularly violated.  They resent being pushed into environments and conditions that are unnatural to them.  In the name of humanity and propagated as a noble cause, many flock together, marching to the beat of a militia drum, in order to erradicate what the socially typical consider a disease among society-- ASD.  The thought of genecide crops into the ASD mind from time to time while millions of dollars are being collected as a means to change those with ASD into something they're not, into something many with ASD don't want to be.  Those with ASD often question the socially typical when their behaviors often demonstrate irrational, destructive patterns toward not only themselves, but also to their bio-sphere environment, especially by those who are most prominent and competent.  Fears continue to be many while futures remain uncertain.  Many with ASD continue to experiment and explore their possibilities in quiet secrecy, despite the threat of retribution from other's disappointment from deviating from socially expected progress.  After many years of investing in their secret self, abilities and achievements are stumbled upon that proves how much of their life had been wasted by trying to satisfy others' social expectations.  After scores of years living in seeming servile existance, it becomes quite common for those in their latter years (some much earlier) to finally reach their limits and fill of irrational maddness of social impositions by declaring that they're not going to take it any more.

The Time Has Come
For Other Options

An important philosophy has been voiced from among the Autistically Typical.  A boisterous declaration of abilities, as well as physical proof in efforts, has risen out from the quiet and chaotic.  As time continues, more people with ASD, especially those who are higher functioning, busy themselves with showcasing their abilities and talents, especially at conventions, universities and other centers for learning.  Researchers on the subject are pointing out great historical figures whose ASD influences have radically and positively redefined the World in their time.  As more people with ASD take a matter-of-fact stance and speak of ASD without the fear of social retribution, the qualities of those who remain unsung are emerging from their hiding with hopes of being embraced as who they really are, without pretext, and without preconceptions.  As odd as it may be, most of this world is owed to those with ASD when comparing how the world would be if such efforts had never been introduced.  By embracing Autism as a Culture, ASD talents and abilities can be introduced with confidence, and credit can be given where credit is long overdue.

 http://thiswayoflife.org/whatisitlike.html 

http://www.AmyAmes.com

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