This is a response to these comments.
Asperger's Syndrome was first identified in 1944.
In four boys, he identified a pattern of behavior and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease). The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of their ability to talk about their favorite subject in great detail. It is commonly said that the paper was based on only four boys.[who?] However, Dr. Günter Krämer, of Zürich, who knew Asperger, states that it "was based on investigations of more than 400 children"
Unfortunately, Asperger's syndrome wasn't widely known or well understood until the mid 1990's.
According to the Wikipedia article you just read (if you read it) Asperger's syndrome was first widely acknowledged in 1944 as being a "syndrome".
I can tell you from personal experience that wide knowledge of the syndrome wasn't established until the 90's.
Be that as it may, I want to address the following hurtful things:
- People who have Asperger's syndrome are like machines, because they use things like (gasp) logic and are immune to social cues.
- People who have Asperger's syndrome are more likely to be atheists, and are like unto machines.
- That all (or most) people with Asperger's syndrome are identified as being so.
Now I could highlight so many things in the above paragraph as being off-center it isn't even funny. But first, let us start with the symptom list of Asperger's syndrome.
Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
I can tell you for a fact I had to train myself to see what certain aspects of body language actually mean. I still have difficulty with conversation. If someone says "hey, how 'bout those Mets?" I have no response. I am not interested in sports and my immediate reaction is that I have nothing to contribute to the statement. I have learned, with great difficulty, that when a person says such a thing what they are looking for is not so much a knowledge of the subject matter in question but simple validation and sharing of mutual humanity. Why that took many many years of intensive self training, I have no explanation -- only that it is so.
Dislike any changes in routines.
This, for me, is true as far as it goes. But it's not that I don't like changes in routine, but that I find routine comfortable and changes to it not so much. But "comfort" is not the final arbiter of liking or not liking something.
Appear to lack empathy.
If this were stated as "Lack empathy" then this would be a dirty lie. And it is proof that even clinicians do not understand many people (I won't speak for all) with Asperger's syndrome.
To express empathy, what all people have to do is be able to put themselves in the same situation as others -- in other words, to "walk a mile in their moccasins". And until and unless people with AS have that experience, they simply have a reduced capability to do that. We have problems relating to others. That is not to say we can't; but once we do, there is no one with MORE empathy than an Aspie who has been through exactly (or close to exactly) what you have.
Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.
Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the word "beckon" instead of "call" or the word "return" instead of "come back."
It's true, I don't get jokes sometimes. And as far as using unusual words, it's because I enjoy language.
Avoid eye contact or stare at others.
Yes, this is true as far as it goes. But then, the question becomes -- why do you non-Aspie humans deem staring other people in the eye as a form of communication? Because, it isn't one. Even with me being 45 tomorrow, I don't understand you. I realize after long trials and tribulation it conveys a sense of directness to normal people (a sense of directness, I must add, emphatically that I do not share). And my tendency has been to stare somewhere over the left shoulder of someone I'm talking to directly. They think I am either drugged or not listening -- but in this instance I would refer to you normal humans as flawed and we Aspies as being correct in this matter.
You see, if I'm listening to you, I'm using my ears and not my eyes. Staring someone in the eyes may be evolutionary .. it may have a sense of dominance or the lack thereof being submissive from our ape ancestor days, but to me it conveys neither. The eyes lie.
Anyway, I have learned that it's important to you normal people (LOL). So I do it. But that is training, not natural inclination.
Have unusual facial expressions or postures.
This, I can't really speak to -- it being an exterior rather than an interior observation. So I'll let this symptom lie. I will say this. I've had to learn the things that are important to normal people and adapt. Aspies can adapt and we do. In the past, I've had problems with hygiene or expectations of hygiene, and to some degree I still do. I understand the idea of not smelling bad, but I don't so much understand the idea that, for example, wearing wrinkly clothes will lead people to having bad ideas about you as a person. I don't care if clothes are wrinkly or smudged.
Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or studying astronomy. They may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as snakes, names of stars, or dinosaurs. Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.
The diarist who insulted every atheist Aspie today referenced this as an interest in technology. So, maybe I'm not the be all and end all of all Aspies, or all atheists, but I will cop to this. I am interested in technology, I am interested in most of the things referenced above. Does this make us less human?
So let me ask non-Aspie normals who think of us as an aberration this question -- do you think the world would be better of without us? Or do you just think of us as subhuman robots because we do? Because, I will not be your subhuman robot. I am as GOOD AS YOU (i.e. the root of "GAY")
I'm asking this in the most plaintive sense. I'm not being sarcastic -- I'd really like to know. Because it seems "unusual interests" bother some of you. Would you feel more secure in your persons, houses, papers and effects without us people who have unusual interests? That would disgust me, but I see far too much of it to feel comfortable with it.
Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.
My ability with things in the abstract world is unmatched. My ability to deal with 3 dimensional objects in the real world is non existent. You should see me try to put up a tent. And if you laugh at me while I'm trying to do so, I'll laugh with you.
Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory integration dysfunction.
Ok, this is the ONE symptom area where I am not like what it's described, to be an Aspie. But then, maybe so. I like strong things. I keep the TV on when I sleep, because it is only this way that I can get to sleep at all.
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Anyway, I'm tired. Right now, I'm tired of Daily Kos. I thought that to be liberal was to be tolerant of differences, and boy am I different. I was never formally diagnosed with Aspergers', because, as I said, I was never tested. People didn't know then, what they know today.
But see I am an atheist, a person with Aspergers' (as far as I am concerned) AND I am a gay man.
I have found many friends on Daily Kos who are very religious. Before Daily Kos, I didn't have any religious friends. I love my religious friends and would defend them through thick and thin.
I am not un-empathetic.
I am not a machine.
Because I am different, does not make me less human.
I have some special skills, some of which I attribute to my "weirdness" but this does not make me better or worse than anybody else.
What is interesting is that, even as a gay man and an atheist, I never had my basic humanity questioned before today. It appears to be as an "Aspie" that the straw that broke the camel's back comes into question and my basic membership in the race of humans is wondered about.