Published on 12, July, 2020
It seems like this newfound societal understanding of ASD started a couple of years ago. Even as recent as 10 years ago I really don't remember so many people calling someone(online or IRL) autistic, being on the spectrum etc. It's like everyone knows what it is now.
IMO therein lies a problem because it is used as an insult. It's not even a 'disability' for most of us(I don't even know if I should say we, I'm not diagnosed and feel like a lot of it doesn't apply to me, guess I'm extremely 'high functioning') but it is treated as such.
If this gets known about you in your friend circle? They're gonna start seeing and treating you differently. if it gets known at work? Forget about it. Anybody who can will use it against you since people only focus on the negative aspects of it and it's seen as debilitating.
Even the psychology behind it that's supposed to be so helpful has a tone like that IMO. I mean a term like "masking" for example. Like we're wearing masks trying to be "normal". I feel like a phony just reading about that aspect of ASD. I'm a freak for being something I can't control and I should try to be normal, yet when I try I'm "masking".
I just don't find the ASD relevation uplifting whatsoever and I honestly feel like life was better before this understanding. I wonder if anyone feels similar about this.
I've worked in IT all my life and people have always talked of coworkers being on the spectrum but I really didn't understand what autism is until a couple of years ago. Most people still have very little understanding of it and almost everything in mainstream media is misleading.
NAS92316 said:I mean a term like "masking" for example. Like we're wearing masks trying to be "normal". I feel like a phony just reading about that aspect of ASD. I'm a freak for being something I can't control and I should try to be normal, yet when I try I'm "masking".
Yes, I feel like a phony too but for good reason I think. Everyone, including NTs will mask to some degree and put on a different face with different social groups, but many autistic people - me included - consciously and deliberately constructed a set of rules and behaviours which are completely fake, in the hope of fitting in. The result is nobody ever gets to know me. The reasons are, I think understandable, but the consequences for me are life ruining.
Well that's the thing, people still DON'T have a true understanding of it but they know only what the perceived negative traits are and base everything on that.
So it has become a harmful thing to be branded as because of that and people use it as a weapon.
I will happily face this "weapon" that you are concerned about .... ie being called autistic.
I am, however, very concerned about the increasingly prevalent use of 'key word' terminology to try and impregnate, associate and convince "others" that "the other side" are "out to get us." This is not just in relation to autism, but for all manner of politics, religion, science - you name it - there are oodles of inflammatory hyperbole being pumped out into the interweb.....everywhere.....all the time.....it seems to me? Now that IS dangerous?!
If someone calls me autistic (ie wields that weapon to try and brand me [to use your language]) and is intending to cause me harm with that, it feels like they are pointing a neon coloured plastic water pistol at me....without any water in it even. Slightly amusing, but also rather tragic on many levels?!
The intent of the individual = that is what matters, in my opinion. Trying to proclaim what "everybody else thinks" is dangerous and inflammatory folly, in my opinion.