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Thursday, 15 October 2009

Friday, 04 September 2009

  • Autism as Wrong, Disease, Demonic, Criminal

    Autism as Wrong/Disease/Demonic/Criminal?
    Copyright © 2007, 2009 Karen A. Scofield
    Contact: sari 000 9 @ yahoo . com (take out the spaces)

    Note: When I say that something does not equal (≠) the other it doesn't mean that things can't coexist but that one doesn't equal or cause the other. Dualism involves dividing all of reality, complex or not, into two supposed opposites even if it's like slamming square pegs into round holes.

    1. Autism as Disease

    Hans Asperger introduced this "modern" concept of autism in 1938. Autism is still diagnosed by many using the disease model, unwittingly based on false dichotomies. There are numerous sound reasons to prefer the difference model, hence the term neurodiversity. To better understand autism and autism awareness, it's necessary to look at dualism and its impact.

    Dualism. What kind of dualism? I'm normal, you're not (you're diseased), and everything is measured by or compared to normal. That kind of dualism. We can't define normal yet, we have a long way to go with understanding autism, and viewing autism as a disease to be eradicated and autistics as a burden upon society is very dehumanizing. Remember, Godwin's Law doesn't apply if you're learning what elements to proactively watch out for in any society and time. Be proactive. Read:

    Dualism. It harshly impacted parents and their social circles. The refrigerator mom theory blamed cold mothers as the cause of autism. It still stings the living memories of many a mom my age and older. Either you were a good parent and had normal kids or you were a bad parent and had kids that simply misbehaved. That's an either / or (false dilemma again). While the cold mom theory finally went out of fashion, the belief that cold/bad/regular parents cause autism lingers. If you don't believe me, take my grandson shopping and note the will-you-control-your-brat looks. Ooops! Correlation does not imply causation and dualism still sucks. I should make an autism awareness T-shirt about that either / or logic! I mean really!

    Dualism still affects how science, social services, educational systems, and health care fields deal with autism, autistics, and their families. It's had a spectrum of adverse effects.

    Dualism. Viewing things autism through the lens of the disease model, scientists and other authorities only recently realized that many institutionalized autistics or autistics dismissed as retarded/hopeless could have normal to above normal IQs and only a small percentage of articles and professionals that cited incredibly high mental retardation rates among autistics actually based their claims on empirical evidence and those that did were deeply problematic.

    They're still learning how to test and measure intelligence across the range of neurodiversity and while verbal communication's role in human intelligence still matters, a concern since some autistics like my grandson cannot speak, it only recently dawned on them to measure autistic IQs in ways that didn't rely upon verbal communication. Finally the assumption that lack of verbal communication denoted a total lack of intelligence, and even humanity, was busted. But many autistics needlessly spent years in institutions before it was.

    notbeingabletospeak

    In contrast, when things autistic savant tickled the public's imagination, many got the idea that many or most inteligent autistics had savant capabilities when, in fact, autistic savants are actually quite rare.

    The assumptions and theories have been all over the place, but our more scholarly theories about human intelligence/ability have been all over the place too. We can measure IQ, we're not totally sure what human intelligence is, we're beginning to learn how to measure all human intelligences in all people, and we're just now more deeply comprehending that it's not just about IQ anymore. To help picture the development of human intelligence(s) theories and intelligence tests, see very involved interactive map. The point is that recognizing past mistakes opens windows of opportunity that greatly impacts interaction and teaching-learning across the often overlapping spectrums of neurodiversity (hint, investigate the cross sections of chunking and methods of teaching individuals with autism). Recognizing past mistakes and direction helps move us closer to a climate of mutual courtesy and respect...to equality (which is best defined as removing the institutions and stinking thinking of prejudice, of purposeful ignorance).

    Normal ≠ Correct
    Autism ≠ Wrong
    Autistic ≠ Retarded
    Autistic ≠ Autistic Savant

    Dualism. Brain vs. Body. Autism involves the entire brain and entire body, including the immune system, the entire nervous system, the skin, and gut. It does not affect all autistics equally in the same ways but it is systemic. See this (scientific pdf file), this (written in plain English) and this (also in plain English).

    Dualism. In some sectors of Autism Culture, a polarized autism-as-damage/disease vs. neurodiversity-as-denial dilemma rages and it's a false dilemma. Autism does offer difficulties but it can, in some individuals, also offer distinct advantages on the job and in things academic. It can be completely debilitating, a cruel harsh reality, as is the case for my grandson, but it can also offer mild to extreme disadvantages and advantages in some individuals outside the bounds of things savantism (not all savantism is autism-related and true savantism is extremely rare, only about 50 true savants exist in the world today, btw). All that variance is what makes the polarized autism-as-damage/disease vs. neurodiversity-as-denial debate a false dilemma (dualism). It's not as simple as complicated oversimplifications.

    What we now call autism has and will undergo further generations of differentiations that uber normalization and its flip side marginalization (always abusive, always heavily politicized) cannot do justice. Before further differentiation and discovery increase at even more exponential rates, the rate of autism diagnosis will continue to climb. That is a very predictable and natural progression.

    Initially, it was possible to diagnose the more disadvantaged autistics and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) stated that 75% of autistics were mentally retarded. The rate of autism diagnosis was much lower. Between 1993 and 2003, however, the rate of autism diagnosis climbed over 800%. That increase was greatly due to the fact that, in 1992, the American Psychiatric Association released the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) which refined diagnostic criteria and Autism as a spectrum disorder so that mild to severe autism could be diagnosed. Autism awareness also increased. In 2009, it's estimated that one percent of children and one out of 100 adults are autistic and both of those numbers are expected to climb, not surprising since many autistic adults were not diagnosed as children and many still don't have official diagnosis.

    Dualism. Theory of Other Minds is the theory that people are not equally endowed with the ability to recognize that others may have different beliefs, desires and intentions from their own. Supposedly normal were expected to have a robust Theory of Other Minds but a common assumption was, and many still hold it, that all autistics do not have a developed Theory of Other Minds and that if they don't filter information in expected ways then they're not filtering it at all. That is a crappy and false reality filter not because it's not true for some but because it's found to be increasingly untrue as our view on autism expands. (For further reading, tickle your mind with "Filming the Self: Self-Narration and Film for Children with Autism" and similar articles.)

    Dualism. The 'cure all difference' approach involves both science, much of it highly disputed/quackery, and scientism, the belief that the investigative methods of the physical sciences are applicable or justifiable in all fields of inquiry. Science is great but scientism will fail us because, besides being quite beholden to fads, scientism fails to imagine how dualism slides into dehumanizing --it fails to imagine why dealing with challenge isn't all about curing one side of a false dichotomy. That fosters purposeful ignorance due to decreased self-awareness and, since no one lives in a vacuum, this, with profound impact, creates disadvantages and handicaps all sides! A little humility is in order -- the well-known Johari Window model of awareness shows us that everyone benefits from clear communication, sound reasoning, honest internal dialogue, and active listening/observation that opens up windows of awareness, both of ourselves and of others. Unfortunately, it's a common human fault that communication tends to break down between ethnocentric groups, reality tunnels/bubbles, religions, and even fuzzy sets within neurodiversity.

    Hans Asperger introduced the modern theory of autism way back in 1938, autism awareness is only now starting to get some momentum in the 21st century?

    Ultimately, autism awareness involves awareness about people in general as well as awareness about things autism.

    Autism ≠ Product of Bad Parenting

    2. Autism as Criminal (Or...We're Not Robots Without Emotions or Sense of Right and Wrong)

    There has been a lot of confusion about autism, Asperger's Syndrome (A.S.), and things antisocial yet being socially inept due to neurological differences is not the same thing as being antisocial. Not only that but how social even aspies are can vary immensely. As an Einstein-Morrissey-Carroll aspie (watch this video for aspie types) I'm less social, but others with A.S may even be familiar names.

    Autism ≠ Antisocial
    A.S. ≠ Antisocial

    The average person uses the words antisocial and psychopath/sociopath interchangeably but they are not the same thing and criteria for these disorders are different, distinct.

    That's not surprising because confusion was built right into the history of discovering and exploring all things Autism or possibly autism related. Johannes Mathesius (1504 — 1565), who wrote about German monk Martin Luther (1483 — 1546), reported that Martin Luther Luther thought that a (probably severely autistic) boy was demonically possessed and suggested that he be suffocated. Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857 — 1939) used autismus (English translation, autism) to describe symptoms of schizophrenia. Child psychiatrist Leo Kanner's (1894 — 1981) work led to decades of confused terminology like 'infantile schizophrenia' and the refrigerator mom theory (the theory that autism was caused by cold mothers). Even Hans Asperger wrote about ‘autistic psychopathy.’ There were attempts to fix the loaded associations/connotations -- Lorna Wing widely popularized the term Asperger’s Syndrome to avoid the misunderstanding of confusing the term 'autistic psychopathy' with sociopathic behavior. (See http://glassjail.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-brief-history-of-asperger-syndrome/.)

    Unfortunately, the last couple of decades have cemented, in the public's mind, a very strong association between all people antisocial and "going postal," things Unabomber, school shooters, or anything murderous, rampage related. In truth, there is no evidence that apies have a higher rate of abusing, murdering, or committing felonies.

    However, Robert Durst's legal defense tactic was that he was innocent of murder and dismemberment due to his A.S, to give you a recent example. The basis of Durst's defense is dehumanizing and dangerously false, so let's clear a few things up.

    1. A.S. (Asperger's Syndrome) is not a synonym for sociopath.

    2. A.S. is not the same as having been brought up with very detrimental and even dangerous behavioral patterns of abuse (abuse of others and/or abuse of self). A.S. is a neurological difference, not a behavioral breeding ground for potential murderers. This does not mean, however, that families with autism are prohibited from being abusive. On the contrary, they are not exempt from abuse or poor parenting, things that both cross all social, religious, financial and cultural boundaries, but (!) there is no evidence that they are more likely to be abusive.
    Autism ≠ Product of Bad Parenting
    Autism ≠ Product of Abuse

    2.a. Signs that Robert Durst may have been living in a pathologically dysfunctional and abusive childhood household include the fact that his mother committed suicide in front of him -- he witnessed the fatal self abuse of his mother and who knows all the abuse and mental illness factors that preceded or followed it!

    3. While some with A.S. report difficulties with reading and expressing emotion, plenty of them have plenty of emotion!

    4. For as vocal as the few (people with A.S.) are that aren't as full of emotion (emotionally "flat") they are the rare birds...and they may or may not be dealing with not one but two or more conditions, which takes us to the next point.

    5. A.S. does not preclude having other conditions. In fact, scientific disciplines are presently looking into what seems to be higher rates of co-morbidity (having more than one condition) among people on the autism range. Of course, just as the percentage of people with mental retardation within autism may change, so may this. They're working on it and they'll work on it for a long time into the future.

    6. There is plenty of logic that offers a lot of directional force to steer people away from things criminal. Also, a healthier use of imagination contributes to living outside the tight binds (learned behavioral patterns) of abuse.

    7. Many aspies are many times more likely to follow rules do so to a very anal extent. For example, after I finally learned to drive in my mid-thirties, it took me over ten years to bring myself to drive even a little bit over the speed limit. I had numerous conversations with others about the ethical, social and logical problems with setting a legal speed limit and traffic rules and then most people are breaking the rules most of the time. I like rules and I have a huge problem when others don't follow them because then how I'm I supposed to know what they're going to do or fail to do next! You might not think about it but that it's normal to fail to follow rules and protocol with such frequency is confusing. Not all aspies are like this but a lot of them are and it serves to underline just how ludicrous and false Durst's legal defense was. Behaviorally, many aspies act more ethically and morally correct and are keenly tuned into right and wrong, even with their varying degrees of social ineptitude. This is part of what is meant by many autistics do well in structured environments. Let's face it, a lot of what we see on roads is a bit like the Wild Wild West.

    Note: This does not mean that severe autism does not call for special considerations in the legal system. It does mean:

    A.S. ≠ Antisocial/Criminal

    3. Autism as Demonic

    Note: Before I go any further it's important to understand that it's not anti-religious to criticize certain religious practices, it's not intolerant to point out intolerance, and it's not discrimination to point out discrimination.

    The Forces of Good™ vs. The Forces of Evil™ dualism has roots reaching all the way back to Zoroastrianism. Many interpret it as any difference from "The" norm is ungodly, a sign of spiritual sickness and perhaps even demonic possession!

    Autistic ≠ Possessed
    Autistic ≠ Demonic

    In 2007, a 14-year-old autistic boy was treated to an exorcism because his autism was seen as demonic possession -- after 11 hours, his face was nearly twice the size and the perpetrator only faces misdemeanor charges.

    This one happened just about 40 miles up the road from me. Terry Cottrell, an eight-year-old autistic boy, was basically pressed to death (a form of torture, really!) via adults sitting on his chest as part of an exorcism -- the kid was autistic and that to them was "demonic possession." Initially, consequences for the perpetrators looked as if they were going to be unfittingly light.

    Some religions do exorcisms, some don't, and not all that do them are trained to do them. Some of the exorcism related injuries/deaths happen in home exorcisms and some, like Terry Cottrell's (above), happen in in-church exorcisms. Exorcisms in general continue to be on the rise. I'm seeing an exponential increase of people googling "autism demonic" and arriving at this page.

    Yes, not all Christians practice exorcism and many trained to do so don't "hurt the body to heal the soul." It's not all about Christians, I know, because some exorcism related deaths have been Voodoo exorcism related; others are just plain nuts. Still, a general increase in treating autism as demonic possession is based on toxic dualism and it has the habit of spilling over into many religions/denominations and it's something people should speak out against.

    4. Autism as a Death Sentence

    Killed because they were autistic. Long list. Sentences tend to be light and by now you're starting to get an inking as to why.

    5. Autism as Cause for Restraints and Drugging, Some Forced,
    Some Forced but Technically Voluntary

    Example: http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/?p=171

    My Other Autism Related Pages

    My writing is copyrighted.

    Updated Oct. 20, 2009.

  • Commented on "Innocent Because of Asperger's"

    http://www.autisable.com/711147136/innocent-because-of-aspergers/

    Criminal lawyer (and you can take that both ways, in that it's criminal to equate Asperger's Syndrome with being murderous/sociopath) tried to get his client a verdict of innocent because he client, who murdered and dismembered, was an Aspie (someone with an A.S. difference).

    So I said:

    Lawyers will try to pull all sorts of bull.

    1.  A.S. (Asperger's Syndrome) is not a synonym for sociopath.

    2.  A.S. is not the same as having been brought up with very detrimental and even dangerous behavioral patterns of abuse (abuse of others and/or abuse of self).  A.S. is a neurological difference, not (behavioral) breeding ground for potential murderers.

         2.a.  Signs that Robert Durst may have been living in a pathologically dysfunctional and abusive childhood household include the fact that his mother committed suicide in front of him.  So he witnessed the fatal self abuse of his mother and who knows all the abuse and mental illness factors that preceded or followed it!

    3.  While some with A.S. report difficulties with reading and expressing emotion, plenty of them have plenty of emotion!  I would know.  I am one.

    4.  For as vocal as the few (people with A.S.) are that aren't as full of emotion (emotionally "flat") they are the rare birds...and they may or may not be dealing with not one or two conditions, which takes us to the next point.

    5.  A.S. does not preclude having other conditions.  In fact, scientific disciplines are presently looking into what seems to be higher rates of comorbidity (having more than one condition) among people on the autism range.

    6.  There is plenty of logic with a lot of directional force that should also steer people away from things criminal.  Also, healthier use of imagination would contribute to living outside the tight binds (learned behavioral patterns) of abuse.

    7.  Many Aspies are many times more likely to follow rules do so to a very anal extent.  For example, it took me over ten years to bring myself to drive even a little bit over the speed limit.  Try that in Chicago traffic!!!  I had numerous conversations about the ethical, social and logical problems with setting a legal speed limit and traffic rules and then most people are breaking the rules most of the time.  Not that all Aspies are like this, but a lot of them are and it serves to underline just how ludicrous and false the attempt at a legal defense was.  Yes, from a behavioral standpoint, many Aspies act more ethically and morally correct and keenly tuned into right and wrong, varying degrees of social ineptitude and all.

    Perhaps I should expand my Autism as Wrong/Disease/Demonic page to become Autism as Wrong/Disease/Demonic/Criminal.  I've seen enough of this trend to think that it would be a fitting and just rewrite.



Wednesday, 13 May 2009

sari0009

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