Autism and Social Animal Acceptance

"Conscientious" efforts at understanding and validating the Perspectives and Life Experience of others is at the core of Social Animal Acceptance.


                                                   

I recently made a comment below, that is part of a personal Lifelong Journey, in exploring this issue that includes the perspectives of hundreds of other people on the spectrum, in this month and in this decade that has become one identified as Autism Acceptance Month/Decade. 

I dedicate it not only to the person(s) I attempted to better understand and validate per their perspectives and life experiences, that wrote the two referenced articles in my comment, but to everyone else on the spectrum and well beyond it sharing similar Life Journeys.

Here is the comment and related Life Journeys, expressed below in my other blog links, that have led me to these thoughts:

Quote from an article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/letters/ive-never-met-anyone-who-hates-those-with-autism-684585/

"Nobody really hates or wishes you dead, [name redacted]. There is just a tiny, cowardly, anonymous minority that is always out there, resentful that people like you on the autism spectrum are getting more attention and genuine concern than they do. Welcome to our world."

My response:

Many of the comments in response to this article do not seem fair in devaluing the personal perspective of the author of this piece; however, the comment above devalues the personal perspective of the author of the other piece, [name redacted].

I cannot bring myself to devalue the personal life perspective of either author by denying them the truth of their life experiences.
 
I agree with the author of this piece on the points about the Search Engine Algorithms and the fact that this is not an issue specific to people on the spectrum per the label of Autism; however, the perspective that there is a substantial number of people out there in the population that are motivated in disliking people on the spectrum because they get more attention and concern is not within my life perspective/experience.

My intuitive feeling is that the author, moreover, is defending the ASA, Autism Society of America and other National Advocacy Organizations, health care professionals, and other individuals that volunteer and support people on the Spectrum as caring about them deeply.

There is no question in my mind that there is a great outpouring of concern and compassion in our country for people on the spectrum through these organizational, volunteer, and personal efforts.

One of the greatest tortures for any social animal, including people on the spectrum, is to be shunned by others of their own species.
 
It is a slow torture that can lead to self-annihilation or striking out at others as a last resort in a defense mechanism for survival.

Unfortunately, it is part of nature and an adaptation that every social animal faces to some degree.

I sense the author is saying this when he says "welcome to our world".

I also sense that the author is likely an analytical oriented "Broader Autism Phenotype individual", as what often can be observed among parents who have a BAP "genetic" link with their children on the spectrum, who may "occasionally" present blunt comments without realizing that not everyone else can fully relate to their personal life experience.
 
It has taken me decades to express my thoughts on this article topic, in a way to adequately provide the emotional content that may help others to understand what it feels like to live with this DSMIV and other diagnostic manual described condition of Autism per the impact of chronic "social shunning".

The author highlights that issue here but seems not to amplify it as an issue that can actually be one of greater concern than sporadic "acute" events of hatred expressed for others, whether the acute events of "hatred" come from a "heartless" search engine algorithm as an auto complete result with no intent of real hatred or a person who is not having a good day.

Those thoughts are linked below, in what is a broad attempt in considering different perspectives on this overall issue of "social shunning" associated with Autism that is not an issue specific to diagnostic label.

When a person on the spectrum, or identifying with it, says "people are not listening to them", it can be a cry of help from an individual who has not found their way out of a "bottomless pit" that some find themselves in because of chronic, lifelong "social shunning" from others in their own species.

It is part of the reason people on the spectrum gain greater comfort from other species. They can sense when they are shunned and when they are not shunned.

It does not require an overt expression of hatred or deep understanding of the emotional intent of others, to come to that realization.

It is part of the human instinct of emotional contagion that other animals share, as well.
 
I also sense that, while it may come in part from a place of deep hurt resulting in expressions of anger here, the author of this topic article is also "effectively" being socially shunned by people who share a similar, overall, broader autism phenotype, in the comments here.

Acceptance is impossible without making a "conscientious" effort at more fully understanding the perspectives of others.
 
It is more difficult at times for some people on the spectrum to do this, including me, but it is part of being a social animal, that no social animal can escape.


Autism and Unwarranted Fear Based on Label Alone:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/autism-and-unwarranted-fear-based-on.html

Autism and Neuroexterrestrialdiversity:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/autism-and-neuroextraterrestrialdiversi.html

The Problem of Determining who is Neurotypical:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-problem-of-determining-who-is.html

Autism and the Broader Biological Gender Spectrum:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/autism-and-broader-biological-gender.html

The Broader Amish Autism Phenotype vs. The Autistic Matrix:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-broader-amish-autism-phenotype-vs.html

Autism and the Nautilus:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/autism-and-nautilus.html

Burnout on the Autism Spectrum:
 
http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/burnout-on-autism-spectrum.html

Autism: Finding Mind and Body Balance:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/04/autism-finding-mind-and-body-balance.html

Autism, the Internet and "Ideological First Identity", a Collection of Thoughts:

http://katiemiaaghogday.blogspot.com/2013/05/autism-internet-and-ideological-first.html

"AutisticS Peeks!"


It's Good

to Hear


ya
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AS
P:
Autistic Spectrum
Perception

and

Perspective