Illusory Fear is a major source of all types of human weaknesses…
Unfortunately those individuals who have higher potentials to learn new things..Also have higher potential to learn fears..
There are only two inherent human fears..heights..and loud noises..
All other fears are learned and are in effect illusory as compared to the two innate fears..
ANxiety almost killed me..as it is the major source of stress and the most common expression of fear among human beings..
I have absolutely no fears now..or anxiety now for one and only one reason..
I unlearned all my illusory fears…through years of self reflection and my own style of cognitive behavioral therapy…
Confidence is definitely a way FOR THE WIN…
Just watch an animal..the confident ones..always get ahead..
Humans ANimals are no different..
AS the bottom line is the confident ones are the ones that most often survive…
And simply have a
‘greater’ life..
ANd much more likely to reproduce…
The bottom line..
Is getting some….
Quite FRANkly….
Scaredy Cats simply don’t get as much…..
And in my opinion the best way to boost confidence..both physically per posture and well being and psychologically per social anxiety and anxiety in general..
Is to learn to walk in reverse..and even dance in reverse..as a daily routine of existence..if one wills..
Firstly..i look about 2 inches taller now that my spine is straight instead of leaning forward…
ANd it’s simply amazing..how having greater agility and balance in general alone can increase confidence…without even trying to be confident..
We are animals ..it is as simple as that..and posture more than anything indicates confidence to other human animals…
Walking tall..says it all..to other human animals..whether consciously aware of it or not..
Approximately 93% of communication is gained through non-verbal communication…
If anyone could benefit from walking in reverse ..it would be people on the autism spectrum…
I took full advantage of it..and it simply worked…
Not to mention completely erasing the pain of severe arthritis in my back…
And legs that used to go completely numb walking forward…
Wow..the solutions are sometimes..so frigging simple…
But again..fear..is sometimes..that only thing that holds people back…
In this case..from moving in reverse….and in totality of effect and affect.. moving ahead..
FTW….
Yeah..I get pretty hot under the collar when people suggest that humans are connected better by way of whatever they describe as a higher power..for US so called advanced social animals..
My cat experiences this bliss at will..simply when he lives at homeostasis..which is common for animals and so rare for human beings these days..
If I had to really come up with one word for the ultimate goal of the routine of music..movement and connection with the all that is..that i Practice as a kind of personal routine of religion..It would simply be homeostasis..OH ‘GOD’..LIFE IS beautiful with IT..but oh so frigging hard without it…
Your ‘pet’ animal.. likely had that..much greater than you are I could imagine..but I can’t prove th@..my Autistic ‘Spidey’ sense tells me IT IS TRUE..
They are simply part of ALL and live IT..not even ever having to attempt to come up with metaphors of the experience of WH@IS…
When i was completely separated from the connection of WH@IS..my cat cowered under the negative energy of simply the presence of my hand over It’s head..the ears went back..as I was desperately trying to suck the life force energy from the cat..to make me feel anything…
Now the cat comes to me..to enjoy my energy..
Life is Good when one can share this..or give this energy..to others..and not desperately attempt to steal IT from others..
Yeah..for me It’s the LIFE ENERGY..I personally see as IT…Th@ connection that bonds all things together..and makes them reALLy work…as oNE…
Always have an animal as a true friend..they are life savers..at least for me…
Never give up regardless of the emotional pain from losing one..AS IT IS ALL WORTH IT..IN THE LONG RUN..for connection and happiness…I think…
Haha..seriously..a two thousand year mystery…
The reason Lucifer and Jesus..are basically the same person…
Dam that’s another metaphor..but maybe it’s clear to someone…
The dark and the light are required for life..It’s as simple as that…
Christ and Lucifer are just great metaphors for that..and OH! how ‘GOD’ loves ‘his’ devil’s advocates…
After all..all life is is action..consequence..effect perceived as light or dark..or positive or negative. or good or bad..or whatever abstract construct of metaphor through the illusory process of the mind that human beings come up with…
But the bottom line is energy..And anything related to passion associated with human beings..inspired by whatever…
Light or dark..or good ..or bad..makes greater energy..and energy..is what makes the whole thing work….
IN TOTAL EFFECT!
More to come..as usual…
in light and love..dance..MUSICK
of
tHIS
FORCE
i
describe as the
ABSTracT
TERM
CHRIsT!
?
YESeY
ITISO
?
!
1182013
16
7
IS AN
OTHER
LUCKY DAY!
SMILES!
GOD
IS
LA
U
G
H
!
?
DANCE..
OVERSUNUN..
DERSUN..
AS…
ONE
Two of my favorite movie scenes are..
Napoleon Dynamite’s Dance..
And..
Forrest Gump’s Run…
And just a reminder I was..AM a bit of both of these guys..
A picture tells a thousand words…..
And so sorry..if anyone finds the profile offensive…
butT..
seriously..after being a complete shut in..in my bedroom in front of a computer
for
five years..without the ability to enjoy sight..movement..or hearing..
i
simply
hope to inspire someone else
out there like me before..
that in this world..if a person does
NOT!
give
up..
almost anything is possible…
Not in my wildest dreams during those five years..
could I have ever imagined i could attain the total bliss of life
i
have now..
I KnowNOW other people can do
this2 NOW..
There is no doubt in my mind
@ALL
JUST NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP…
THAT IS ALL…
AND FIND AND KEEP yOUR DREAMS
A
LIVE
A
GAIN..
or
The first time or WH@EVER…
As compared to Forrest
Gump..
Socially slow was my difficulty though…
But to find that connectedness when most one else
would accept me..I turned to MusicK and Dance..
Like Napoleon
Dynamite!
And yeah..
I AM
doing that NOW too..
but in my completely private yard completely naked…
Yeah..
2
Connect to the ALL TH@IS..IS Where IT IS!@
ALWAYS
NOW
FOR
ME
NOW!
AND WALKING IN REVERSE IN SUPERWALMART…
AND ALL THOSE OTHER STORES…
IS
MY TRUE RELIGION NOW!
ALONG WITH MUSICK..OF COURSE!!
I PHONES..I PADS..I PODS..WHATEVER.. ARE THE GREATEST!1!
ACCOMMODATION2!!
FOR ANY PERSON
i think..
AUTISTIC BROADER PHENOTYPE…
OR
not!
Oh!..And people wonder why..why..why..do I do IT!
And just like the Forrest Gump Running..
IT is so..so..simple..
IT
JUST
FEELS
GOOD
TH@ISALL
And OMG..I’ve done IT so much now for several..
months in so many stores..that people in my own home town..
are doing It
NOW
ON
PUBLIC SIDEWALKS…
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT AFRAID TO
TRULY
BE
FREE!
AS HUMAN ANIMALS
TO
SIMPLY ENJOY MOVEMENT..AND..OR..MUSICK!
AS
ONE WITH MOTHER NATURE..EARTH…
SIMPLY
FREE
A
GAIN..AS OTHER ANIMALS ARE…
BEFORE
THE
‘APPLE’
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI 
My response to an excellent post on the ‘Mostly True Stuff’ Blog as to why words can really be harmful to people who are the unwitting targets.. of words like the R word…
http://www.mostlytruestuff.com/2013/11/words-just-words.html
The individual who writes this blog was the only person who thanked me for defending parents as a whole in an extreme ‘battle’ against a group of autistic online ‘haters’ that were targeting parents as a whole demographic..of one who wanted to harm their autistic children..at higher levels than any other demographic of abusive parents…
I appreciated that..as most people are pretty much ignored or abused that stand up for other demographics of people…
Katie Mia Frederick Wrote:
A recent study showed that among College age young adults..that measures of demonstrated empathy have dropped over the course of three decades at approximately 30%..
Not surprising at all..as our culture is one that is no longer censored..for ‘the bad things’ in life…
The positive aspect of this is that people can more openly express themselves with fewer fears..
The negative aspect of this is that as clearly defined ethics are no longer as heavily prescribed by the culture itself…
If each individual could be educated with a well thought out and eloquently expressed explanation of why this R word is actually a dagger like word to some people..maybe some people would listen and consider that word in their language…
On the other hand..the problem is that relatively speaking few people in the general public have the attention span to do this..in our society that is growing more of one toward instant gratification in all areas of life as culture move on with greater and greater technological developments to increase the stimuluses for dopamine that make people ‘high’….
So to use another analogy..for many people that hear this..it is like trying to alter the language of a Zombie on Crack…
And yeah..with freedom of speech…it is a cry in the desert at most ..that is seriously at this..point.. something we are going to have to accept and educate ‘our’ children on..as far as why people seriously.. many of them..and more and more of them..just don’t give a sh** about how their behavior affects other people…in an emotional way…
As many people are are simply driving themselves..toward the next dopamine stimulation high..instead of sharing love..and growing love for connections that are seriously necessary to survive for a social animal..to have any chance to survive ..in the real world..before technology provides the illusion that any of us could be independent..
Otherwise known as the basic demonstration of human empathy…a quality that is growing weaker and weaker..as people are growing higher and higher..on instant gratification….
This is human nature..and the natural forces that have been increased as a result of modern technology..are the genie let out of the bottle for good now..barring an extreme natural or man made disaster….
But here is the thing…if any of ‘us’ give up on loving..as living..and become haters ourselves….
It just makes things worse…
Overall…
And yes..this is what is happening too…
Some people are simply giving up on love…..
Even the ones who are hated the most…
By haters…
Otherwise known as people who have lost their humanity..of simply being human….
Describing what i understand as GOD to my atheist Facebook friend…
IN response to this article that describes how analytical thinking represses the intuitive pathway of the brain..otherwise known as social cognition..as opposed to mechanical cognition..another study earlier last year..replicated these same general findings…
It validates what i understand as viewpoints from people who do not describe a thing called GOD as much as some others who experience the real feelings of emotions associated with what they describe as GOD…simply because the others folks do not experience these real potential feelings in human existence as much than some others..IT’s really common sense..that is all..some folks don’t feel the same connectivity..as other folks do..and this is a real tangible thing that can change through the course of One life..depending on circumstances..and the way the brain is used in the mechanical or social environment..per the mechanical and/or social cognition pathways in the brain…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/intuitive-thinking-religious-belief-analytical-research_n_1457396.html
Katie Mia Well..this is a very interesting article..and confirms my personal theory about faith and the brain…
First of all..I do not believe in the ‘supernatural’..HOwever I do most definitely believe that faith and hope are natural attributes as well as desirable attributes of the inherent function of the brain…s…
By the way I added in that ‘s’ to make a point..It isn’t a brain that makes the faith and hope work..It is the natural connectivity between brains..at least..two..that allow human beings to feel these wonderful feelings of faith and hope to make a better life..in general…
Now here’s the ‘thing’…This faith and hope..otherwise known by the abstract construct of GOD..needs no housing of language to be felt…
It is free..and even freer to non-human animals..in my opinion..but I cannot prove that part..my autistic ‘spidey’ senses..or the extreme empathy for all others I was ‘blessed’ with at birth..tells me that this is true…
I am convinced that in some autistic people..definitely not all by far..there is a heightened sense of emotional contagion that does include human animals too..that can come along with other heightened sensitivities..for example the extreme tactile sensitivity that I also possess…
Now here is another thing..I have explored and explored this thing people have been referring to as ‘GOD’ for thousands of years..and seek to find scientific answers to the mysteries..based on physiology..not just guesses of how all this works…
What I personally find in life..from my experience of 60 months with the worst pain known to mankind..that atypical trigeminal neuralgia that lasted from waking to sleeping i told you about..IS..THIS….
When emotions are repressed or the physical structures of the brain no longer allow them to work ‘normally’..or hardly at all..the hope and faith..along with many of the other complex and even simple emotions of life can
simply go away…
People with the strongest levels of emotional contagion..often burnout..in a physical way..and simply cannot feel these emotions or even the emotional empathy associated with empathy called emotional contagion..in the science of empathy….
In my view..GOD is just one of many metaphors..like Atman..and so many others in so many other religions..that attempt to express these different potential levels of emotional contagion..and homeostasis..that humans are as potentially capable of as other animals..who do not repress emotions through abstract language.. which is an illusion of mind created by collective intelligence..and language that moves beyond the emotional language that social animals naturally possess…
My cat knows everything about this connectedness that I describe as the ‘natural god’ that is..I need look no futher to understand what I understand as ‘GOD….
It is the illusions of abstract language that makes this stuff more complicated that iT needs to be..in my opinion now…
But here is the last and most important thing…
People who lose this emotional connectivity with all others..including the environment too..and feelings of emotions like the feeling of awe of beauty..are in another metaphor called hell…
As I visited this place for over five years…
It is the real human hell that the bible attempts to metaphorically describe through ancient poetry..that tries to make this point..but ironically is taken literally by the fundamentalist leaning folks that are more or less on the broader autism phenotype in their inability to understand the complexity of metaphors…
Far far away..from the original intent of the original authors..as poetry is designed anyway..for different interpretations by different minds…
My grandfather you know ..I think I told you.. was a Catholic Priest…
He wrote a book called ‘Out of the Labyrinth’..to describe how the ‘intellectualism’ of the Catholic structure of religion..took away the core part of faith and hope that is GOD that he describes too..but unfortunately he went on to describe the Protestant Christian path as the true and only path to this connectivity that is a natural part of life..for all social animals..ANYway…
So I guess.. to use another complex human metaphor..IT iS my destiny as so many others.. to take IT one step further..and so many others who took it there already in Eastern religions well before Western religions..with materialistic concepts..taking advantage of folks to make money off this stuff…
So it’s a little bit of a double edged sword…
People are being taken advantage of through many western religions..for money..yes…
But on the other side of the coin..people are in effect..some people that is..are using the analytical aspect of their mind or what some people describe as the left hemisphere of the mind so much in mechanical cognition..rather than social cognition.. which is the pathway of the brain to empathy.. that the empathy pathway is withering away..along with some of the experience of emotions..including emotional contagion for others…
And beauty..hope..faith and all that stuff that comes with social cognition..including connectedness to the environment as some people describe as the awe of environmental beauty..a real and tangible feeling..that can go away..to human hell..to use that other metaphor…
Well my cat is on the bed simply enjoying GOD ‘WRiteright’ NOW at this very moment…
But he has the distinct advantage as far as this goes..by lacking abstract language to simply unlearn or repress this real and natural part of existence..that I personally describe as GOD…
There is no doubt in my mind you experience this XXXxx..you just call IT something other than what I am currently describing IT here NOW as….
IT IS as good a word for IT as GOD for me..but I kinda like the word ALLAH as it simply sounds like a more beautiful word to me..to describe the endless connectivity..that the real experience that I understand as living IS..now that I too..have my emotions..emotional contagion..and awe of beauty back..as what I describe as the real human experience of bliss..that my cat so easily experiences..when he lives @homeostatis…so so hard for humans to attain these days..but so so simple for most animals to attain…
Of course all of THIS..in just my true will opinion..per my experiences of life..unique challenges.. adversities..and ALL of that..that you may experience much differently than me..of course…
ha. you and your wife are a trip man…with the camera…living i think is a grand experience…and however we find god…i like the thought of god as laughter or of god as laughing…i do think we experience god in different ways….
Thanks Brian..and God can be a little ugh at times toO …smiles..is great!..though..at any rate!
Oh your notion of fear has a lot of truth in it.. unlearning fear… that’s all we need… always a joy to follow you in pictures too.. what a nice warm climate.
Thanks..Bjorn..It started out in the 70’s today in North Florida..another beautiful day for Naked Dancing and all of that..but moving into wind chills into the 20’s for tomorrow night and about the 40’s for the wind chill now..
But the great thing is that the 70’s will likely be here again before the end of the week..
I am a very warm blooded individual so the cold is actually better for me..but I do love the sunshine..so much..smiles….:)
What it all says to me and the vivacity of your perspective – is just be… And, if you can open yourself up – then everything will flow for there… Ain’t that the truth… With Best Wishes to you… Scott http://www.scotthastie.com
Yes it truly is Scott..thanks so much for the great thoughts Scott..and best fortune to you too..smiles…
Just in case anyone wonders why I often quote completely unrelated discussions to the topic on hand ..in this area..of my website from word press..in the comments section here..
I speak what I see as the truth..sometimes no matter how much it hurts other peoples’ feelings if I think the truth is important enough…to tell..with this taken in consideration…
And yeah..the truth hurts..I sometimes get my comments deleted or am actually banned from a site as I tell it as i sees it sometimes..some folks don’t like fierce disagreement and I understand that ..but as a person on the spectrum it took me almost five decades..to make any real coherent sense in a verbal conversation by writing..so I value every word I say..as it takes a great deal of mental effort to make it happen..
I have real freedom of speech here that cannot be censored as I pay for this website..And it IS my private domain for free speech on the internet..
People can ban me now or delete my comments..but copy and paste saves them..for anyone to see who visits my site now..or in the future..as long as the servers work to retain them…
So yeah..in a way..free speech..is the ultimate revenge of the NERDS..the herd can no longer totally shut up the mavericks of this world..
And yeah..with my new mavericks operating system for my IMAC..I am a Maverick ..and yeah..even hold my head up high now..in words and physical presence..as I am what I am..th@IS all..and loving every frigging moment of IT NOW…
TH@IS ALL..
So here is a discussion from the Autism Speaks website..from me against what I describe as mostly in effect ‘haters’..and yeah the video I linked in GodallahGODzilla..was more than just a random video..I am one of the few online autistic people online that have real empathy for human beings who have difficulties other than mine..the potential for more real Adam Lanza’s in this word is a real and present danger..There are a lot of very angry autistic people that express these same type of vengeance related missions on the internet.. and it is simply nothing to be lightly dismissed…
This issue can be like the Lord of the Flies..when these folks get online..and talk about how much they hate the rest of the world..It is a new phenomenon..a potential online mob effect..if you will..
And yeah..I have thrown a lot of ice water on these hate generated discussions..but I am tired of being polite..I no longer hold back on any emotional punches…I am telling it like it is now..with emotional communication too…like anger..and sarcasm..and all TH@stuff too..
It’s what really makes a point last in someone’s mind..and I take full advantage of that now..
As i can now more fully connect my language and emotions as one..as in effect I have cured that part of my Autism Spectrum Disorder..and do score an 11 on the Autism Quotient Test as compared to 44 to 45..just about 5 months ago….
http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/autism-speaks-washington-call-action
katiemiaaghogday • 6 hours ago
Oh lord..the problems with empathy and Autism…
Just because you enjoy your autism..does not mean the other 2,999,000 folks with it do..
Empathy..is great,..some autistic people have that too..and clearly understand that for those individuals who are potentially dying from co-morbid conditions associated with Autism.. that Autism Speaks is funding research for..that every dire word here used to get government attention for funding may eventually mean the difference between life or death for someone..
‘Turn the TV’ off..and create something..instead of complaining about someone who is actually helping folks…please..IF YOU WILL…
I cured my autism that way..and you can gain stronger levels of actual empathy for your fellow human beings that aren’t quite as fortunate as you..with a little right brain..exercise….
Hate is kind of a useless ploy in my opinion..particularly when there are ‘real’ human beings..busting their tales like the fine folks that work with Autism Speaks actually making a positive difference in this world….
Actually helping someone..and not just spreading hate…or attempting to ..as.. nah..Autism speaks ain’t listening to haters…so basically you are just wasting your time here..TH@IS.. all..
OH by the way..that was a little out of the box thinking..try it..you might cure your autism too…
But just my opinion..pay me no mind..just passing through..you type of folks no longer amuse me….
I live in the real world again..with real human beings..who love..and do not spend their leisure time..hating….online..in waste of time activities like this…Smiles and have a great day,…:)
You are the folks that really give autism a bad name..as empathy is where it’s at to be human….
The commenters here..that is….for the most part….
Yeah..I love my exquisite sensory experiences and still have that..
But the actual reciprocal social communication disorder that IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY DIAGNOSED AS AUTISM..SIMPLY SUCKS..THAT IS ALL..
WE ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS..AND TO SURVIVE..ACCEPTABLE RECIPROCAL SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS..ARE MOST DEFINITELY REQUIRED TO MAKE IT THROUGH ALL OF LIFE..IN ONE PIECE..WITH HELP FROM OTHER HUMAN BEINGS..FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH ACCEPTABLE RECIPROCAL SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS….
I CAN DO THAT AGAIN..IN REAL LIFE..AND OH MY GOD IT IS GREAT!
IT’S PROBABLY BETTER TO SPEND YOUR TIME IMPROVING IT..THAN WASTING YOUR TIME DOING USELESS HATING..
BUT JUST MY OPINION..AGAIN..HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE NIGHT!
AND WASTE YOUR HATING IF YOU.. LIKE ..LIKE I SAID IT NO LONGER AMUSES ME…..
Imthatg1rl Wrote: • 3 hours ago
You obviously have not been paying attention. There has been something created…. The comments on this page are no different than someone writing a letter to stand up for what the believe in. The written word is a powerful thing, it’s even more powerful when people with like views band together.
If you “cured” your autism… you were not autistic to begin with.
What has autism speaks done for you? Please tell me.
Aghogday Wrote:
No..I have been paying total attention to this online farce..now for almost three years.. propagated by many individuals ‘online’ who suggest they are autistic..but more likely tick the boxes for either Borderline Personality
Disorder or non-verbal learning disorder.. which is simply diagnosed as autism sometimes because of the issues with reciprocal social communication associated with these disorders…
i was an actual non-verbal Autistic child who had problems speaking most of my life..but yeah..I made straight A’s and got three college degrees..and worked over 2 decades with the government..before I succumbed to Autistic Burnout at middle age and was professionally diagnosed by a very accomplished psychiatrist for the military….so no you don’t get to tell me I was not properly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder..I had IT before anyone understood anything about the higher functioning kind that is only present in about 9% of cases currently assessed by the CDC…
The majority of people even making these complaints are female..and females only constitute about 2% of this entire CDC measured higher functioning demographic of Autistic Spectrum Disorder…
If you want to see how wonderful Autism is for the other higher functioning folks that are constantly contemplating suicide as they cannot make any connections in life..just go visit the haven on the wrong planet website..and see the suffering there..but keep in mind that this is the cream of the crop still..that even have the skills to communicate online..
Yeah and please don’t use the examples of some of the ‘popular’ autistic folks suggesting they are non-verbal..to tell me how gifted non-verbal folks are..some of these people tick many of the same boxes of hyperlexia related Autism that I do that is much different than the non-verbal learning disorder symptoms that many young adults have that are currently diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome before the DSM5 requirements went into effect…
Individuals with the Hyperlexia version of autism like me can have language delays..and tick many of the boxes of Gillberg Criteria..the Asperger’s syndrome that reflects the actual case studies of Hans Asperger’s…
Neither the DSMIV or DSM5 criteria comes close to actually measuring what Hans Asperger’s described as Autistic Psychopathy..
The criteria is still so broadly described that a person with the behavioral addictions that the American Society for Addiction Medicine now recognizes..like Video game addiction.. could be almost entire source of cause for a severe difficulty in reciprocal social communication…severe enough to actually be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder…
The diagnosis per DSM 5 classification is still so broadly described that there are still scores of co-morbid conditions that can potentially underly the difficulties in reciprocal social communication among the close to approximately 3 million individuals currently assessed as being on the spectrum in the US…
And I have empathy..Autism Speaks doesn’t have to do anything for me..for me to appreciate their efforts..
But still indirectly they do…as they fund research into the Autism Spectrum related co-morbid disorder of Di-George Syndrome..that my child did die from..per the auto immune system related issues…
Autism Spectrum Disorder..for the individuals who truly suffer from it..whether it is the often almost life ending issues associated with Autistic Burn-out in middle age for higher functioning adults like me that found a way to conform..that worked for a few decades.. or the most seriously effected that thrash around all day in sensory misery..or the children like my child that simply die from their co-morbid related condition that Autism Speaks is working so hard to fund to find real answers to save real people from this real potential of misery..is in effect either now or later a life or death situation for many of these people…
I am just expressing my opinion here..I make that clear here..and i do not expect anyone to agree with me..
But here’s the thing..I’ve been in these Autistic Trenches for over 5 decades..and I’ve done at least several thousand hours of research into almost every issue associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder…It’s all documented on my blogs…
I can back up everything I am saying with peer reviewed research…
I score an 11 on the AQ test now..I scored a 44 to 45 before I cured the reciprocal social communication difficulties with what i was born with..as Autism Spectrum Disorder…
I am human ..I am not a disorder..I adapt..and I survive…
That is all..
I have ever done.. in life..
And overall that is what humans do anyway…
The ones who survive..TH@IS…..
I cured the reciprocal social communication disorder part of my Autism..by my unique personally designed rigorous schedule of right brain activities including poetry..and music…
It took 5 decades..but i do not give up..I simply did IT finally..th@is all…
I can also finally emotionally connect with my wife in language..It is the first time ever for me..in 2 decade..so yeah IT’s great to cure the part of Autism that sucks…
It’s no fun being married to a guy with Gillberg described Asperger’s syndrome…Tony Atwood is completely correct about that issue..
But nah..female Autism..is often nothing like male autism..the research is also showing that now…
The females here with autism for the most part simply do not speak for my male form of autism at all..as they simply experience autism different..that is all…
It can actually be much more difficult for males than females to conform..research is indicating this now too…
So again..like I say..have a good day..I analyzed the situation and came to my own conclusions…
I am still a maverick and do not run with any ‘pack’… particularly haters..they just turn my stomach..and inspire me to greater levels of empathy and love in general…
Th@Is All..my friend…
http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/autism-speaks-washington-call-action
Jennifer Muzquiz • 25 minutes ago
You have no idea how fortunate we are or are not. Your child was not taken from you. You still have your son. Comparing an autism diagnosis to actually losing a child to something like cancer is disgustingly self-centered and misguided. The reason you feel that anguish is primarily due to the scare tactics Autism Speaks has perpetrated over the years, creating a culture of misinformation and fear. Just because Autism Speaks is “a voice” doesn’t mean they’re the right voice to listen to; they’re not. Not by a long shot. They aren’t doing ANYTHING for your family. Prove they are. You can’t. They can’t. They won’t. All children are special and how dare you put me or anyone else into a separate category? We are your children. We do grow up. We do have voices. LISTEN TO US and stop making this about YOU.
katiemiaaghogday wrote:
NO you listen Jennifer..my child died from a co-morbid condition associated with Autism..DiGeorge syndrome..the auto immune system issues associated with this genetic disease…
And yes I am on the spectrum and professionally diagnosed as such…
Great…you are alive and doing well..but that is not the effect that the co-morbid conditions.. that are definitely associated with those who are more severely effected actual symptoms of autism..impact actual people in the real world…
This is no joke..this is a life or death situation for many of these children…
And so what ..Susanne Wright gives it a little emotional hyperbole to get the government’s attention…
In a life or death situation..you do what works..you don’t second guess etiquette…or whose ‘little’ feelings are gonna get hurt…by being associated with someone much more severely affected by this entire Autism Spectrum disorder and all the related co-morbid conditions…that Autism speaks continues to fund research for…to allow the potential in the future..of less suffering for real human beings in real life..not some online fantasy..and even the potential to save lives…
You folks make me sick..with your deficits in the demonstration of empathy in caring for individuals less fortunate than you…
Hope you sleep well..while other folks on the spectrum are truly suffering..and just hoping that one day Autism Speaks and other organizations that truly care about THESE people on the spectrum will make breakthroughs in research to alleviate the real suffering associated with the Autism Spectrum for many documented medical cases of Autism….
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5747958.html#5747958
wreck1 wrote:
Being gay is not natural.
I know this quote will make alot of uproar…might not.
Aghogday Wrote:
No uproar really..but simple common sense dictates this..even though science already provides reams of evidence for it..
Homosexuality occurs all throughout the animal kingdom..
So obviously it is a natural occurring tendency among social animals of all types..including human beings..
The only creature who thinks ‘he’ knows more than GOD…
Or in other words the truly ignorant ‘ones’…
As other animals are never separated from GOD..only human animals live this hell of collective intelligence and illusions that come from the newer phenomenon of abstract language…
A growl gets the job done..in the animal kingdom…
Oh..and yeah..I love to growl..you ought to hear me roar..I am very loud..like a Tiger..seriously I’m not kidding on that one..
As I Am in touch with GOD all the time NOW..
Just like my CAT
And yes I am completely serious..there is also science in what I am saying…
And not that It really matters..but my CAT is not gay..but he has a good friend that is naturally gay….
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
http://en.gravatar.com/katiemiafrederick
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5750376.html#5750376
Feralucce wrote:
PaulaDurbin-Westby wrote:
My blog post on this. I have copied in links to every protest article I can find, including links to the WP threads on the topic. Updating any time I have a break and can do searches.
http://paulacdurbinwestbyautisticblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/autism-speaks-kidnaps-policy-summit.html
Ferraluce Wrote:
There may a great deal of useful information there… but your presentation made it a) impossible to read in any meaningful way amd b) to take it seriously
Aghogday Wrote:
Well..even though I almost completely disagree with the blog post highlighted above..I personally have absolutely no problem understanding her written presentation..
She is an extremely intelligent person..who has a form of Autism like I do associated with Hyperlexia..which entails difficulty with spoken language..but extreme abilities to decode all types of symbols..and visual thinking is often part of this form of Autism too..
There are many people here on this site..who have an almost opposite way of thinking..as they have symptoms of non-verbal learning disorder..which means they navigate the world in words instead of visual images…
I never wrote anything of substance much..until I lost effective use of my sight..It was the most challenging thing I ever did to move to verbal instead of visual thinker…
The blogger simply moves in many directions at one time..as her mind is lit up like the Universe like mine…
It’s a pretty incredible experience..but always hard to put into words…
But this IS exactly the problem that can be highlighted here with Autism Speaks..
Autism Speaks never directed their mission at first..except for any type of autism but regressive autism…that now the National Institute of Mental health..is actually directing research dollars for a possible disease related component that generates this type of Autism…
This is the type of Autism that Suzanne Wright’s grandson has…and yes it is a very dangerous type of autism..that can lead to much misfortune for all those who are impacted…
She is ‘wright’ on topic with her words..but she simply is not using precise numbers for statistics..in her REAL CONCERN over children like her grandson ..with that one form of Autism that may impact somewhere in the vicinity of 25 percent of the three million children with Autism estimated by the Centers of Disease Control..CDC..in the US…
I can almost guarantee that the people who make light of the seriousness of her grandson’s illness..as it impacts this specific form of Autism…disgust Suzanne Wright..as she does not have Autism and she feels the full rage of empathy for people who cannot see that other people experience life much differently than they do…
But this is Autism..It is like the old phrase of Jesus..as he forgave people who know not what they do…
With the real deficit of demonstrated and understood cognitive empathy that handicaps many people with Autism..they simply don’t get it that is all..
But the funding must go on..and as anyone who has ever taken a marketing 101 class in college or even high school knows..the emotions are what pull the levers for emptying the pockets..whether it is buying new cars..or saving someone’s life who may be impacted by a deadly co-morbid disease associated with Autism…
But again..the problem is empathy and Autism..no matter how many words I use to attempt to explain this in plain language..people with empathy deficits..per demonstrated empathy and cognitive empathy..for the most part..simply are not going to get it..until they reach some type of mechanism to adapt through epigenetic..and/or neuroplastic changes in their brain…
I didn’t always get it..it took me decades…but it is as clear as day now..even though so many others are still blind to the empathy that most people in the general public experience that most definitely do still support the full mission of Autism Speaks..and truly understand the real suffering associated with Autism..empty some of the ‘coins’ out of their pockets to help other people..simply cause they are human and need help…
Autism Speaks generated 10% more revenue last year..than the year before while most other charities are either faltering..and some are either failing..
This is what happens when an extremely successful CEO of a major Network..dedicates his retirement years to philanthropy..
They simply make things happen..to help others..
And we need more people like them..to make this WORLD really work…
No matter the pedantic language flaws that Suzanne Wright or her husband may make in their emotional pleas for help from the government and the general public..their hearts are simply in the human place of using their human efforts to help other humans..
This is what it means to be a social animal..and yeah..many autistic people have trouble being a social animal..
That is why the disorder can be so devastating..
The only reason humans have survived this long.. is because of the adaptations for reciprocal social communication..to effectively..share..and cooperate…for basic subsistence and survival…
That is the big picture oF autism…and yeah it is a dire one..for survival for ALL those who are concerned…
Autism
Speaks is great..it started out as a volunteer effort…
Not many people have what it takes to make something like that happen!
And no I am not silly enough to think I am going to change any rigid thinking views of the Autistic folk here..but this is just to show the listening audience who are not autistic..that some of us do adapt..understand..and demonstrate human empathy .. in words…
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
http://en.gravatar.com/katiemiafrederick
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5751677.html#5751677
grahamguitarman wrote:
aghogday wrote:
This is the cognitive part of empathy my friend..understanding the facts associated with what other people experience and suffer with other problems than we do…and putting that together with the emotional empathy that makes us fully human…
Grahamguitarman Wrote:
So let me get this right – being Autistic means that me and my son not fully human? Having difficulty with cognitive empathy means that we’re some kind of sub – species or something?
Then you have the temerity to accuse other people of hate because they don’t agree with Autism Speaks! After reading that it kinda makes sense that you would support Autism Speaks I guess.
I have no real personal investment in what people think of Autism Speaks – simply because I live in the UK and have no involvement in anything they do. Their lack of sufficient resources to help the community has no impact on me, and they receive no money from anyone in my community because they are completely unknown here. If I have problems with them it is with the skewed presentation of Autism they promote.
I only have Asperger syndrome but I am also the parent of an Autistic child, one who can be quite difficult. Most days I have to listen to him screeching and grunting when he is upset. He is very stubborn about doing anything. And yes, He can be a bit aggressive at times.
But you know what – he is not a missing child, he is not a disaster, he is not the victim of an apocalyptic plague. He is the most wonderful bubbly, funny and interesting child you could wish to meet. My NT wife and I don’t mourn the hypothetical ‘perfect’ child we never got, we celebrate the wonderfully interesting child we got instead. We don’t see him as a sub human thing to be pitied, but as a highly intelligent child who has his own way of seeing the world.
I don’t want my son ‘cured’ or ‘normalised’ I want him to be accepted for himself, to be loved for his difference not feared. Here in the UK our primary Autism Charity is the NAS, their attitude is not to demonise Autism but to say “accept difference, not indifference”, I posted about them yesterday Here .
Aghogday Wrote:
For me US is the whole human race..
I am a human being..I do not define myself with a diagnosed psychiatric/neurological disorder..but to each his own..as I already clearly indicate..I do not impose my will on other people…
Recent studies indicate that young college age adults score approximately 30% lower on measures of empathy in the last several decades..so this is clearly not an issue specific to any one psychiatric/neurological disorder….
To put in not so eloquent terms..Suzanne Wright was speaking out of her heart/(ass) instead of logic when she made that statement..She already clearly knows that her description of Autism is not the same for all people who are diagnosed with this disorder…
In other words..as usual..some people on the spectrum are looking at her statement in black and white literal terms..and completely missing the FACT that the Autism Speaks organization..as a professional Autism information organization..identifies this in their professional guidance on their website..designed by scientists..not emotional pleas for help from a grandmother who identifies that her grandson has suffered from the more dire consequences of an identified psychiatric disorder…that is also has a neurological origin in the estimation of neurologists..and psychologists/psychiatrists…
This is not the first time that Ms. Wright has done this..she is not technically qualified to make these type of statements in a professional way..but she is the boss’s wife..and basically gets to do what she wants…and this is a philanthropic effort…so it is not like this is going to be of any deficit to their personal finances..whether people like the way she talks about it or not..that’s just my opinion..and best guess..about this though…
Autism Speaks is obviously not a perfect organization..and I would not have my wife going off on something she is not educated on if I was running an organization..but my wife listens to my logic…and she is not overly emotional over things like this…but Ms. Wright is..that is just her personality..and it’s just not that big of a deal to me…
But I have never suggested anyone should contribute to Autism Speaks..financially.. I always recommend local organizations..but I am a tribal thinking person..anyway..like most human beings…
And beyond this.. although I appreciate the positive things Autism Speaks does..I do not like their community standards on their website..They will censor comments for PR purposes..
In my opinion..the worst behavior for any organization is that of censorship of differences of opinions..and some self identified autism advocates/self advocates are the worst offenders when it comes to censorship of differences of opinions…
In my opinion if there are currently any ‘NAZI’s’ in the world which is only a metaphor..please do not take it literally..they are people who censor differences of opinions..as while it is not required on private websites..freedom of speech is still what makes our country the strongest country in the world….overall….
IN other words Autism Speaks panders to autistic people..the ones who are basically saying disgustingly offensive things about the organization..who are complaining about this..to make sure people do not think they are deleting out and or banning autistic anti autism speaks comments..
But they will delete my comments if I attempt to provide a critical analysis like this..against the offensive comments that are not warranted…like.. that the Autism Speaks organization is actually endorsing aversive shock therapy by the JRC..which they are on public record as clearly not doing..that I do have links ands references.. for..
I do not care for the ‘snooty’ attitude of Mr. and Ms. Wright..but I look at all the positive and negative aspects of a situation attempting to do that without personal bias..of how people’s personality may or may not rub me the wrong way..that is part of acceptance..learning to accept people that rub ya the wrong way…in my opinion..cause lord knows I know my detailed and long comments rub people the wrong way..but that is just me..if somebody does not like it I do not see why they cannot simply ignore me….
This site is no more accepting of different ways of thinking than most any other place on the internet..
Why? Cause that is just simply human nature…
All humans discriminate..But there is the potential for consciousness cognitive efforts for acceptance..
I try to do that …but yeah.. i am only human..like everyone “US”…
And by the way I do respect the NAS very much..it is sad we do not have a really good charitable organization like that for Autism in the US..but this is mostly i think..because of our current system of privately run health care..
The UK government works hand in hand with the NAS in their overall civilized effort to take care of their fellow citizens..which is unfortunately one of the areas of life in the US..that keeps this country from having a better overall health for a society…
I would be completely happy if Autism Speaks suddenly worked just like the NAS…
Autism Speaks actually only funds about 4 percent of Autism Research in the US..even if the organization disappeared it would have little real impact on autism research…Autism Speaks shines most in the political arena in lobbying for insurance benefits..and general information on their website for autism research..and awareness of the disorder in general…
Ms. Wright did a disservice in giving improper educational information in her over generalized statement..but again..this is the real world..and unfortunately that is how it works sometimes..it can be accepted here..as it is the best one we currently have…the real world..that currently is..that is…..
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
http://en.gravatar.com/katiemiafrederick
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5751739.html#5751739
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:56 am
Adamantium wrote:
aghogday wrote:
The bottom line is that Autism Speaks is on public record as not endorsing the aversive shock therapy..and the bottom line is that some people in this discussion are suggesting they do..which is not any more a proper representation of the facts than Ms. Wright’s all inclusive statement about the 3 million folks with Autism..
So in other words..it seems some of the folks here are led by their emotions..more than evidenced facts…
Admantium Wrote:
Well, I don’t know who you can be thinking of, but I’m pretty sure I am looking at facts only a small number of which I presented here. You kind of have to look into the whole Skinnerian behavior modification model to know what this therapy is about and that is probably more than this thread can bear.
The bottom line for me is that Autism Speaks not only creates horrible propaganda about autism, but they made the decision to put the JRC in the resource area, this year. I think that makes sense: if you held the views of the leadership of Autism Speaks you would endorse organizations that used aversive behavior modification to eliminate unwanted behavior in autistic individuals. That seems to me to be a logical relationship, but perhaps I am so driven by emotion I am incapable of intellectual clarity… I do the best I can with mind I have.
Aghogday Wrote:
Quote:
Really not that much different than Ms. ‘Right’..in my opinion…
And why there is not much credibility seen in these type of discussions among anyone listening in that is not a member of the ‘choir’..
I like facts friend….not myths…I bust them..that is all…
Admantium Wrote:
Well, you know, I used to think there was no point arguing about stuff like this. People never changed their views, etc.–and then a person who had been an opponent in such an argument came up and thanked me for having opened his eyes to the other view.
What’s incredible to you may be convincing to others and I’m pretty sure none of us is in a position to determine who among the possible readers of these words is in one choir or another and what “anyone listening” may be thinking.
It’s nice to see Autism Speaks distance itself from electric torture, but kind of sad to see you coming the defence of the JRC with “facts” like
Aghogday Wrote:
Quote:
There is currently no evidence of any more potential illegal activity at the facility…so there is no reason why they could not participate by renting a booth at any WALK event.
Admantium Wrote:
What they do may or may not be illegal yet, but that doesn’t make it right. Is there no other way to stop people from harming themselves? Or might that be a myth? Can we compare the kinds of treatment that are used for the most severe self-harming autistics in different countries and discover if some people are successfully prevented from terrible self harm without using pain-based behavior modification? I think there are more facts to be discovered and myths to be busted.
So the total below the bottom line, by my reckoning, is:
* Autism Speaks sucks: http://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Autism_Speaks_Flyer.pdf
* JRC is an obscenity and should be shut down. There are other ways.
* J.E.Robison did a great thing and expressed himself very well in doing it
I like Vermont Savant, though I did not like what he seemed to say in support of JRC. I hope that my arguments on those topics did not in any way seem bullying, that was certainly not my intention.
Aghogday Wrote:
My statement was a generalized one…obviously there are exceptions to the generality of the metaphor of singing to the choir…
Currently aversive shock therapy is the only therapy that works for some individuals..by their own admission..that is their personal choice and in states that legally allow It..it is their legal right..
It really comes down to the dire circumstance if you want to be blind as compared to getting a relatively small shock…I’ll choose the shock friend..
In fact I chose the worst pain known to mankind..over the prospect of having my nerves cut in my face for numbness to prevent it for atypical trigimenal neuralgia..for a full 5 years…
It depends on whose shoes you are wearing..when these type of decisions are made…
I have a great deal of personal insight on pain…technically more than 99% of the population that currently exists..as the pain disorder I had was probably one of the rarest cases on medical record..
It was called the suicide disease for good reason…
I can understand clearly why some people cannot understand how dire pain and misery can be..as it is impossible to understand some pain..unless a person actually experiences it…
My best day..of five years was when I had screws put in my tear ducts..for an auto immune system issue that prevented my eyes from making any measurable amount of tears to lubricate my eyes…
The discomfort of screwing the screws in my tear ducts took my mind off of the pain..for about 2 seconds..
Again..that was the best feeling i had in 5 years..I almost had an appetite back again..too..for about 2 seconds…
What may not make any sense to one person as far as these issues are concerned may make total sense to someone else..but not many people have this kind of empathy…
And no that’s not their fault either..and why it’s never good to personally judge why or why not..someone may do something that makes no sense to another person…as no one can really walk in another person’s shoes…
And by the way..the flyer you quoted is full of exaggerated and/or incorrect claims..I already analyzed it in this thread…here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt213857.html
And the ASAN organization is another one that will censor any opinion that is not in alignment with the ‘party line’….
They simply will not accept different way of thinking ..when it comes to the real world..and that is truly sad…but it simply goes with the territory..where the individuals with the disorder may have very rigid ways of thinking..excluding anything.. including other people’s opinions.. which do not meet their expectations..
And yeah..I have the disorder too..but through five decades of life..I have successfully adapted to the reciprocal social communication challenges through epigenetic and neuroplastic changes..and changed for the better to be a more fully rounded social animal…and that’s science friend..not just an opinion….
I have effectively cured the reciprocal social communication part of the disorder..but yes.. officially.. since the disorder is technically considered a lifelong disorder..and one that can be adapted to…I officially still am diagnosed with the disorder..even though i no longer fully have the deficits as identified in the technical diagnostic manual…
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
http://en.gravatar.com/katiemiafrederick
Response to a private message request on Wrong Planet whose originator I will leave anonymous..
XXXxX wrote:
I am interested in your cure. If you do not mind please share what you have done and what afflictions have been reduced.
Thank you
Aghogday Wrote:
I suffered from the effects of Autistic Burnout starting at age 46 and accelerating to full human exhaustion at age 48 with over 17 diagnosed disorders..including rare pain related and auto-immune system related issues..
There was no possibility given by medical professionals that I would ever recover…
I am documenting the full recovery process in my blogs and on my flicker feed in actual photographs down to the detail of my actual physical health in recovery..
My reciprocal social communication difficulties were so severe that I could not effectively communicate with anyone in real life..and my sensory integration difficulties increased to the point where dancing with the stars was like fireworks..and a mockingbird sounded like a freight train…
I was diagnosed with Sjorgren’s syndrome..dysautonomia..fibromyalgia..severe arthritis..stenosis of the neural canals of the neck..carpal tunnel syndrome..vaso vagal pre-syncope..hypogonadism..severe depression..anhedonia..mood lability..severe anxiety..postraumatic stress syndrome..alexithymia..atypical facial pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia making effective use of my right eye and ear impossible for over 5 years..severe tactile sensitivity disorder..adhd..and Pervasive Development disorder not otherwise specified as my language delay until age 4 excluded me from the Asperger’s diagnosis..but I check every box for a diagnosis per Gillberg criteria that does allow for that language delay and more closely reflects what Hans Aspergers actually described in his case studies…
A picture tells a thousand words..I have over 15 thousand pictures in my flickr feed evidencing what I can do as far as interacting with other human beings as well as how much my physical health has improved…
One thing that has helped is taking many pictures of the expressions of my face to better find the ability to express emotions to others..I had no idea what my expressions were or what they looked like before…It was a complete cognitive disconnect…
As far as my reciprocal social communication difficulties..I started out here writing back on November 26th of 2010 to attempt to escape the worst pain of trigeminal neuralgia as no drug will touch this type of nerve pain…
Each word I typed at that point was like moving a mountain because of the pain and exhaustion that was my life at that point..but i marched on with every word…that now amounts to close to 7 million words at the end of this three year period of writing coming up in a couple of weeks..
I could not connect language with the extreme emotional contagion I experienced my entire life..which is the essence of alexithymia..and one of the understand greatest difficulties of autism as this difficulty associated with empathy and reciprocal social communication affects about 85% of people on the spectrum..
I was a visual thinker..not a verbal thinker before I lost effective use of my sight…
Organizing my mind to be a verbal thinker was the most difficult thing I ever did in my life..but there was simply no choice if I wanted to survive…
So as you see..my experiences and my adversity are unique..so my adaptations as successful as they are may be only unique for me in the potential for the overall healing process in overcoming these difficulties…
One of the greatest adaptations for me..was to get involved with out of the box thinking in writing free verse poetry in a ‘beat’ type of way…like Jack Kerouc..
I had no outlets for real creativity most of my life..and this in one of the main things that opened up the emotional and language centers of my brain to work in tandem instead of islands that never met…
My therapist who worked her tail off to try to bring my emotions back to me for over 2 years..says my recovery and methods used for that recovery are unique and the speed of my recovery..in regaining my fullest reciprocal social communication abilities of my life..are nothing less that a miracle in her decades of extensive experience working with people on the spectrum…
My autoimmune issues are considered in remission..I retired at full early retirement benefits from the government and received social security disability benefits at first try with my own effort with over 100 pages of medical documentation..
So I spend a little time here to try to inspire some of these folks that may be listening in on the posts that are not brave enough to get out there in the public eye and communicate..that almost anything is possible if you just do not give up and keep looking for a way to make things work…
One unusual thing that i found to be very effective in eliminating all my anxieties including social anxiety is walking in reverse…
I was an Athletic Director for a military installation for the government and have degrees in health science..social sciences interdisciplinary and anthropology..so I have some technical background in what works and what may not work for improving well being..but this is not an activity that is recommended in the mainstream in either the medical profession..or even in fitness facilities..
It is very popular though in China and Japan..
The benefits are clear i think..it improves focus of mind..vision..posture..and health in general..as well as confidence…
I have never felt fully comfortable in my own skin until now…
If there is one combination of things that helped me more than anything else it is probably the reverse walking listening to emotional music on my ipod/iphone..and getting out there in the general public..and actually making myself make reciprocal social communication interaction contact with complete strangers…
I have actually moved from full introvert to full extrovert in a matter of several months…
More of this is detailed in my blogs..and flickr feed..and I do leave no stone unturned..or unexplored…
I have a new understanding of what I understand as GOD also..that is very far from the norm of what most people believe in this country but it is also an integral part of my recovery in connecting back as a full human being again..
I always had extreme emotional contagion for others..before I got sick…but now I can demonstrate empathy for others too…which is a ‘GOD send’ in my 24 year marriage..and a beautiful thing to actually make friends with people in real life…
I’m sorry I know this probably sounds somewhat generalized..but I would probably have to write a novel to explain the whole thing..and in reality my blog.. the main one called Katie Mia Aghogday views from the autism spectrum and beyond documents the whole process in real time..before I was recovered at all..until now..
From March 10th of 2013 to date…
Many of my ideas and methods are documented in the commentary of my word press blog…2
I am financially independent at this point in life..early..I have no desire for more money..and I hope to better consolidate my methods and ideas to help people better at some point..but my motivation is simply to love at this point…and to use unconventional out of the box methods of thinking and doing…to really make a potential difference in someone else’s life..too…
I am a much greater force in real life than in writing..though..as writing was never something I thought I would do before I lost effective use of my sight..
There are lots of visual thinking autistic people who would never communicate in writing on the internet..they are likely playing video games as we speak now..that is what I used to do for recreation ..before I lost effective use of my sight…
I really cannot expect anyone to give up their sight to recover from reciprocal social communication difficulties..so there again is the possible limitation of my successful methods..to overcome these difficulties…
But thanks for asking..I always enjoy trying to helping anyone i can…but I also like disagreeing too as that is how i learn the most from other people….
And yeah..I often play the role of devil’s advocate..which in itself has probably helped as much or more than anything else because it taught me much about what goes on in the internal workings of other people’s minds..an area I was quite isolated from before..smiles..and thanks again for asking!
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
http://en.gravatar.com/katiemiafrederick
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5753360.html#5753360
xxxxx wrote:
Does anyone else think in the following way please?
I am more than ok with not being good at some things. It is the world that judges that negatively not me. I see nothing wrong with not being good at something, in and of itself it is neither good nor bad. It just is. It is unrealistic to expect oneself to be good at everything anyway.
What decides whether it is good or bad (in a more literal sense) depends on the situation you are in and the perspective of the persons/people involved.
An example:
If you are living out in the wilds and you need to be able to hunt to find food but you are not a good hunter this could be problematic. However there are several things you can do. You could try to improve your hunting skills, you could use or invent equipment to help you with your hunting skills or you could bargain with someone else to do the hunting for you.
If on the other hand you live in a city and you have a Sainsbury next door it is irrelevant as to whether or not you are a good hunter (it does not matter at all as it does not directly affect you at that moment in time).
Another example of how my brain naturally works.
I see a table with a wobbly leg. I add no further meaning to that…all i see is a table with a wobbly leg. I don’t judge the table, but I ask myself if I feel the wobbly leg needs to be repaired. The table would be more steady if I repaired it which would make it easier to read or write on or use for other purposes. I decide to mend the wobbly leg on the table so start thinking of different ways to go about doing that…
At no point do I judge the table…I merely see what is in reality and look for practical solutions to the problem. I did not judge the table as good or bad because it had a wobbly leg. I did not decide the table was worthless because it had a wobbly leg. I did decide I could help to improve the table for practical purposes by trying to fix said wobbly leg. In some instances however the wobbly leg may just add to the charm of an item…if the table is old and used only for decoration then does the wobbly leg really need to fixed or repaired? Or is the table cute and charming anyway even if its leg does wobble a bit and its not perfect. Does the table have to be perfect to in order to be pleasing or useful? if nothing else it is useful as a decorative piece…what is wrong with that? Why should the table having a wobbly leg be a negative thing?
It is a negative thing because you decide it is a negative thing…not because it is negative in reality.
And there in lies the problem..I am the only person in the world I know who thinks like I do and it means I am unable to communicate with the rest of the planet as a result. I am alone right in in that I cannot find anyone else who understands my way of thinking and perceiving.
Let me apply the above to my weight. I look in the mirror or stand on the scales and see someone carrying more body fat than is healthy. I think to myself do wish to reduce my body fat? If the answer is yes as it would improve my health, vitality, sleep and appearance (in terms of my own personal preferences anyway) then I go straight to finding a healthy practical solution.
I do not judge myself for carrying weight…that is something other people do. I am not responsible for the judgements they make of me, they are. In no way can I control how they perceive things. So they will interpret my mentioning of excess body fat as being negative or hard on myself because they add negative judgements to my statement…judgements I have not added myself.
This is why I will remain alone unless a miracle happens and I find someone else on this planet who thinks like me or whom can accept that think very differently from them. The current belief system is so wide spread (seeing things in pole opposites (good/bad, wrong/right, negative/positive) instead of what they literally are in objective reality and them moving on to practical solutions if required) that people who think like me, or alternatively people who can understand my way of thinking or accept it, are not easily found
Or at least they don’t seem to be.
Even those with degrees are still deluding themselves as to the nature of reality by using a man made value judgement system that is not realistic and should be made obsolete.
People see what they want to see, but they rarely see what actually is.
Right now I see that I am alone and my attempts to change that are failing. I am not interested in any related value judgements, only solutions.
Aghogday Wrote:
My mother always told me I was the least judgmental person against other people in a personal way..as I could always see ‘objective’ reasons as to why they behaved based on nature..rather than inherent evil intent…
I do not believe in the concept of evil or good…as an inherent part of any animal nature…
I see that coming from collective intelligence and abstract language that humans have developed as a means to share..cooperate..and gain greater ability for potential subsistence and survival..
Humans are capable of dreams of heaven and hell…
But the true heaven and hell..I see..as simply nature’s rewards or punishments..for surviving or not surviving..that is all…
So yeah..I can relate..but I also have a long history of perfectionism..which was the hardest habit to break of all…
I see that coming from fear of not being accepted by others..as human beings do inherently need other human beings to survive..
That fear was real though..as I was most definitely shunned by my peers for being different..
I adapted through perfectionism..and made great strides toward subsistence…survival and even financial success..
But that almost killed me..
It required an intense personally designed unique method of cognitive behavioral therapy…to remove the illusory fears..as well as perfectionism…
I take delight..in random events now..and even enjoy the beauty of how they all seem to connect to make a beautiful tapestry that is the whole of existence…
So I guess I am still a perfectionist at the deepest levels of consciousness..but I see the reality that I do not need to control perfection I only have to flow with IT..whatever IT IS….
Well yeah…that’s kinda getting deep…rarely does anyone understand me when I go that deep..but occasionally 1 or 2 or 3 do…
And yeah..It feels good to find commonalities for one’s thinking..with others…
It’s hard to be the only one..at anything..I think…
Simply as at heart…
We are always social animals….
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
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OMG! I love this!
Give me music..give me creativity…but please computer do not tell me what to do..haha!
or how to feel..:)
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Asperger96 wrote:
Is there no sense of Autistic Camaraderie? All these famous people with Autism and Asperger’s (Darryl Hannah, Eminem, etc…) should come out and speak about it. I know they have individually, but what we need is a strong movement. Autism Speaks has Jenny McCarthy, we need a celeb.
Aghogday Wrote:
No…overall there is not..there are some cliques on the internet where the same opinions are required to be part of the ‘club’…
But..for we individuals that values our freedom to express what we believe over belonging to any one ‘club’..we basically end up alone..
If we hold true to our own beliefs..values..and rational ideas about life…
Interesting that you think that Eminem is on the Autism Spectrum..I have often thought the same thing..but haven’t heard anyone else mention it yet..
While he might not be diagnosable I would agree that he is somewhere on the broader autistic phenotype…
And lately..the more I find out about Lady Gaga..per her personal life..and particularly her song Born this way where she talks about new race of people without judgement against others..
It certainly rings a bell of me..
But this vile hatred expressed personally against others and organizations..for rather small offenses..Is nothing to me…
And the idea of personally attacking anyone or suggesting they are doing wrong..or even LITERALLY stating their argument is wrong..makes my skin crawl…
I cannot do this to anyone..it would seriously make me want to kill myself if I treated anyone or any organization like this…
But that is just me..and my sister on the spectrum has this same lack of ability to judge other people personally like this…
When I came here..i thought i would find many people like me..and yes i do find many people like me..but there are others that seem to live from a place of hate….
My mother always loved myself and my sister unconditionally and sacrificed everything in her life for us…
I suppose that more than anything else is the reason why I am what I am…
I might be completely different if I didn’t have that…as my father was completely cold in his ability to express any kind of emotion….
He was in that other place as he discriminated against black people and gay people too ..that also makes my skin crawl…..
But he left when I was three…so maybe overall that was a good thing..for my ethical approach to life…
I think you are a nice person friend..
But life teaches us many lessons..if we live long enough……………………………………………………………………………………………
Some are unimaginably hard…
I hope yours are not.
Asperger96Wrote:
Is the period button on your keyboard dead yet? 😯
I think Eminem said he was Aspie.
Autism Speaks, some people might not hate the organization, but I do.
When they say that my family isn’t really living because of me, I hate them 👿
Aghogday Wrote:
I would be interested in seeing that quote about Eminem saying he was Aspie if you can find a link to that…
And you make my point well by criticizing my unique method of reciprocal communication using ellipses instead of periods..to communicate…
I was a technical writer for the United States Government as part of many hats I wore to serve the United States government for over two decades…
I am more than capable of using perfect technical grammar and spelling but i choose not to ..as this is a more effective overall style of communication..
To provide most anyone the opportunity to read more than one or two sentences..in an age where a Twitter style of communication is becoming the dominant one…
Yeah..it’s unusual..but for folks who think differently…we do things different..without worrying about what the ‘herd’ thinks…
This is what WE do…
Asperger96 Wrote:
^^^^^
Eminem Aspie…
Your writing style is effective, just odd…
But on this site, is anyone really normal?
Aghogday Wrote:
Well..thank you.. you got ahead of me..while I was editing my last response…
That is an effective way to verify and validate communication…
As your comment sounded like criticism..but it was just not fully explained…
I love being odd..
I am odd..
In fact I am the only one that walks in major malls in reverse..in a dancing type of style..especially at 53…
But as Miley Cyrus says…
I don’t give a f**k about what people think or say about it ….
Cause it feels good..
And I can actually prove It…
That it is beneficial to health…
As I have a body of a 21 year old college athlete…still a 53…
It’s in my flickr pictures…
lt’s like Steve Jobs said..
It’s the ones who think differently…the ‘crazy one’s’ that really change the world..
People in my local community are starting to walk in reverse on public sidewalks…
They watched me enough in Super Walmart ..likely tried it out for themselves..
And determined..hey..this guy is on to something..
‘My frigging knees and back no longer hurt’….
Oh my GOD..some Autistic folks can do amazing things…as they simply don’t see the same limitations..that other people do….
I don’t just talk about neurodiversity…
I do IT in real life..and set the example for the herd….
Asperger96 Wrote:
I wish people thought of my quirks as trendy
Aghogday Wrote:
Well…I get a lot of comments that I am crazy..a weirdo..and all that stuff too…
But I am actually permanently disabled with 17 different diagnosed disorders….
Many of them in remission..thank GOD..NOW…
Including Stenosis of the Neural Canals of my spine…
So whenever a security guard at Super Walmart or Bells tells me that Reverse walking is too weird for the herd..
I simply call the Store Manager..and have a little talk with them about the ADA and accommodations for invisible disabilities…
And i get really good treatment from the store officials from that point on…
That’s the other thing..that’s great about the US..we have some rights to be ‘weird’…
It’s horrible in some other countries..
I would have probably been killed by now..for some of the ODD things I have done in my life ..here.. there…
I am proud more than anything to be an American Citizen…
It ain’t perfect…
But hey..I can walk in major Malls in reverse in a dancing style..and retain protection from the powers that BE…
This is proof enough to me…that I live in a great country…
Yeah..I am kinda patriotic too….
I kinda like you..
Your kool…
Good luck to you..
2..
Yeah free verse poetry is another odd thing I do….
Even in the most unlikely of places….
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
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aghogday wrote:
IN my opinion..if anyone silenced me..it would be my fault..and no one else’s..as this is a free country..and we have a right to speak our opinions..
In public..that is all..
Autism Speaks does not even exist anywhere..but on this website for me…
At least…
No one rules my life but me….
Asperger96 Wrote:
We want to keep it that way, we don’t want anyone taking our freedoms away
Aghogday Wrote:
Well..that is an issue for politics and voting…
Not a charitable private organization..that has absolutely no control over that…
As long as the basic civil rights of United States citizens stays the same we are protected and will be protected…
It is not a rational fear to think that the relatively small organization of Autism Speaks could have any significant effect at all on this..in my opinion…
Illusory Fears are perhaps the worst enemy of any Autistic Person…
Illusory Fears in general are actually the worst enemy of any human animal..as these illusory fears are the source of most stress among modern human animals..
And yes..Stress definitely kills…
Any illusory fears generated..are actually dangerous in this total effect…
And this thread that provides unsubstantiated fears about a relatively small organization like Autism Speaks..
Overall..is not a very healthy thing for people who really take the unsubstantiated fears to heart..and really get scared over something..
That is simply an illusory fear..in my opinion…
But again..my experience and education in life is objectively vast..that’s not an egotistical statement..it is just an analytical truth…..
I cannot expect anyone in particular to have my same insights..nor can i expect myself to have the same insights of others..whether they are what I understand as true or not..
As we all have unique visions of the Universe we live in…
Based on our experiences..inherent strengths and challenges….
IT IS WHAT IT IS….
_________________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
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Asperger96 wrote:
I don’t see one shred of evidence that Autism Speaks has my best interests at heart, or that they have any positive effect on my welfare
Aghogday Wrote:
agree with you..but the truth is they do not have to…
Their target audience is not you or anyone in this discussion…
More than anything..Ms. Wright’s statement proves this..in my opinion…
And it is likely why John Elder Robison..said enough..my time here is wasted..per effect on this so called end of the spectrum..and what he can do in reality for IT..per his efforts to help make things better…
It is the kids that are truly suffering..not the one’s that have some real opportunity in surviving through similar interdependent methods as most human social animals..where Autism Speaks true focus lies…
A mention of what IT is like to be on the so called higher functioning end of the spectrum on their website…pays an objective respect to this so called end of the spectrum…
But reasonably there is no way that the organization can effect the type of political change that would insure that people on this end of the spectrum find the educational, job..and acceptance support in general..from the rest of the general public..
It would be like a grain of sand..attempting to stop a tsunami…..
The only answer is to adapt the best we can friend..
That is reality the way I see it..
And so does John Elder Robison..and so does Temple Grandhin…we have something in common..over 5 decades of experience to come to this decision..as well as vast amounts of education…
From decades of this personal experience..and education… and careful analysis of this entire issue from bottom to top…
One comes to see the reality..the way reality is….at least for one………
But as far as Ms. Wright’s personal intentions..although it is only my intuition..I feel pretty sure that..
In a way..Ms. Wright may have been shooting everyone here..a bird..per her statement..actually on this site..places like ASAN..and other militant sites..that have tried to impede the progress of Autism Speaks..
As the change in the DSM5 to eliminate Asperger’s syndrome..gives her a clear path to ignore the folks with Autism..per her true focus of attention on what she views for those who truly suffer on the spectrum..
And yeah..as a parent of a child who suffered and died from a co-morbid condition that is directly related to the reciprocal social communication difficulties of Autism..
I can see where she may be coming from…
It is an issue where those who are harmed the most in her eyes likely come first…
That is a common human social animal tendency..
Per the natural attribute of altruism….
And people that impede that…
Simply piss altruistic human beings off..
And when they do..whether it is financial..political..or physical power..
You do not want to be in their way…
When they do it…
Generally speaking..as the human social animal…
Can be a vicious social animal..when it comes to protecting others it is altruistically connected to….
She has that gleam in her eyes at times…
I know It..
As I have IT too…
It is the warrior gene..thingy…
It is deadly on the field of combat…
And a force not easily defeated..
in words..
2.
___________
KATiE MiA FredericK!iI
Gravatar is one of the coolest things ever!!!
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Callista wrote:
Autism Speaks does focus on severe autism in children, but I don’t think that excuses their behavior. If anything, people with severe autism are even more vulnerable to the kind of stereotyping and fear/pity campaigns they use, and even more hurt by it than speaking adults. Seeing autism as a horror, as a hindrance to the family, as a burden–that’s bad enough when you can speak up and say, “Hey, I’m not a burden. I deserve the same rights as anyone else.” But if you’re a child, if you can’t speak, or if you’ve been so cowed by mistreatment that you don’t know that speaking up for yourself is possible, you can’t even do that much. Autism Speaks, by focusing on the most vulnerable autistics, is targeting the worst sort of hateful rhetoric at the people who are most hurt by it.
Talking about the reality of dealing with a severe disability is okay, just like it’s okay for an Aspie to talk about how much it bugs them when they can’t figure out what someone’s feeling or how much it hurts to go into sensory overload. That’s not what I have a problem with. It’s that Autism Speaks assumes that the severe disability is self-evidently a horrible thing, blames the disability for the stigma and mistreatment that people with autism suffer, and makes that stigma even worse.
There’s a difference between–
“Thirteen-year-old Joseph has severe autism, isn’t potty-trained and can’t talk, and his parents are really stressed. Isn’t that horrible? We have to get rid of autism!”
and
“Thirteen-year-old Joseph has severe autism, and his parents will need some respite care and money for the adult diapers he wears. Also, since Joseph doesn’t speak, we need to be sure he has a good speech therapist and some way of communicating.”
Autism Speaks uses the first approach. And all the Josephs of the world are suffering for it.
Aghogday Wrote:
Sorry Callista..when someone is truly suffering..there is no time for these social niceties..
The resources of government are more limited than ever..
And hard times require extreme actions to make things happen…
Ms. Wright simply understands that in the bigger world that is reality…
That is all..
And yeah..she makes an impact at the higher levels of government..
With this emotional method of getting folks attention…
It is absolutely what is required in politics..
It runs almost purely by emotions…
Facts are always secondary….
What she did is a mistake..to get any support from most anyone in this discussion…
But in the larger world it is extremely effective…
And in her view that is likely all that counts..
She’s smart..street smart..
That is all..
In my opinion..life does not play by any one person’s rules….
And obviously she knows that..
2.
And yes I was severely disabled…
A documented fact..
And yes it is the most horrible thing in the world….
Another documented fact…
By anyone who viewed the torture of my disability..by any objective or subjective analysis…
That was anywhere close to human…
It depends on whose shoes you walk in…
My friend…
And yeah my child was even more than disabled..
And the only thing he knew in his life was grimaces of the most unimaginable pain imaginable….
If that gives you a clue..
To what I am speaking of here..
And more fully
where my opinions come from..
again..my friend….
_________________
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Callista Wrote:
Oh, yes, her tactics are effective; I’m not doubting that. They’re effective for getting money and spreading her brand of bigoted “awareness”. But they’re not effective for doing anything useful for autistics, whether they’re autistics posting on WP with highly-literate arguments, autistics using a few words to make simple requests, or autistics who don’t do language to begin with.
The power of emotional appeals is undeniable. But it doesn’t have to be done the way she’s doing it.
Consider this sort of advertisement, raising money for research to help autistic children learn:
Quote:
Scene: In the middle of a dance club, lights flashing, a class of students is trying to learn algebra. The teacher’s words are drowned out by the pounding music. Someone spills a drink onto your textbook. A desk is toppled by a drunken partygoer. Zoom in on one of the students, who is covering his ears with his hands and looking miserable.
Voiceover: “Could you learn in a place like this?”
Scene: a young child in the middle of a special ed classroom, lights bright and chaos all around. The child is covering his ears, rocking. The sensory qualities remind you of the dance club, in miniature.
Voiceover: “Many autistic children have to try.”
Scene: A child in a neat, quiet environment, working one-on-one with a patient teacher, hesitantly pointing to a picture card. Discovering that he’s gotten it, the child looks up, grinning and flapping his hands in excitement.
Voiceover: “Help create a world where every child can learn.”
Onscreen: Autism Speaks. Donate Today.
Aghogday Wrote:
Again..Callista.. my point is that Autism Speaks is not targeting the folks that are ever going to even have the opportunity to be an Algebra Class..
So in reality..this not even on their plate of concerns..
Regardless of whatever lip service one might hear..from a little area on their website…
And nah..that’s not a good thing for anyone here…
But for those children like mine who actually died from a co-morbid condition related to the reciprocal social communication difficulties that Autism Speaks is funding research dollars for…
For potential real life solutions sometime in the future…
It is simply a life or death situation…
NOt an issue of sensory difficulties in an Algebra Class…
Autism Speaks is not going away..number one..and they will continue to thrive..as these are real life and death issues that are not going to go away anytime soon that the general public is well aware of…
But number two.. is actually finding a way to help people on this website adapt to life..as society is simply not in effect going to be able to provide the solutions for that…
There is simply not the money for government to ever offer these type of accommodations for children in school…
So there is only one answer..find ways to adapt to what is..
Or perish..
Sad but so so true..
In real life..
So what to do..
Adapt
or Perish..after all is said and done..in all human history..
That is the way it has always been..
And there is simply not the government resources..and ever draining fewer resources to change anything of substance in the future..
as compared to what we have today…
But where optimism can come is through individual ingenuity and out of the box solutions..to make life better..for what it simply IS…
Complaining about what IS..
IS simply a waste of time..
In only my opinion…
But changing things for the better with what one HAS..
IS
THe
WAy to go..
In only my opinion..2
I actually did cure the reciprocal social communication difficulties associated with my Autism as I now score an 11 on the AQ test as opposed to 44 to 45 just months ago…
The only thing about me that may be different..is that on a personal level..I am a survivor not a victim..and I found my own way to do it..as no one else could provide a way for me…
And nah..i realize not everyone can do that..
But who knows..
Maybe
Someone else..
can..
I guess that is where Optimism..can come from..as IT is surely hard to gain success in this life..with difficulties effectively reciprocally socially communicating with other human social animals…
As far as i can see..anything else is an illusion…
a
Gain..in only my opinion…
friend…
_________________
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Verdandi Wrote:
I think that there are things that do contribute to human suffering. For example, fostering an environment in which disabled people are expected to disdain and avoid accommodation even though such accommodation could make them significantly more effective at their jobs. Or in general fostering an environment in which disability is something to be avoided or denied or characterized in negative ways. Or fostering an environment in which some autistic people are deemed too incapable of participating in a discussion that involves them.
A multimillion dollar charity being involved in promoting extremely negative views of autism that directly impact autistic people contributes to human suffering. Which is why so many people here dislike it. Not because of a party line, not because online communities need external enemies (they don’t), not because people just don’t know enough about the organization to come to a clear decision.
Aghogday Wrote:
Well unfortunately life IS..and in that IS..people discriminate against the disabled..particularly when the disability is invisible..
My autism is not severe disability by itself at all..I adapted to that..but what I could not adapt to in anyway is the chronic unrelenting pain of atypical trigeminal neuralgia…
There was simply no escape and no answer…
That answer had to come on it’s own when the pain finally left me several months ago..
But there were other disabilities.. over 17 of them that I had to address the best I could one at a time…
Some how or another I have accommodated all of those too..by extreme out of the box thinking…
But the bottom line is it worked and I AM a full human being again in real life..as it no longer physically hurts to connect to other people in real life…
That ability to connect to anyone in real life..and maintain a reciprocal communication with a complete stranger is simply priceless to me..in comparison to the repression of emotions and painthat did not allow me to do it in the past…
But here is the other thing..I have two other very severe disabilities that are structural and are not going away..
One of them is a congenitally fused vertebrae in the t6 that at middle age has led to severe arthritis in my spine and stenosis of the neural canals in my spine…
The other is a severely congenitally deviated septum that makes extremely little airflow for me to breathe..I just breathed through my mouth all my life..I didn’t realize substantial airflow could happen through my nose..until the ENT who read the CAT scan of my sinuses asked me how I could breathe..several years ago….
Well no doubt that has something to do with the dysautonomia..and sleep disorder I have..and with PTSD and severe anxiety several years ago..surgery was simply not an option..and I was advised it might not change anything about the trigeminal neuralgia..that in effect could have been associated with that as I also had chronic inflammation in the mucosa of my sinuses from being subject to at least 100 lit up cigarettes with second hand smoke in the close to two decades I worked for the military in a military bowling center…
So I made my own accommodation for those two issues..
Extreme exercise that I could not do again..as I did before in my life..until my stress response and brain healed from the damage of extreme hyper-vigilence and stress that led to the Autistic Burnout…
It took five years to get to the point I could do that again…
That accommodation is working well..but it takes and average of 10 miles a day..in walking through the stores where my wife shops..and other various areas in nature..at least half of that walking in reverse..to finally remove the pain and numbness of body parts associated with the severe arthritis..and stenosis of the neural canals in my neck..
But here is the point I am finally arriving at with disability..
Even though I am no longer a sickly looking individual..and am now 222Lbs of solid muscle casing my little bit of over 6 feet of height..and am an imposing figure..and the last thing anyone would look at as disability..other than what I do to accommodate my disability now out of the social norm..along with the sunglasses I still have to wear inside at night..or outside at night..to accommodate the lingering damage to the associated trigeminal nerve that is still affected to some degree overall..
The majority of the general public still makes fun of me and laughs when I do that accommodation that makes the difference of me being able to enjoy life..and the other one of complete suffering..and just sitting in my vehicle or behind a computer watching the rest of the world really enjoy life in the full three dimensional one in nature with real live flesh and blood human beings..to connect and feel emotions and touch with..through hugs..kind looks from the eyes..etc..etc..that is life to me..and being a complete shut in through physical disabilities..and problems with alexithymia..was simply hell to me ..in my own personal opinion..as autistic or not..I’ve always loved connecting to people in real life…whoever they are..and whatever differences..of physical or mental..or philosophies about life they may have…
I was born that way..that is all..with my arms outreached to whoever was human that was within my reach…
And am there once again…
Thank GOD or whatever IS IS…
But I have to be fierce to maintain my accommodation for my disabilities..and no one can do that but me..as I am the only one that can explain my accommodation to others..
So as an example after doing this accommodation..in Publix last night..a grocery store if that name does not ring a bell…
The manager came up to my wife while I was walking in reverse..that I always do at least 20 steps from anyone else even though I am very agile with it and can reverse my head enough along with my legs to view the distance in reverse for safety…so they will not be afraid I will fall or run into them..he said a couple of customers complained to him..and instead of approaching me as I passed him at least 15 times in the store that night…he told my wife that it made customers uncomfortable and she would have to notify me that I if did it anymore I would not be welcome in the store..
So after my wife told me this when leaving the store.. I marched right in to the managers office with a steely determined look on my face with eyes still covered with sunglasses..and asked the manager about it as at that point I did not know which manager in the store..conversed with my wife..
I started talking to him about the fact that it was an accommodation for an actual disability covered under the ADA..and he said oh no it wasn’t me that said it..
But by a few minutes he admitted that it was him..and he told me a customer said I almost ran into them..which I knew that I did not..so I asked him to review the video..which he did not accommodate..but then he immediately said the store would accommodate me as long as I did not make the other customers uncomfortable…
Well that was the point that I asserted my right as a disabled citizen..and told him no if it just made them uncomfortable from seeing it from a distance that was not acceptable as this was my accommodation to walk without my legs going numb from the stenosis of the nerves in the neural canals in my back..so I told him we would review the video in the future if it ever happened again..I asserted this I did not ask..
And yes…all he could do is comply ..not because he wanted to ..but because that is the law..it was a reasonable accommodation…he would simply have to explain it to customers in the future..if they complained..that they would have to deal with the unusual nature of my accommodation for a disability covered under the ADA…
But here is the thing..how many people with disabilities are brave enough to stand up for their rights…
It does require the personal individual effort to make this happen at times..and yes..i am an imposing figure that people do take seriously when I take those sun glasses off and my eyes are piercing their souls…as I do not have any problem looking someone in the eye..now that..that pain is gone…
My issue is I do not look away..my stare is intense and focused on every word that is said..through reading lips and every movement of every muscle of their face to try to interpret nonverbal body language…
But not all people are fearless..so it is an extremely hard road for people with these type of invisible disabilities..who do not have it in them to speak up for themselves…
But this too.. is just human nature…
People are afraid of things that are different..this is understood through research..as an intrinsic quality that people have for survival..to either fight or flee a potential individual or predator..that might endanger their well being…
So I cannot reasonably fault anyone from seeing a 6FT 222LB with sunglasses male approaching them from a distance in reverse..from being uncomfortable…
But.. I can take the fearless effort to explain it to them..if they ask..or to anyone else required to keep the accommodation in place…
We can help people to advocate for themselves in this way..but trying to change things we seriously cannot change..as far as ignorant statements like the one that Suzanne Wright made are really a waste of time in my effort..as she is going to do whatever she wants..in her high position in life..it’s her charity..she do what she wants..as long as it is legal..and expressing the wrong facts about a disability is not illegal..she was just incorrect that is all…
They do not make a dime from their philanthropic effort..so this is not about money for Suzanne Wright..or Bob Wright…..
All this attention given suzanne wright and autism speaks..is nonsensical to me in my own opinion..as I have the years..of experience in the real world in customer service and government to understand there is nothing any of us can do to change that situation…
Now I could be wrong..
But I doubt it…
Analyzing these situations is just one of my ‘autistic superpowers’ among many…
So smiles.. that is all..if you can see the larger picture here..my friend..as I hold no ill feelings for anyone who cannot fully understand my extremely complex method of reciprocal communication….
That is simply COGNITIVE empathy…TH@IS ALL…
A quality we can all improve through years of conscious and careful effort…
If we truly care about other human beings…
If not..that too..can be part of human nature..not all of us..are inherently compassionate and non judgmental in a personal way against others….and yes..US is everyone..I personally do not include myself in any subgroup except the human race….
And finally Verdandi..creating a common enemy to blame through rhetoric for common community identity is certainly nothing new…
It was identified by Aristotle some years ago as a common device in rhetoric…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epideictic
Quote:
Aristotle instructs that in creating a speech of praise or blame, the author should consider the attitude of his audience: Will they be moved to see his object of praise (be it a person or a thing) in a new light, or will he be wasting everyone’s time by “preaching to the choir”? What values and behavior does this particular audience find praiseworthy? Whether the audience is sympathetic, hostile, or indifferent to his object of praise or blame determines how difficult the task is that lies before him. As Aristotle reminds the reader, “[F]or as Socrates used to say, it is not difficult to praise Athenians in Athens” (Rhetoric,1367b).[1]
According to Aristotle’s conception of epideixis, “the present is the most important; for all speakers praise or blame in regard to existing qualities, but they often make use of other things, both reminding [the audience] of the past and projecting the course of the future” (Rhet. 1358b). Epideixis is Aristotle’s least favored and clearly defined topic. Now considered to be the stuff of ceremonies with its exhortations, panegyrics, encomia, funeral orations and displays of oratorical prowess, epideictic rhetoric appears to most to be discourse less about depth and more attuned to style without substance. Still, the Art of Rhetoric is cited as an example of epideictic work (Lockwood, 1996).
Epideixis may not deserve the charge of lacking depth. The charge that this branch of rhetoric lacks depth can be countered by the recognition that it systematizes the successful attribution of value (to things, people, or concepts). Attributing value (whether in terms of “the good” and “the bad” or of “virtue” and “vice”) to 1) perception, 2) emotions, 3) thought, 4) action, and 5) goals is the fundamental basis of relativistic conceptions of 1) aesthetics, 2) human character, 3) intelligence, 4) ethics, and 5) wisdom. For instance, applying epideixis to ‘human perceptions’ yields aesthetics, and its application to ‘human action’ yields fundamental relativistic ethics. Nevertheless, epideixis can always be reduced to simply the study of how best to preach the positive or negative characteristics of creatures, contraptions, concepts (etc.) to an audience. Epideictic rhetoric appeals to – and serves to sway – personal and cultural values, whereas pure deliberative and judicial rhetoric appeal to reason alone.
And, Lockwood, also in Reader’s Figure, describes how readers are figured by their readings, and how readers figure their readings, and that readers can accept the readers’ account, and forget their own account of their present and past, and that the rhetor’s account is produced by language. (end of quote from Wiki)
So in total effect this is an exercise for attention in singing to the choir per this reference..and my own personal opinion..which yes most definitely serves personal needs for attention..and a common enemy for a potential social bond online or offline but in real effect of change is fairly meaningless in the larger world..again in my own opinion…
And the FACT that Suzanne Wright still feels comfortable in completely ignoring everyone here..in her description of Autism more than anything proves that none of this rhetoric from the so called online Autism Community in the last decade.. has made any difference at all in the attitude of the folks at the top of that organization..ERgo..John Elder Robison’s move..it was simple a waste of his time..in thinking he would ‘affect’ the actual attitude of the folks at the top…as they are free to do as they please……
They are influential…they are rich…and yes in the US this brings this ability and or privilege..for those with that influence and money…
Best ignored…totally ignored..in my opinion..
But yeah..a common bond of an enemy and attention and all of that..is the other contingency in the internet world reality..here…it is what it is..it’s just an interesting sociological phenomenon to me..as I am a social sciences major anyway..per social sciences interdisciplinary..anthropology..and health science which is also most definitely an integral part of the whole human picture….
And finally Vicky’s effort in praising the young man..for achieving this with autism..is certainly great in my opinion..in effect and affect itself for this young man…
And I greatly appreciate when anyone goes through the steps to do this with anyone with a disability…as they are often shunned or just ignored for being different..no matter what they do..
But leave it to some people in the so called autistic community..and they will even turn that around and call it inspiration porn..and say it is patronizing to a person with a disability as they should be treated like anyone else..
Well yeah..adversity of all types most definitely disability.. is what can create the greatest achievements of life..from Abraham Lincoln to Franklin Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy..and yeah..notable ones..but millions more in total affect..and effect!
Adversity is what makes humans great!..and there is no inspiration that is too little or too great in effect and affect to make the human race in total affect and effect as influential as it is..
And yeah..not always a good thing..per the destruction of the environment and all of that….
But still.. human beings supporting each other..is why we are here.. disabled or not..in total affect and effect too..
It is as simple th@…my friend….
A
GAIN
in my own opinion…..
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auntblabby wrote:
ArrantPariah wrote:
Well, hopefully some of the sections outside of Politics, Philosophy and Religion are supportive.
Aunt Blabby Wrote:
it is just that when I see the high people here enjoying their middle/upper class tax breaks out of one side of their mouth while carping bitterly out the other side over the relative crumbs thrown towards the working class, it makes me wonder.
Aghogday Wrote:
It is very possible that regardless of their current success that they were bullied in their younger life..and being a bully to those on their lower perceived pecking order..gives them intrinsic satisfaction…
Unfortunately that is one of the more ‘base’ elements of human nature but the hope can be that humans can overcome that with conscious effort and attention to ethics that match the goal to treat ALL others as valuable human beings…
But the greatest thing is per inherent bliss that love is the way to the greatest experiences of life as ALL…!
ANd nah..that’s not just a platitude..it is an evidenced fact in science now per overall human wellbeing..
Hate sucks..and Love gains…
A
GAIN
AS
ALWAYs…
my friend..
so in total effect you are the lucky one…
not they!
So just continue smiling if one can..and defend your brothers and sisters.. is all..
It’s basically what that dude Jesus..Buddha and all those folks related…
It isn’t rocket science..just a way to overcome some of the darker elements of human nature….
And simply live in Bliss..
Who wouldn’t want that..and nah it is not something that money can buy….
But ya..already kNow that ?huh…heh!
so smiles a
GAIN
TH@ISALL:)
‘You oughta look out’ is overrated..
You only live once…no matter how many times..
Is a great way.. in only my opinion..
Money sucks..LIfe is where it’s at….
It’s always been free…
Until
Recently…a few thousand years ago..
TH@IS…..
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adb wrote:
Fnord wrote:
There is no “war” against the poor; just scorn, contempt, anger and derision.
And “poor” is a relative term … People who are wealthier than I have told me that a person of my “class” is a waste of their time, while people poorer than I have beaten the homeless, and even set them on fire.
ADB Wrote:
Where do you guys find people like this? I’ve been all over the world; to almost every state in the US; spent time with people at the bottom and with people at the top. I’ve seen almost none of this.
What I see all the time is poor people bitching about attitudes the wealthy don’t have and wealthy people pretty much disregarding poor people entirely. That’s why I’d like to see some empirical data. I’m having a hard time accepting the anecdotal evidence that wealthy people are scornful or contemptuous of poor people.
Aghogday Wrote:
Ever heard the word trailer trash or N***er…
This is just common sense friend…
This needs no empirical references..where in the world have you been living not to have been exposed to this attitude…I’m just curious..as I want to move there…
But seriously.. I live in the deep south..this is republican fundamentalist Christian land at 80% or more..and it is one of the worst places for the contempt of anyone who is perceived as different..or lesser in social status..even inside the churches…
This still happens frequently..HERE..all one has to do is listen to the idle chatter in Super Walmart where i live..
But I am not afraid of ignorance..they know..no better in my opinion..their loss not mine….
As understanding and love is the simple way to bliss..Conflict against others is just human misery is all..in only my opinion….
But I will give you this..as if you were in these places in the military..the military from my observation is one place where people are treated for their merits in achievement..instead of their inherent attributes overall..the military installation was actually a haven for treating all people with respect as compared to my local community…
They took care of their shipmates..that was all..and everyone who was part of the team was a shipmate..no matter what rank and privilege they had in the service…
Maybe that has changed since I left but overall it was great when I was there….
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aghogday wrote:
Yes while..Suzanne Wright may have ignored some of the Autistic realities of the people in this discussion..
Animalcrackers Wrote:
I disagree with Suzanne Wright’s statement because it was dehumanizing and deliberately, unnecessarily alarmist. I have no problem with someone portraying a picture of autism that includes severe self-harm, lack of awareness of danger, inability to speak, inability to feed or dress ones’ self or use the toilet, fecal smearing, etc. etc.; What I have a problem with is someone using those factual things to make people afraid of autism, and saying that all those things make a person’s life worthless or un-live-able (whether they are a caregiver or the autistic person).
Aghogday Wrote:
Well..Animal Crackers Suzanne Wright’s statement is ignorant..unless you have a child as described in the article that little bee quoted..then it is a national emergency,..it just depends on whose shoes you walk in friend..
And then you can have a child like mine who dies from a co-morbid condition associated with Autism and yoU ARE damn straight it is a national emergency..and something absolutely to be terrified of..unless you want your child to suffer and die..
iT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT…
SOMETIMES FOR FOLKS ON THE SPECTRUM TO TRULY GAIN EMPATHY ONE HAS TO ACTUALLY WALK IN THE SHOES..AND TRUST ME YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE!
Again..it depends on whose shoes you have walked in..friend…
AND YEAH..OBVIOUSLY LITTLE BEE KNOWS IT IS A SPECTRUM OF MANY DIFFERENCES..BUT YEAH..MY SON HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF AUTISM THAN EITHER YOU OR YOUR CHILD..FRIEND….
HE DIED FROM..IT
AGAIN YOU SEE..
LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION….
THOSE ARE MOST DEFINITELY TWO VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUTISM…
And by the way..Autism is directly caused by some genetic diseases..including PKU….
As documented in research….
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12757360
But that is the kind of research that autism speaks is busy funding..while people carry on about rhetoric…
Again life or death situation..friend..
It is as simple as that…
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