Response to “Broken Mirrors: A Theory of Autism,” Scientific American, November 2006

Response to “Broken Mirrors: A Theory of Autism”

Scientific American,
November 2006

- originally posted on my blog on Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Notes:

• The magazine issue cover art is actually quite poetic.

• Page 62's photo is depressing but somehow empathetic.

It goes downhill from there:

• Illustration on pg 66 initiates the dull and dumb look

• Illustration on pg 68 is once again giving dull look, and, in comparison to the "happy & normal" child, is downright stereotyping imagery.

There are too many repeats of the stereotyped "lack of empathy" autism trait to stomach an actual count. This repetitious mentioning of only three possible autism traits seems to me to be mindless filling space... and disinterest in autism itself, beyond the exposition of the article's interesting and very reasonable (but tediously repeated theory).

Most distressing to me is the apparent LACK OF EMPATHY for the autistic persons themselves by this strongly stereotyping article! i am seriously disappointed in this article. Not only does it reinforce the negative stereotype that being autistic means lacking empathy, but it is written by a scientist who's work i greatly admire. V.S. Ramachandran. It furthers my own hypothesis that large numbers of technically minded people are themselves somewhat autistic and lacking in such people skills as empathizing with others! How ironic that these are the “professionals” constantly doling out the trait for bullet-point material!

My experience with computer and medical field technicians (and i mean those most immersed in the deep areas of their fields) has partially formed & greatly reinforced this hypothesis. The computer tech looks down on his clients as lowly users & the surgeon, psychiatrist or neurologist looks down on their patients as being uneducated, unknowing and child-like. God complex comes to mind, here...

My goal in working with clients in my computer technical work is to debunk the "idiot user" myth, replacing it with the far more accurate, objective and empathetic "idiotic & inhumane computer design." My goal in working with people on issues relating to psychiatric health is to debunk the myth that "troubled people" are essentially weak and flawed, as well as debunking the myth that autistics are cold and devoid of empathy for others, or are self blind (my self awareness in particular is intolerably powerful).

A far more accurate, objective and empathetic view is: "These people are just as human and “good” as you and i, but they have had their emotional fortitude taken away by toxic experiences/people, abuse, and/or genetic predisposition; none of which was their own choice."

Yes, i am autistic. i am diagnosed with the high functioning autistic spectrum disorder known as Asperger's Syndrome. i have such empathy for others that it hurts and that i give the benefit of the doubt to "troubled people" so readily that i am repeatedly hurt by others who are not as self aware as myself. i cannot bare the newspaper and televised news for the pain and distress it causes me. i have been told that there are plenty of others like me who experience the same. Firstly by a professional at The Janus School, which focuses on helping autistic children. Secondly by a friend who's son, while not currently diagnosed with autism [how many misdiagnoses of ADD do we need before some accountability is put into action?] is described (by her) as a child version of myself (and a spitting image of the AS-diagnosed son of a second friend).

The boy seems to have a hyper sensitivity to the potential feelings of others. While traveling with his mother, the boy began crying. The mother asked why and the boy replied "You don't care about other people's feelings! You just hurt that person's feelings by honking at them!" Upon hearing this tale, i myself cried. i felt i finally found another human being that may understand what it's like to be me. When his mother told him of my reaction to, and understanding of, the situation, the boy was moved enough to start writing thank you notes. "Thank you for understanding my actions." He requested of his mother "Can he be my teacher at school because my teacher doesn't understand me."

Call it a self motivated empathy on my part; my desire to empathize with fellow victims of abuse and toxic life experiences. However, this boy is 8 years old and couldn't possibly be a case of "empathy via suffering." It seems to me that he is simply conscious of, and contentious about, the feelings of fellow human beings.

i have much to offer the authors in response to the theories they present, (such as the dampening of the autonomic system via "primitive sensory distraction" which i fully confirm and was pleased to read others have noted); i'm an intelligent, very self aware and scientific autistic but i am a nobody without doctorate, masters or undergrad degrees. Why listen to me on matters of theoretical neuroscience? In fact, i see many books and articles theorizing and hypothesizing about the mechanics of autism and they rarely indicate that actual autistics were consulted, though there are many functional autistics to consult (some of which are authors themselves).

So instead i detail my emotional response to what i found personally offensive about the article overall:

OW!!

Have a heart; stop the stereotype reinforcement!

If you want a recommendation for an excellent "from the inside" description of how some high functioning autistics operate, i strongly encourage you to direct your web browser to http://www.neurodiversitynow.net (this site appears to be gone now, which is distressing, as i like telling people that this website is exactly what i would have written, were i not so worn down and disgusted by having to be my own psychiatrist, psychologist and neurologist - it took two years to locate a doctor who wouldn't dismiss it offhand, let alone could handle the diagnostic process).

[sarcasm] Why consult "uneducated" autistics about neurological issues?

The brain is the mind. The mind is the brain. Sometimes you can gain valuable insights by simply asking the brain what it thinks of itself.

Preferred Links:

• Adobe PDF version of the magazine article, including images
• Adobe PDF version of the entire November 2006 issue (big download)
• Autism Rights Movement at Wikipedia
  

Backup Links:

• The PICTURELESS online version of the article at Scientific American's website
• Do a Google search for PDF versions if the above article links fail

Something Funny:

• Who's Planet is it Anyway?