Autism

[Teiku 5]

why did you put this on the internet?

khi, of all places? I KNOW you know how the community would respond, sweetheart. :c

it's not really fair to your family.

i was thinking the same thing.....

 

[Random Queen]

i was thinking the same thing.....

Actually, this thread was going quite well until a certain person started making everyone spam.

 

[Reflection]

it's not really a matter of the way the thread is going. it's that video you took and put on the internet. that's exploitation, lol...I know you didn't intend for that, but you guys are kind of, um, confused. I think.

 

[Square Ninja]

parading around your retarded brother for the internet is exploitation

 

[Key]

I didn't watch the video, but i'll give my two cents...

I know two people with Autism.

One is 22 years old, and manages to creep out and frighten any female that comes near him, me included.

The other is 17 and is practically a genius, albeit somewhat socially awkward, and is one of my best friends.

Autism can be both good and bad. it just depends on the situation.

 

[Random Queen]

No...actually, my brother wanted to make that video and have it on youtube, Reffles. I didn't do that against his will. And besides I promised him I'd do it after he said he wanted to. I had not intentions on breaking my promise to him because I care about him and he'd be hurt if I broke my promise.

Square Ninja: Mental retardation and autism are two different things. My brother is not retarded and it makes me upset you'd insinuate such blasphemy.

 

[stephaknee]

Wow this whole "normal people blow up places" made me lol.

With that, people who are mind controlled by the government blow up places. But that's a different story for another thread.

Can we get back on topic?

Edit: Oh geez....stephaknee, autistic people shouldn't be "expected" to act in anyway. I don't care if you're a researcher, honestly. I've had loads of personal experience with autistic people, ones who can't speak, ones who have very short tempers (like my brother's best friend), and ones who can function pretty well in society (like my brother's gf). I've been around different kinds of autistic people and understand that they behave differently, but they are people just like us and deserve to get to speak for themselves, just like my brother did in the video I posted.

You totally missed my point. Like always. Still too stupid to reason with, I see.

ETA: Let me put it simply for you. Have you ever heard of Phineas Gage? He's really popular I'm sure you've heard the story a million times. Well, his head got blasted with a pole. He lived, but his personality changed drastically. The brain areas that got damaged are part of the social network of the brain. Essentially, autistic people have poles blown through these portions of the brain. They don't have normal social functions because their brain does not process social situations correctly.

 

[Roa]

(like my brother's gf).

You let your almost ten year old brother have a girlfriend?

 

[Square Ninja]

They don't have normal social functions because their brain does not process social situations correctly.

to reiterate

 

[Ordeith]

Square Ninja: Mental retardation and autism are two different things. My brother is not retarded and it makes me upset you'd insinuate such blasphemy.

Using an incorrect term for an illness/condition is far from blasphemy; you're not the Catholic Chuch, nor are these the Middle Ages. Please, use the correct terminology....

Anyways, regardless of whether your brother insisted upon creating the video or not, he's hardly in the position to make such a decision for himself. He can't process all of the social factors that go into something like these, especially when the topic is such a sensitive one. At best, he could have thought that making the video would garner some attention, and possibly friendship; there is no way that he could understand all of the factors/implications and chose freely. What you did in the video--exploit him, even without realizing it--wasn't what he chose, or thought he was choosing, hence all of the negative feedback.

EDIT: Essentially, listen to what Stephaknee is saying; your brother's condition makes it impossible for him to choose something like this independently.

 

[Square Ninja]

Using an incorrect term for an illness/condition is far from blasphemy; you're not the Catholic Chuch, nor are these the Middle Ages. Please, use the correct terminology....

serious. business.

 

[Nyangoro]

Here, Random Queen, let me give an example of what stephaknee is talking about.

*One of the tests that was used to study Autism was a puppet show. They would have two puppets, a marble, a box, and a basket. The first puppet (Sally), would place the marble in the box and then leaves. A second puppet arrives and takes the marble out of the box and puts it into the basket, and then leaves. Then Sally returns, and the children watching would be asked questions. One of which was "Where will Sally look for her marble?". Those without Autism said the box; however, those with Autism said the basket. The idea is that they can't understand that a person thinks differently than they do. They know that the marble is in the basket, and therefore think that everyone else should know as well.

As you can imagine, this can be problematic for social interaction.

*http://www.autism.com/ari/newsletter/014/page1.pdf

 

[Cinollex]

I walked in a circle for about six hours, today.
Was pretty ballin'.

 

[Random Queen]

EDIT: Essentially, listen to what Stephaknee is saying; your brother's condition makes it impossible for him to choose something like this independently.

He did choose to make this video. It's not easy for people like him to make choses, yes, but he himself said he wanted to do it. When I mentioned it to him a couple hours apon making the video he shouted with excitement: "YES!" Which means he wanted to make a video like this on his own free will. Though it is hard for autistic people to choose things, they do have the power to make their own decisions, just like my brother did. I would never force him to do something that he wouldn't want to do.

For example, if there was a food that we are eating that he doesn't like, I wouldn't make him eat it. He made the decision for this video to made and I told him since he doesn't have a youtube account that I'd be happy to put it on mine. He was quite happy to hear this. He made this chose on his own free will, whether you want to believe it or not. Those autistic kids that didn't chose to do something like this you can tell they didn't want to because normally they are younger children and generally don't know how to say "no" as answer to something so serious.

My brother has the ability to say "no" so if he didn't want it, he'd simply tell me he didn't want to. He wants to make his own youtube channel to talk to people about autism. I even offered to help set it up. My mom still hasn't given a solid answer on whether he can or can't get a youtube account yet but until then, I'll be glad to let him use mine for his speeches on Autism.

See you people are under the general assumption that people with autism can't decided "yes" or "no" for themselves, but that's quite too general. It could almost speculate as a stereotype. But as where it is true most autistic kids and adults can't choose for themselves, that isn't always the case. My brother along with quite a few of his autistic friends do have their own ability to say "yes" or "no". So, with that, I did not exploit my brother like most people would exploit their autistic child or sibling. I just merely kept my promise to him for something he wanted to do.

 

[Ordeith]

Did you only read the tacked-on edit at the end of my post? Preference in food is a completely different matter from something like this; actually read what I wrote.

 

[Random Queen]

Anyways, regardless of whether your brother insisted upon creating the video or not, he's hardly in the position to make such a decision for himself. He can't process all of the social factors that go into something like these, especially when the topic is such a sensitive one. At best, he could have thought that making the video would garner some attention, and possibly friendship; there is no way that he could understand all of the factors/implications and chose freely. What you did in the video--exploit him, even without realizing it--wasn't what he chose, or thought he was choosing, hence all of the negative feedback.

Okay...I read it and whether or not he was in a position to make a decision like this, he made that decision. And there's actually more to the video. It was quite long but I edited it some of it. What I posted was the primary basis of the video. I didn't want to put the silly parts in because I wanted it to seem serious. Granted that part wasn't his say, but he did want to make the video. He is quite aware of what he was doing. My brother has a way of acting dumb compared to the intelligent little boy he is. That's primarily why some people are saying I exploited him when I really didn't. He knew what he was doing and getting into, that's why he wanted to do it. But he was quite nervous because despite the fact he chose to make this video, he didn't know how to go about it.

He's very intelligent when it comes down to it, and he knew what he was getting into. And yes, he wanted attention, but I know why. He wants to show people with Autism they can speak for themselves, but he also wanted to just get a word in edge wise as well.

As for your comment on my blasphemy comment, I am a person and can say things like that. Being homosapien rocks.

 

[Venitas]

I am...slightly offended by some people in this thread.
My brother, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3 (he's 13 now), is the nicest kid in the world. Sure, he has trouble with some word pernounciation, and kind sometimes talk a little too much, but i do NOT believe that he deserves the exclusion from his peers...something he's been dealing with for most of his school years.

People don't exclude those with strong accents or something to tht effect...so why exclude some1 like my brother? He plays guitar hero and COD and basketball like every other kid, if not BETTER.

I just don't understand.

 

[Random Queen]

I am...slightly offended by some people in this thread.
My brother, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3 (he's 13 now), is the nicest kid in the world. Sure, he has trouble with some word pernounciation, and kind sometimes talk a little too much, but i do NOT believe that he deserves the exclusion from his peers...something he's been dealing with for most of his school years.

This isn't the issue right now Venitas....They're saying that I indirectly exploited my brother on youtube by making that video, even though it was his chose.

 

[SilverJ-17]

I didn't watch the video, but i'll give my two cents...

I know two people with Autism.

One is 22 years old, and manages to creep out and frighten any female that comes near him, me included.

The other is 17 and is practically a genius, albeit somewhat socially awkward, and is one of my best friends.

Autism can be both good and bad. it just depends on the situation.

I don't if I'm exactly at genius level (though I'm really good with Math, Science, and Social Studies (especially US History and Geography)), but I'm definitely more like the second example you mentioned. I'm open most to those I've known for quite awhile. By that, I mean I'm hardly social with those I don't know or hardly know and if the latter is the case, I have a tendency to forget faces sooner than names.

Most of my best grades were in the three subjects I just mentioned, though I've had a few A's in English before.

 

[Nyangoro]

What I don't understand is how people can treat this as just "being different" as opposed to what it actually is: a mental disorder (as in, something in the brain that does not function as scientific studies indicate).

My sister (now 18), has had severe Autism her entire life. Do I think of her as less than human? No. Do I understand that she suffers from a mental disorder that severely impairs her ability to operate normally? Yes.