Throughout my life and modest literary endeavours, I firmly acknowledged the supreme primacy of detail before the whole, for reasons too obvious to state…
Nevertheless, since discovering that I live with Asperger’s on the neuro-divergent side of existence, I realised that the term autism was coined from the Greek autos which means self, as an essentially correct identification of Autism’s core individualism.
Even though I believe that Autism and Asperger’s share common traits (the Autistic Spectrum), I share the position of the ICD-10 as being different conditions, regardless of DSM-5’s arbitrary otherwise statements, which will be discussed in a future post, finding myself somewhere along Uta Frith’s lines which state that “The terms autism and Asperger’s syndrome are therefore not treated as mutually exclusive. We propose that the Asperger individual suffers from a particular form of autism”1 and also in line with Simon Baron-Cohen’s position of the “six major subgroups on the autistic spectrum”2.
Considering therefore what has been said, I would dare to venture onto a hopefully interesting proposal, namely the valuation of Asperger Syndrome as a neuro-biological orientation towards an individual’s self, from the individualistic perspective of reason and objectivism, which all represent core life values for individuals with Asperger’s.
As seen, I have used a valuable quote from philosopher Ayn Rand, about the ultimate value of the individual, without which’s understanding, any attempt to generalize or even categorize, will have lost its whole meaning, because contrary to popular (mis)understanding, the value ascribed to a category is given by the value of its components.
Therefore, the attempt of DSM-5 to “sacrificially” de-identify the Asperger Syndrome on the “umbrella-spectrum” altar, without maintaining its well-established DSM-4-TR and ICD-10 uniqueness, has thrown everything, from individual identities to research enthusiasm, into a futureless fog. Why? Because research is particular, a narrowing down of scientific interest, from penetrating layer after layer of external data, aiming to the core of anything’s functionality. It is a quest from major onto minor, from the majority of what’s obvious, to the minority of what’s hidden. Who are we, after all? Only “another brick in the wall” of someone else’s understanding of who we really are, or like Michelangelo’s unique sculptures waiting to be freed from their marble confinements, intrinsic values to be discovered with respectful touches?
Yes, I absolutely agree, that an individual is the “smallest minority on earth”, with us, individuals on the Autistic Spectrum as an even smaller and even more self-oriented minority, deserving therefore an inalienable right to be listened and maybe understood.
Because unlike Michelangelo’s marble wonders, we have each of us a heart, and a speaking mind attached to it, and if the majority wants to be whole, let it be reminded that it is made of coexisting minorities…
- Frith, Uta (ed), 1991, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Cambridge University Press
- Baron-Cohen, Simon, 2008, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Oxford University Press
(to be continued…)
THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY 
Love love love this post!! I know that it’s not necessarily a popular opinion among the activist factions of the community (probably due to a knee jerk reaction against the idea of “Aspie superiority” or something), but every word you said is true, and I totally agree 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼😊❤️
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Thank you so much SW, I truly value your opinion. There seems to be a conscious drive to wash everyone into the same bowl, but that would annihilate in the end all traces of individualism, where genuine values lie. Just trying to do my part, raising awareness. 😇😇
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Reblogged this on the silent wave and commented:
I really dig this post! It’s a fascinating viewpoint! I’ve often wondered about the potential impact of merging the two names/labels myself. I’ve got a post brewing about that; this one is an excellent read! The whole blog is brilliant and goes back a long way. Definitely worth a thorough read-through! I have bookmarked this one. Enjoy! 🙂 ❤
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Oh, dear Laina, you never cease to surprise 🌹
Thank you so much for reblogging, and the kind comment. I’ll be back shortly with news I have been looking forward for some time now, just had so much on my plate, that I needed at least a couple of days to literally recover mentally 👾👽 It’s amazing news I have, just taking myself the time to let them sink in 👑 and get over with some unavoidable stuff 👅
I can’t wait to sit down writing 📝 Bear with me 👾
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Absolutely, my dear friend! Take care of You; I ain’t going anywhere; surface as you are ready 😘👍🏼💚💙💜
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I totally agree. “Classic Autism” looks & acts so much different from what all my Aspie friends describe about their lives. I noticed at Ben’s ceremony all the kiddos were very similar, all “classic”. I think they may both be different neurotypes from the “norm” but that doesn’t mean they are the same. Especially when people think of Aspies as “closer to normal” and classic “low functioning”. It just adds more confusion and misunderstanding.
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Hi Gran, excellent observation. One thing for sure, if there’s any hope to advance the understanding of the Autistic Spectrum, is by a joint effort of autistics and carers of autistic individuals. Tolerance is not acceptable, awareness is not enough, acceptance is humiliating, integration is demeaning, what’s needed is a coexistence based on mutual respect. High and low functionality are terms of comparison based on an arbitrary set of standards, designed by people who sent the like of us to asylums and gas chambers. Time has come to reconsider all norms and standards by listening to those of us living lives none have asked for, proud and entitled to respect by default. 👑
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🙌🙌👏👏 Exactly!!!
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Reblogged this on American Badass Activists.
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❤
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Hey Eve, thanks ever so much, you’re a 🌟
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