Nerd Syndrome

[kingandy]

Some months back Ant successfully applied for a post with the disability department at the University. Somewhat disappointingly, it was on an "as needed" basis and until now they've not needed him. However they've apparently been in touch to see if he'd be interested in working with a student with Asperger's.

Naturally I've been reading all about it.

"Unlike those with autism, people with AS are not usually withdrawn around others; they approach others, even if awkwardly, for example by engaging in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic while being oblivious to the listener's feelings or reactions, such as signs of boredom or haste to leave. ..... People with Asperger syndrome often display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused."

Man, this shit describes half the people I know.

Comments

Re: slight tangent?

[ajon.livejournal.com]

It's not a disease, I'd totally agree that it's a different way of seeing things. It's usually only if the person feels they have a problem that a 'label' is helpful as it can help them to understand why they're not different so that other people give them a bit more ley way and understanding.

The other side of the coin is where they are massively struggling to 'fit in' to society's conventions, entirely failing to be shoe-horned and getting steadily more depressed, less able to live independently and generally being absolutely miserable - at least in my brother's case. My bro has never had a job, has no money and my parent's are trying to partially financially support him and finding it hard - if his differences had a 'name' he could be offered assistance in getting a job, medication for his OCD which is very common in AS and probably for depression too. At worst he'd get a bit more money.

I've always thought if he lived 100 years ago, he'd have had a nice little job not dealing with people in our family business and people would just have seen him as slightly different (their problem not his). Sadly nowadays if you're a bit 'odd' you 'fail' at job interviews and don't get the support from a wider extended family.

Re: slight tangent?

[anne-l-davies.livejournal.com]

You raise an awful lot of interesting points here Al, most of which I can't adequately wiffle on about in a written form, especially not on someone else's lj.

But yes, society, wider family, people who are different, large corporate capitalism/consumerism, kettle of fish!