Page 1 of 3 [ 47 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

FalconSoaring
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 4

15 Jan 2010, 10:20 am

I really do. Ever since this 1988 movie hit the theaters in early 1989, there are many people who think people with autism are like that cliche savant.

Fewer than 10% of the autistic population even HAVE savant skills and there are fewer than 100 people alive today who are prodigious savants. Daniel Tammant (sp), author of "Born on a Blue Day" falls into the prodigious savant category, but he is NOTHING like that damn R*** M**!

In fact, the very term R*** M** is considered a slur in autism circles. Asking people to perform is equivalent to treating them like performing seals. It is also demeaning. You would not ask a neurotypical to perform feats, so don't treat people with autism that way. We don't all do toothpick tricks. We don't all know every name in the telephone directory. While I'm at it, I HATE the "People's Court!"

I wish I had a R*** M** dartboard. R*** M** is to autism what Amos & Andy are to black people; houseboys banging gongs and riding in rikshaws to Asian people and wild, mouth hitting whoo whoo whoo shriekers are to Native people. I hate that sort of thing. R*** M** is a very prejudiced term that is every bit as offensive as any ethnic, racist, religious or social slur.



FalconSoaring
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 4

15 Jan 2010, 10:24 am

In August of 2006, the comic "Pooch Cafe," about robotic looking Poncho and his pack of dog pals ran two very offensive strips about autism.

One strip said that Poncho was "an idiot savant like R*** M**" and the following day the strip made even more cruel negative comments of that ilk about people with autism.

Idiot savant?! That makes me very angry! Most people with autism, savant abilities or none are of above average to gifted intelligence. I hate that kind of thing because it is equivalent to a racist remark. It is ironic when you consider the tiny minority of people who even HAVE savant skills!

"Pooch Cafe" belongs in the bottom of a bird cage or as a training pad for your dog.



ruennsheng
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2009
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,523
Location: Singapore

15 Jan 2010, 10:26 am

What to do, Rain Man was the window for many people to understand more on autism... And sadly, this is distorted...

Sob!


_________________
Ex amicitia vita


Celtic_Frost
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 396
Location: Jackson, TN

15 Jan 2010, 10:27 am

Geez, calm down, Rain Man. Just because you are on your period doesn't mean it's the end of the world.



ruennsheng
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2009
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,523
Location: Singapore

15 Jan 2010, 10:30 am

But we need to watch more films to accrately know what is autism! I wished there'd been more viewership in Autism Reality though...

Best doc ever, most accurate too for autistics' plights! :)

Btw am I old fashioned?


_________________
Ex amicitia vita


TheOddGoat
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 516

15 Jan 2010, 11:36 am

Celtic_Frost wrote:
Geez, calm down, Rain Man. Just because you are on your period doesn't mean it's the end of the world.



Hush, I'm sure they will calm down after some nice relaxing card counting.



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 116,971
Location: In my little Olympic World of peace and love

15 Jan 2010, 11:45 am

I also hate that move with a passion. My sister treated me like crap, for the longest time, after my family watched that movie in 1989. That was a horrible movie.


_________________
The Family Enigma


elderwanda
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Nov 2008
Age: 57
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,534
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

15 Jan 2010, 11:52 am

Celtic_Frost wrote:
Geez, calm down, Rain Man. Just because you are on your period doesn't mean it's the end of the world.


What does a person's menstrual cycle have to do with anything? Your comment conveys the attitude that if a woman is upset or feels strongly about something, it must be because of her "period". :roll: I find that a bit offensive and disturbing.



Shebakoby
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Sep 2009
Age: 51
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,759

15 Jan 2010, 12:17 pm

elderwanda wrote:
Celtic_Frost wrote:
Geez, calm down, Rain Man. Just because you are on your period doesn't mean it's the end of the world.


What does a person's menstrual cycle have to do with anything? Your comment conveys the attitude that if a woman is upset or feels strongly about something, it must be because of her "period". :roll: I find that a bit offensive and disturbing.

Actually, I think the implication of the term is if a woman seems to be disproportionately upset about something relative to an often rather minor something, because of hormones. This doesn't just happen with periods but it is well-documented with pregnancy as well.

And trust me, having been 'on my period', the irrational can start to creep in if I'm not paying attention.



ViperaAspis
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,083
Location: Portland, OR

15 Jan 2010, 12:30 pm

Well, the person that inspired Rain Man has recently kicked off, so that should cheer you a bit! :)


_________________
Who am I? This guy! http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt97863.html


Shareese
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 6 Jan 2010
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 90

15 Jan 2010, 12:43 pm

If someone asked me to perform like that I would be flattered that they thought I could do it, but I would tell them I couldn't because I'm an honest person. I'm only offended if they think I'm an idiot or even socially stupid.



exhausted
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Gender: Female
Posts: 667

15 Jan 2010, 1:04 pm

i do have a soft spot for Kim Peek, the man on whose life the movie was based. but the word "savant?" kiss my butt and die.



MissConstrue
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2008
Gender: Female
Posts: 17,052
Location: MO

15 Jan 2010, 1:06 pm

I think my problem with the movie Rain Man was that they made him seem a bit subhuman. They definitely definitely definitely could've expanded his character a little more than just being a savant who could remember numbers and events.


_________________
I live as I choose or I will not live at all.
~Delores O’Riordan


bdhkhsfgk
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 May 2009
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,450

15 Jan 2010, 1:08 pm

The whole movie is so vulgar.



carltcwc
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 28 Mar 2007
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 316

15 Jan 2010, 2:12 pm

the movie is based on kim peek who did not actually have classic autism. he had fg syndrome which also causes autistic symptoms.



Callista
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 3 Feb 2006
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 10,775
Location: Ohio, USA

15 Jan 2010, 2:21 pm

Shebakoby wrote:
elderwanda wrote:
Celtic_Frost wrote:
Geez, calm down, Rain Man. Just because you are on your period doesn't mean it's the end of the world.


What does a person's menstrual cycle have to do with anything? Your comment conveys the attitude that if a woman is upset or feels strongly about something, it must be because of her "period". :roll: I find that a bit offensive and disturbing.

Actually, I think the implication of the term is if a woman seems to be disproportionately upset about something relative to an often rather minor something, because of hormones. This doesn't just happen with periods but it is well-documented with pregnancy as well.

And trust me, having been 'on my period', the irrational can start to creep in if I'm not paying attention.
At least women only have to deal with hormones during their periods. Men are flooded with testosterone all month.


_________________
Reports from a Resident Alien:
http://chaoticidealism.livejournal.com

Autism Memorial:
http://autism-memorial.livejournal.com