"autistic" as a pejorative term

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Apparently...

Apparently so, though somehow it does not match up with me as I had very little exposure to the internet growing up.

Every form of disability has been twisted like this - in the UK we no longer use the term spastic as it is so insulting in common language and we have replaced it with the term cerebral palsy, even the term disabled has been used as an insult and appears to be synonymous with scrounger, in the states people still use the word ret*d to describe low cognitive ability - ret*d is still in official documents on this subject and used by professionals - but in the UK we aren't allowed to use it because it is so offensive.

Having been called normal and NT as insults by my own autistic son (in spite of being clearly on the spectrum myself) I have a sort of ambivalent attitude - anything anyone can turn into an insult will be turned into an insult eventually so it surprises me more that it's taken so long.

Autistic has been used as an insult for years.

As a foreign speaker, I didn't even know 'spastic' originally meant someone with cerebral palsy. I thought it was just a 'generic' pejorative derived from the word 'spasm', not a specific disability.

Oh well. At least I can't remember having used it, so my conscience is clear This phenomenon goes for everything, though - 'idiot' and 'moron' were diagnostic terms, and I'd bet most people are barely aware of it. They've completely lost their original meanings. Changing terms doesn't help either. Psychiatry changed 'manic-depressive' to 'bipolar' (don't know if that was because the former was used as a pejorative, though), and now people use 'bipolar' as a pejorative instead. I doubt that trend will stop anytime soon, no matter how frustrating it is. I've never heard 'autistic' being used as a pejorative in Norwegian though. I've heard a few Asperger jokes, but they were more or less benevolent. I guess that will change when/if people get aware of the diagnosis - most people seem not to have a clue. Not that having a clue is required to use a term pejoratively, but when regular people don't even know what autism affects, they don't even have a clue as to how to abuse the term.

I don't like it, but I don't like being called autistic either. Most people associate the term "autism" with Rain Man.

I've heard cerebral palsy almost exclusively as a teenager and adult when people talk about that. I had heard adults say that someone was "spastic" in a whisper when I was a child, so I guess thats the term that it used to be known by. I've honestly only heard spastic as an insult without really knowing what it was until I got older and read about spasticity, then it clicked.

I just now remembered something, as I'm writing this, so I'll put it down. It has to do with insults and such. When I was a kid, I was called spastic a lot. I have no other physical problems than just being clumsey and uncoordinated but kids called me that all the time as a child. I knew it was something medical because of how adults whispered it to each other when discussing someone. It was in the same catagory with "cancer" (I knew what that was), "mongoloid" (I didn't know what that was except that there were kids who were them and because it sounds like a breed of dog I was always afraid of running into some kind of half kid half dog out there somewhere - I later found out what that was) and the dreaded "he was supposed to have been a girl you know" (which I didn't understand at all until I was a much older teenager and actually ran into Miss Martha's grandson and then it clicked there too - that's how old ladies used to say that a guy was gay). Anyway, because I knew it was something medical, and because I was always sick a lot as a child, in and out of the hospital with respiratory infections, I was sure that I must be spastic and nobody ever told me.

I was honestly afraid to ask because if I knew, they might have to start talking to me in whispers. I was clueless about what things were and how people communicated about them back then.

Anyway, I suppose that was one of the most hurtful insults to me as a kid, and I didn't even know what it was. Some kids called me "ret*d" from time to time, but no more than they did other kids, and because I got better grades than them I knew that wasn't so, so I didn't worry about that one. "Ugly" was always hurtful, and is to anybody I'm sure. And I can't forget the dreaded "She's got cooties!"

But, I just now remembered how they would call me spastic. They did that all the way to 8th grade when I tried out for majorettes and found to my and everyone else's amazement that I was really, really, REALLY good with a baton. That was the only time I was graceful, the rest of the time I was clumsey like always. They did stop calling me spastic after that though, and I suppose they knew what spastic actually meant medically or something and maybe the fact that I could be coordinated made them stop or maybe they didn't know what it meant and they found one they liked better, which was "nerd". It was the 70s and Fonzie had just made the word hugely popular.

Anyway, I ran on too long, getting lost in memory lane.

Autistic has been used as an insult for years.[/quote]

I've never really heard autistic used as an insult - I've heard aspie used jokingly quite a bit but not as an actual insult. Personally I prefer the word autistic to asperger's, I think it's beginning to get past the rainman/kanner's image and at least people don't mispronounce it which drives me up the wall - the name is germanic, aaaarrrggghhh!

I have developed a thick skin over the decades, so I am not really offended. I am ambivalent though, I think they meant excessive Internet usage makes it seem as people lack social skills in the real world. In fact, I am sure that is what was meant. However, both NT and ASD people are thinking they met it actually could cause autism. Or is some way perojative towards us.
But I have even seen the word Autism used in reference towards the personalities of chameleons (the color changing lizards). It was not meant as an insult, but not ALL autistics are extremely anti-social as the person writing that failed to learn. It was a simple but too common mistake, not a deliberate evil intent.

Sincerely,
Matthew

Whether or not a term like "autistic" should be used pejoratively has basically nothing to do with taking offense, and making it about how much it offends you or does not offend you misses the point. I don't feel offended by a large number of terms, but I am still able to see how their usage is inappropriate and harmful.

The problem is that the use of such terms in pejorative ways is a form of social engineering. It reinforces the association of "autistic" as "bad", and specifically in this case, "autistic" as something you can become by your own actions. The use of such terminology in such a context in research papers and journalism is unprofessional, and I would also say unethical (ethically, one should not publish material that will contribute to and/or increase the stigma experienced by a particular class of people).

I've heard autistic used as an insult many times, or read it being used online. If you haven't seen Asperger's used as an insult, then you perhaps do not read enough of the internet. For example, this urban dictionary entry.

Ironically as a kid I used to call my non-verbal brother "auto-boy" and "auto-matic" insinuating he had autism (he probably did but was never diagnosed). The pigeons came home to roost when my daughter was born and I self diagnosed myself.

I'm not religious but have to say the law of karma came home and bit me fairly hard.

But they are used in different context of insult. "Autism" thrown as an insult is aimed at people who appear (to an NT) as socially ret*d and/or intellectually ret*d.

Growing up, if you call somebody an "Aspergers" it mean't somebody who was hypermanic (typically spoke very fast) and a little crazy (like a mad scientist or crazy music conductor). Infact until my daughter was diagnosed I didn't even realise Aspergers was related to autism!

It appears that socially autistic was used as an analogy, not to be taken literally, in fact if they had said technology was causing people to be autistic, that would raise a red flag.

There is recent research that suggests that technology is creating problems for youth in face to face interaction skills, as well as cognitive issues among some, and differences can even be seen among individuals over 50 in how those that have used Information Technology devices vs those that haven't, measure higher in brain activity when tested using the internet.

It is already evidenced through research in the phenomenon of neuroplasticity, that connections in the brain are strenghened per activities that are engaged in and weakened in activities that are not engaged in.

It is suggested to be a process that continues on through adulthood.

Here is a recent article from USA today referencing several sources of research that explore the issue through late adulthood. And another article from CNN that presents information from a study on usage of IT communication devices among young girls.

There doesn't appear to be an objective reason to take offense at the analogy per the OP research that was cited.

I can't find an actual instance where anyone has used the term socially autistic as an analogy in any recent research regarding problems with social skills and technology.

However other disorders are listed as having symptoms analogous to problems seen with individuals whose daily activities have become compromised through the use of IT devices.

Those subject to the disease of addiction may be more likely to have problems because of difficulty in finding satiety in the pleasure centers in the brain through the reward that dopamine provides when continuously stimulated through IT connections.

They don't mention pornography, but the American Society of Addiction Medicine has recently clinically identified non-substance behaviors as a source for the disease of addiction including sexual behaviors, which pornography provides an avenue for; particularly broadband access.

And they also don't mention online video game addiction, that is currently a huge issue in South Korea and China, where internet addiction clinics are common. Longitudinal Studies in China suggest that those individuals identified in China with what they identify as videogame addiction, are evidenced as having structural changes in the Brain as compared to those that are not addicted.

Some commonly use the avenue of videogames for stimulation for 8 hours a day, in those countries. It is a much bigger issue there than it is in the US.

Usually specific symptoms associated with social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues are addressed when studying the problems associated with technology, rather than using the term autistic as an analogy for the social impairments associated in autism.

The studies are interesting, and many of the issues are similiar to autism, but are studied as acquired through the environmental influence of technological devices rather than innate characteristics associated with autism.

A poll is presented in the link below, that shows about a third of the demographic polled considers themselves to have a serious problem balancing their tech usage with their lives. Not everyone is affected equally.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/mind-soul/story/2012-03-26/Technology-can-push-our-crazy-buttons-rewire-brains/53792424/1

http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-25/tech/tech_social-media_multitasking-kids_1_social-skills-study-facetime?_s=PM:TECH



As of now there is no official DSM diagnosis for any disorder associated with Information Technology, however in the DSMV there is a proposed revision to add an Internet Use Disorder, within the overall category of addictions.

http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=573#

It is pending further research by the DSM, but here are rudimentary aspects that they have put together so far.

It's addressed from an addiction perspective, rather than a disorder focused on specific social impairments, so far they just address general negative psycho-social problems.

http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=573#

Last edited by aghogday on 03 May 2012, 2:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

While more people have become accustomed to the term Aspergers in the US, it's usually not identified further as an actual autism spectrum disorder, when commonly discussed in the media, past online autistic communities, those that know someone personally with the disorder, or those whom learn details in school in psychology courses.

Per personal historical context, I don't even remember hearing the term, until somewhere around the mid 2000's, when the media started portraying it in movies on TV. And, finding the AQ test through an internet resource well before I had any idea I would actually be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder a few years later.

Autism was rare, in my young adulthood, although I'm sure I was tested on it in psychology classes in college. I can't recollect hearing about it before it was portrayed in the movie "Rainman", in my late 20's, and of course a very rare example per the savant abilities that were portrayed in that movie.

Somewhere in the 2000's famous people in the media, started talking about their children having Autism disorder, per athletes and movie stars; the vaccine controversy seemed to provide some media awareness overall as well, however misguided.

I can't remember hearing the names of charitable autism organizations, until I came to this site. I remember the portrayal of Aspergers in the media, as only quasi-disabling, whereas there was no question in the media portrayal that Autism Disorder was an extremely disabling disorder for children, as well as adults.

I can't imagine that the general public is going to ever become convinced that there is a "mild form" of autism, after the DSMV goes into effect other than the "broader phenotype of autism spectrum disorder". Autism Spectrum Disorder is definitely defined as a seriously disabling disorder, in that revised diagnostic criteria.

As far as perjorative terms nerd, spaz, spastic, geek, were the only terms I heard applied in that way.

Autism wasn't really on the map anywhere until the late 80's, for anyone to think about using it as a perjorative, against another individual in the US, at least not in my area.

I think most people take the term autism much more seriously in the US, than Aspergers. Aspergers is more often used as a perjorative as far as I can see now, along the lines of nerd, spaz, spastic, and geek, when I was growing up.

It appears to be another synonym for those perjoratives, however it's a bit worse because there is more of an inhumane emphasis, as far as focus on lack of emotion, and empathy stereotypes, than the brainy/socially eccentric/non-athletic stereotypes when I was growing up as the way the other perjoratives were used.

I find the perjorative way that Aspergers is used today more disheartening than the other perjoratives terms from the past.

Sadly, I suppose the term Aspergers will continue to be used that way by some, well after the DSMV goes into effect, in the US.

I think most people take the term autism too serious for it to be used on a widespread basis as a perjorative, as it is still understood by the general public as a very disabling disorder in the US. In part, because of how it is presented in the media, verses countries like the UK where the social model of disability is more prevalent.

I don't get why the distinction has any impact on whether someone used the term. The point was someone said that he'd never seen Asperger's being used as an insult, so I offered an example. If you ever read the Something Awful forum (which I do occasionally, as they tend to at least sometimes be informative) the pejorative usage is all over the place and fairly frequent.



Growing up, if anyone said "Asperger's" no one would know what it meant, because the terminology and disorder didn't come into common parlance until the 90s, when I was already in adulthood. I think I first heard of it in 2002, for that matter.

Hypermanic is not related to being AS at all. In fact, given that mania is a state of psychosis and hyperactivity in people with bipolar disorder, I find my imagination fails me in trying to picture what hypermania would be.

I recall in the past that the moderation team of this particular forum I used to read had a tendency to refer to "problem posters" as "autistic" because of their unwillingness to follow the forum rules.

aghogday, you're incorrect about your claim as to the statement made in the OP: The person in question wrote (quoted, really) in her paper that technology was making youth "socially autistic."

I again also state that being offended or not is irrelevant. This kind of generalization generally doesn't work because it is highly inaccurate, and is often used in a pejorative (negative) sense.

Any one of us can rationalize why that's okay all day, but it doesn't really make it okay. It would be much better to simply state what one means explicitly, instead of referring to existing conditions as a form of shorthand. The quoted statement is no better than recent articles that claim that technology is making people ADHD. In neither case is any impairment derived from using the internet in certain ways likely to be as pervasive or as severe as any experienced by people who actually are autistic or have ADHD. It's scientifically sloppy, as well as being unprofessional and likely unethical.

I'm short-sighted, but I wouldn't be offended and I'd understand what was meant, if someone suggested that, for example, my local councillor, was "poltically myopic".

There is nothing inherently pejorative about the quote referred to in the OP, and I think the OP over-reacted and over-stepped the Mark professionally. The quote should have been properly referenced, and understood, that's all.