Ferdinand the Bull story; Finding your bliss, marriage

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Ferdinand the Bull is a childrens book written in 1936 that many view as a controversal choice to be a pacifist and not choose to fight in wars and conflicts. But I think it may connect with many with violent meltdown reaction to Autism and how you can choose a life for yourself that is happy and different from what the NT world tells you to do.

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I think the story tells well the issues an undiagnosed or misunderstood AS male. All too often many NT's just want to exploit the high intelligence / special abilities. [In the story, they actually want to exploit his meltdowns, but let's stretch that a bit.] When the AS problems and choices to be alone show: many NT's just expect you to be like what they expect. All this has been discussed on this forum many times... undiagnosed life has some interesting challenges.

On this forum, I have seen some reach a wise conclusion: like Ferdinand, consider the advice that for many with AS - when it comes to jobs or marriage - they will be happiest by themselves under the cork tree like Ferdinand's ending. It's a lifestyle choice. Of course, it isn't right for everyone, but for those whose talents allow them the freedom. You can make the choice to be mostly alone with what makes you happy (special talents/abilities).

Especially if you have had issues with misunderstood meltdowns in your life, I encourage you to get the book! There is also a Disney animation you can watch free on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGTVRbpAuRo . I encourage you to focus on the aspect of th story that negative sensory stimulation sets Ferdinand on his violent meltdown.

P.S. In terms of acceptance experience, you may find it interesting that the ideas presented in this book were so unwelcome, that the book was banned in Spain and burned as propaganda in Nazi Germany.

P.S.S. This book was about social acceptance of different thinking and behavior. It was written in 1936 - before Asperger's and Autism were recognized by the medical community and had names.

Ferdinand's final decision to go back to his life of being by himself, doing what he enjoys... fits for many who have had enough of the social failures with AS. To try and mitigate and work on social skills, but to also focus on the obsessions that are enjoyed and make them the center of your life.


This reminds me of a quote of a person who traveled the world and researched humanity both past and present. Joseph Campbell:

"The way to find out about happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy — not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy. This requires a little bit of self-analysis. What is it that makes you happy? Stay with it, no matter what people tell you. This is what is called following your bliss.”


Unless you happen to be so lucky to find a true loving partner in your life, then one more Joseph Campbell quote may bring you understanding of the possibility of additional joy.

“Marriage is not a love affair. A love affair is a totally different thing. A marriage is a commitment to that which you are. That person is literally your other half. And you and the other are one. A love affair isn’t that. That is a relationship of pleasure, and when it gets to be unpleasurable , it’s off. But a marriage is a life commitment, and a life commitment means the prime concern of your life. If marriage is not the prime concern, you are not married.”

>A marriage is a commitment to that which you are. That person is literally your other half.

Yes, and I'm so glad I have that and that I found my twin, even if we look like an odd couple to outsiders.

The Ferdinand story sounds interesting. I have been wanting more success, and tempted by the "easy" or obvious route of my previous career, one which I did not enjoy, was not interested in for its own sake, and which just about destroyed me because of intense interpersonal contact all the time. It makes me want to vomit, usually, when I think of going back to it.

So, I'm looking for what would really suit me, out of some genuine self awareness that I continue to seek, difficult as that is at times, to get what I need at a comfort level I need, because I'm sick of my life being summed up in the recent Onion headline, "Cost of living outstrips value of existence" (paraphrased.)

Thanks for the link, TobyZ.

I remember now Ferdinand the Bull from gradeschool. Kindergarten actually. Nice but puzzling story, it seemed Ms. Bruckner liked it better than we kids. It is funny and somehow ironic that - only now, all these years later - does this children's story have meaning, for an adult.

I missed those Campbell quotes and - could have surely used them in the intervening years!

I changed the thread title to be more descriptive instead of abstract. Let's see if more people read it.

That's indeed who I've become. My special interests are the center of my life. Sometimes people have a fleeting moment of envy for how I live.

Hmmm.