Is there an Aspie "culture"?

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Hi, I am a graduate student researching ASD. I am writing a paper in which I am arguing that there is a unique culture associated with ASD. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Any feedback, comments or information you would like to give me would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Lori

Is there a neurotypical culture?

I could be wrong, but I don't think so. So why, then, would there be an aspie culture?

If culture is defined by a set of customs and behaviors that are unique to it.. I think there are aspects of NT life that are in discord with other groups. Like insistence on lots of eye contact and nonverbal communication in conversation. I am not trying to insult anyone, I just was hoping someone here might be willing to enlighten me.

Neurotypicals do not exactly have a unified culture. It's all regional. Nonverbal communication, just like verbal communication, changes based on the customs of the people of the area.

Is there a Tourette's Syndrome culture? Is there a left handed culture? Is there a genius culture? Is there an albino culture? Wrongplanet.net does NOT constitute a culture, just like 4chan is not a culture (thank God). You're stretching the term so that it no longer has meaning.

Hard to be "unified" in the melting pot we have in the U.S. So, would you say that you don't think that "typical" neurotypical behaviors are difficult for someone with ASD to deal with? Or is it just because of the wide spectrum of diverse behavior out there that you just find people to associate with that have similar ways?

I would say that there are at least two separate cultures with regards to ASD. The neurodiversity movement reminds me of what I learned about Deaf pride in ASL class. On the one side, there are people who say the "disabled" are fine the way they are and they should be proud of their differences. On the other, there are the people who say that those people find are dysfunctional and need to be fixed. I would align deaf pride with neurodiversity and cochlear implants with DAN protocols or Mongolian hippotherapy. It’s not a perfect match, but I think you could argue that they exist and are somewhat similar in theory (if not in practice or practicality). Based solely on the experience I have had with other parents, I was surprised to find that the severity of the child's difficulties is not as much of an indicator as I first suspected. You might look into whether that is the case in general and if it is similar to age of deafness onset in the Deaf culture.

Well of course it's difficult to deal with. But I don't think 'culture' is the right word. Culture defines a civilization, and AS is not a civilization. It's supposedly a mental disorder (although I strongly disagree with that).

Maybe culture can be looked at from some different perspectives. In my point of view, culture is to a group of people what personality it to an individual. For example, there is a Deaf culture, a set of behaviors and perspectives that are unique to that group.

Obviously, I am not welcome here. Sorry to bother.

Well, you're writing an essay. You can have any perspective you want when you write open ended essays, because there's no right answer. I don't consider that to be a culture, but it doesn't really matter; it's subjective.

I'm sorry if I have been an as*hole about it and made you feel unwelcome. I have been known to do that from time to time.

Does culture have to be associated with a civilization?

Culture is the "the body of learned beliefs, traditions, and guides for behavior that are shared among members of any human society" (Barrett, 1984, p. 54).
Barrett, R. A. (1984). Culture and conduct: An excursion in anthropology.

The Deaf are not a civilization, yet it seems to be accepted that they have a unique culture. Is it too farfetched to apply this idea to ASD?

If only it were open ended... must be supported in the journal literature... There seems to be two distinct camps when you read about ASD. Either people think it is a dread disease to be cured, or it is just a difference. I am of the opinion that is just a difference, that should be accommodated better, especially in schools. I think the emphasis on trying to make someone fit in to a neurotypical culture - with its rule and customs - takes students' focus away from learning and makes them be overly concerned with things that should not be so important. Social rules are pretty useless if you ask me. But, then I always get myself in trouble because I don't follow social rules very well.

No, you're perfectly welcome here. It's just that you're, well, wrong.

If you get in a discussion with an aspie, you must prepare yourself for a no holds barred debate. Because we see things as black and white, right and wrong, we argue our arguments with a determination that often puts people off as 'mean' or 'harsh'. Usually, we don't mean it that way. Quite the opposite. But we get wrapped up in the b ack and forth of the debate and forget that we're debating a person with feelings and not an opponent in a competition. Sorry about that.

I'll admit, I sometimes get a little crabby with NT's who want to advocate for us, if only because I'm disappointed we're not advocating for ourselves as much as we should be. But, truth be told, we can always use the help. So, welcome.

OK, so help me say it in a way that is not going to be offensive.

Do you think students with AS are served well in public schools? Is the development of "social skills" emphasized at the expense of developing the gifts and talents of these students?

Just like with anything, it's all about moderation. Autism, in severe cases, can be a dread disease. But on the more moderate and milder end of the spectrum, it becomes more of just a personality type. Now, if only we could have the benefits of autism without having difficulties with human interaction, we, as humans, might actually be able to accomplish something.

That is the point I would like to make as well. The emphasis on the intricacies of human interaction that are difficult for someone with AS. Why should that matter so much? Why can't NTs overlook those things?

I must admit that although I have never sought diagnosis, I have a lot of tendencies in that direction. I have also been called an as*hole more times that I would like to admit.

The culture aspect of this paper came from trying to create a theoretical framework for the issue that would get people's attention. There has been a lot of focus on "cultural competency" in education. The terminology has been applied to all different types of groups - ethnic, racial, the Deaf, etc... I am not trying to say that people with ASD should form their own civilization or anything like that. Just that cognitive differences should be acknowledged and respected for all people. Everything in life is on a bell curve, there is a wide range of "normal"...