I hate how we are potrayed on TV

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There's an aspie in this clip. Easy to spot, even though most won't understand the language.

Video at Dailymotion

I like that portrayal. Ok, he's a logics and maths whiz, but that's just needed to get the audience's attention.

I'm kind of torn on this topic. The thing is that autistic savants do exist, and let's face it; they're much more interesting than non-savants. As a result, an entertainment medium will naturally focus on those that are more entertaining to watch/learn about. Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to believe that the things they see on television are accurate depictions of reality, which they are very much not. So on one hand you have an inaccurate representation, but on the other there's the fact that TV is where we go to get away from reality to a place where things are more interesting.

Basically, I've settled on only being upset when documentaries give a poor representation of reality, and letting entertainment be entertainment. The problem comes when the line gets blurred (I'm looking at you, Michael Moore)

Thing is, every stereotype contains a small amount of truth. Most representations of autism I see on television fall into one of two categories: the well-educated albeit socially awkward computer genius with a prestigious career, or the emotionless, glaze-eyed child who ignores his mother, has inexplicable tantrums, stims uncontrollably, and is almost certain to grow up to be a LFA. Both exist. Take a walk around Silicon Valley or take a surf around the Parents' forum to see what I mean.

It's the bell curve in action. The media represents the extremes, but the middle, where most of us fall, is the most underrepresented class.

Back to the OP: Very few of us will fit what is portrayed. I, for one, am horrible at math and had middle-lower class parents. Then again, it's not only autistics that are being stereotyped. The AP and televised media will twist most any group, be it prison inmates, atheists, handicapped persons, the upper crust, or lawyers to make them more interesting to read about and/or watch.

The general population needs that stimulation.

I think one of the sweetest ones is Roy on Coronation Street. I don't think anyone's ever said he's got AS but he's a pretty classic example (and so, so endearing in his funny little ways ).

The thing about the aspie character in The Big Bang Theory - Sheldon - is that of course his aspie characteristics are exaggerated, because the personality traits of all the characters are exaggerated. It's not a show about laughing at the aspie freak. The characters are archetypes and constantly misunderstand each other, which is where the comedy comes from. You've also got a dumb blonde character, a Christian fundamentalist character, a guy with a pathological inability to talk to women, a guy who inaccurately believes that women adore him, and so on. It's not saying that all aspies are going to be like Sheldon, any more than it's suggesting that all Christians are like Sheldon's mother, or that all Indian men are unable to speak to women.

The only thing that does bother me a little is that it exacerbates the stereotype that all aspies are brilliant at maths/physics. But then, it's a show about a bunch of physicists. I couldn't really expect him to be hopeless at it.

What do you think of the portrayal of Aspies in the movie Mozart and the Whale? When I saw it, I wasn't convinced that Isabel was on the autistic spectrum. Any thoughts on this?

I don't usually notice things like in the media.

they laugh and distort our general image around the world because they do not fully understand the omnipotence we posess

I saw the whole "Make a film thing" and I realised "Smeg, too easy!! !! !! !! ! I can do that!"

Basically, if everyone could film a small segment of themselves being themselves in everyday life, then I can edit it no sweat and make it all flow.

Sorry to sound like a computer-nerd, but I am one.

All the material will have to be in mpg format though.

Who likes that idea?

The media do not walk in our shoes, for if they did they would not do things like this.

Well, I kind of am a kid with tons of services that is good at math with loaded parents, but I am not homeschooled. And many of the ways people with AS are portrayed in the media is pretty bad even if you don't look at anything to do with the first part of my post.