A cure for FUTURE autism

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Most of you say you don't want to be cured of your autism because you like yourself the way you are. I agree.

However, what if a cure was devised that would prevent your children, and the children of others, from being born autistic?

Last edited by xyzyxx on 25 Feb 2008, 7:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I don't support that, either.

As a Transhumanist, IMO people should have the right to modify or enhance their brain any way they want as long as it is completely voluntary. Once people start modifying and enhancing their own brains society will be forced to become more tolerant of neurodiversity.

No. Simply, no.

Since autism has, apparently, a naturally occurring genetic cause, there can be no cure except regulating reproductive choice – or abortion based on testing the fetus.

Of course, there would be a TINY amount of non-compliance, but those resulting autistics would be even MORE drastically shunned by society, since they would be considered “preventable.”

There would be little or no further research done into how to adapt society to integrate autistics, and no further strides in developing educational techniques for autistics.

In short, any attempt to “cure” autism or Aspergers leads inevitably to the removal of all autistics from any part of society. And it removes most of them from life itself.

It’s what they tried in the 1930s.

I’m not diseased – I’m different. I need respect – not extinction.

There is one, shortly to be developed. It's called pre natal screening; 'abortion'.

I believe it is a total ethical cop out. The mental health services and community care that autistic people frequently require are expensive and don't have any glamour attached to them for politicians. Abortion is cheap.

I don't always like being the way I am, in fact a lot of the time I don't, but it doesn't stop me throwing myself at the cliff face and f*****g clinging on for dear life, and appreciating the opportunity to do so, every single day.

I agree with Sarah. The "cure" they're pursuing is abortion. Autism Speaks, for instance, readily admits that's what they want. And the amount of false positives would be quite high (meaning a bunch of babies who don't have autism would also be terminated).

I wouldn't mind if my children were autistic or aspie because I teach what I have learned through my experience with AS.

why would i want a cure
AS is me it is who i am and i could and never would want to change that
its my personality and alot of my strengths and the possitivies come with it too
I did want a cure when i was younger but now i understand more about as and love the positves it brings
NO

How many thousands of people in the history of the human race have made great discoveries, and also had a disability?
Think about it. If they were terminated before birth, then where would we be today?

the Autistic spectrum would make up a smaller percentage of that, but that doesn't mean they weren't there.

Quick, Let's warn Comedy Central who is backing Autism Speaks. You can go on the Colbert show or something.

If I had children, and they were aspies, I would be proud.

If I decide one day I want to have children, I seriously think I could only cope if they were aspies. I don't know if I could relate to an NT child!

This is probably the reason I shouldn't have children...

Same here.

Quoted for truth! *nods to the fellow transhumanist* However, if it has to be decided before the birth of the children... how to decide, I'd say that if it'd be able to 'cure' only parts, I'm for it (like the rather enhanced sensitivity to noises, which made every social setting a chore).

I vote no because currently the cures they seek arent good for us and I dont trust them not to force these cures on us.

But I do see where the cures could be needed and for those who choose to take them. Until we can be sure that all our rights are respected regarding cures then there must be no cure.

We ultimately have the right to be as we are and should change for noone but ourselves.

If there was a cure for LFA without having to resort to abortion, yes.

If it's between modification and abortion, I'd choose modification.