Would you have asperger's if you could become a savant or people with autism, would you become nonautistic?

Question

There are also other good things about autism.
treat everyone the same, honesty
http://www.autism.jp/asp/05_english.shtml(third column)
(fairly large list)
http://www.omgili.com/rd/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hZGRmb3J1bXMuY29tL2ZvcnVtcy9zaG93dGhyZWFkLnBocD90PTI4NTc0/Computer+Vision+Syndrome
spirituality
http://www.williamstillman.com/connection.html
Loyal, honest, logical thinking http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Love-Friendship-%20Work.asp?name=Jeanette+McAfee,+M.D.\

Be honest, what is your opinion on the autism isn't bad movement?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_rights_movement

If you think these two conditions are awful to you, please explain why.

Answer 1

I do not have autism, but our twelve-year-old son does. I can't imagine him without autism, so much of who he is arises from his lack of inhibition and other gifts that come with his "disorder." But I do hurt for him when he becomes over-stimulated and has trouble controlling himself, or can't break out of a rigid behavior pattern, even when he see it's destructive, etc.
I have been moved by the comments people with autism have made, both here and elsewhere, about their desire to be accepted and valued. I think that perhaps we non-autistic individuals should think about how we phrase comments when we "correct" our children or friends with autism, explaining with neutral language what makes a particular action or comment socially unacceptable instead of using terms of good and bad, right or wrong. I think, too, that just as we work to help individuals with autism move closer to the social norms we espouse, we should work to understand how persons with autism perceive social situations. Many of our social customs are arbitrary, and could use some scrutiny and change.

Answer 2

I wouldn't want to be a savant. Most savants lack other basic living skills and self help skills that I would want. I would hate to be totally dependent on others. My son has autism and there is a good likelihood I have a touch of Asperger's. I wouldn't change it as that would change who he is and who I am.
My son doesn't treat everyone the same; isn't overtly honest etc. Not all people with autism are. Just like they aren't all non verbal and refuse to make eye contact. As far as autism isn't bad I never thought it was. It definitely isn't the norm but just because its different doesn't make it good or bad just different.

Answer 3

I wouldn't trade being aspie even though it makes things difficult at times and it's OK that I'm not a savant. I do not wish my autistic son was non-autistic. There are a lot of good things about being on the spectrum once you understand it. I still have issues, but they are much easier to deal with once I learned I was aspie and understood what it meant. I just try to work with the issues now instead of fighting them.
Being aspie or autistic is not the end of the world, we are just on a different path than neuro-typical people. I trust other aspies and autistics much more because they are at face value, more honest and do not play head games. I know many aspies who believe the spectrum is the next step on the evolutionary ladder.

Answer 4

I would not want to be either. It's a pretty hard life, even for the Rain Man types.

I would much rather be able to function on a daily basis without being closed off or in a state of constant bombardment by excessive stimuli.

My heart really goes out to those folks who have autism and aspergers. They almost seem to need to be lonely to get any peace.

Answer 5

I'm autistic. I wouldn't become non-autistic if I had the option. This isn't really because of the positives of being autistic, or because being autistic is perfect, though I don't deny that being autistic has positives, just as being non-autistic does.

I just don't see a way I could consider myself me without being autistic. Autism influences every facet of who I am, and a non-autistic version of me I don't even know if I would recognize. I don't know if I'd even like that person, or if I'd have anything in common with them.

Being autistic in this society is more difficult than being non-autistic, obviously, but that's because non-autistics are the ones designing the structure of this society, and it's made for them mostly, with provisions for us based on what they think we need (some of what we're given works, a lot of it doesn't, even if it looks like it's helping us.) Occasionally an autistic will be heard well enough for one tiny bit of the world to become just a bit more suited to us, but a lot more change is needed, and the non-autistic majority needs to become a lot more willing to listen to our voices and not the voices of the majority of outsider parents and professionals who claim that we need to be normalized through things like ABA. The fact that we don't always succeed in the world as it's set up doesn't mean that there's something inherently bad about being autistic or that we should be made non-autistic. I'm staying as I am and trying to change as much as I can.

I don't think that non-autistics need to be made autistic though. That would require them turning into entirely different people as well, which I'm not going to ask of anyone.

Answer 6

I'm Autistic and i hate my life because i make my social life hard for me