Greta Thunberg attributes her ability to focus on climate change to her Asperger's

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/04/23/beneficial-adaptation.html

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We need more humans like Greta. Now!

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I fear this will give ammunition to those who dont understand the randomness of asperger’s and autism spectrum disorder to pick on those who are afflicted. “That kid ‘chose’ to focus on climate change. Why did your kid ‘choose’ to focus on [insert less-socially-acceptable trait here].”

Well done her though.

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“Wait, you can choose what you’re interested in? That’s neat. I wouldn’t have chosen “Jennifer Aniston’s love life” as an interest, but I reckon it takes all kinds.”

(Feel free to use whatever beige interest the person you’re talking to is into. I say this as someone who enjoys pumpkin spice lattes and spends work downtime looking at planner spreads on Instagram.)

It’s hard to imagine the bullying of people on the spectrum getting any worse. But then so many things have gotten worse in the last couple of years that I didn’t expect. So what do I know?

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There are people who are looking to “cure” autism or criticize due to ignorance, but I think they are a vocal minority. I’m not on the spectrum so I have no lived experience, but if my self-selected Facebook feed is any guide, there is a growing awareness and acceptance of people on the spectrum. Regardless, the fact that people are coming “out” makes me happier because I know that helps my three nieces and nephew whom are on the spectrum.

And a proper response to any question on why a person chose topic X is the same for anyone’s hobbies regardless of being on the spectrum. They chose it because they found it interesting. A person who places a value judgment on another person’s hobbies is being a jerk and whose subsequent opinions can be safely disregarded.

See, climate change is a good thing! /s

High functioning Asperger’s rule.

It reminds me of the original The Bridge, where the Swedish inspector Saga Noren also had highly functioning Asperger’s. It seems it is getting a positive spin. As I don’t have it myself and don’t otherwise watch Swedish shows, I just don’t know how positive it is perceived in Sweden.

I’ll second that.
Have far more good to offer than lemmings.

I suspect it will become a much cherry-picked data point for people who favor ‘liberalism is a mental disorder’ bumper stickers.

The ‘but why couldn’t junior be a freak in a more socially conscious sort of way?’ possibility will probably be civil by comparison.

There are individuals who are hoping to “fix” chemical imbalance or condemn because of numbness, yet I think they are a vocal minority. I’m not on the range so I have no lived involvement, yet on the off chance that my self-chose Facebook channel is any guide, there is a developing mindfulness and acknowledgment of individuals on the range. In any case, the way that individuals are coming “out” makes me more joyful on the grounds that I realize that helps my three nieces and nephew whom are on the range.

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