Heraclitus and Epictetus are my two, favorite, dusty, dead Greek dudes (I like many more, but these two are personal canon favorites). Both were known for their ‘odd’ language use and I choose to believe were of similar perspective, if not neurotype, as me. My man, Heraclitus, had a grip on my concept of paradox as the ultimate herald of any existent, Manifest Truth. Standford’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy as of Dec. 2023 sums it thus: “The exact interpretation of these doctrines is controversial, as is the inference often drawn from this theory that in the world as Heraclitus conceives it […]
Rumination – Psychiatric Therapist Required
I wish I could find a psychiatrist who would just let me tell them my entire life story before getting into “the work”. My life story IS exceptional and in defiance of all neuronormativity, I am, too. But in context, so too may say all humanity. The unique experiences far outweigh the shared ones. I believe, feel, and think that my story can be helpful to others. I just don’t have the brain to write it all. So I guess what I really want is for some psychiatrist to make me a case study and tell the world about how […]
Thoughts on #Therapy$Me & Then Some
My last attempt at formal therapy was with a LSW because I couldn’t afford a psychologist, let alone the psychiatrist I know I actually need. She was younger than me, which is no longer difficult in the domain/industry and not an issue here. What did become an issue was that her life experiences were so happily neurotypical that she genuinely could not understand me or how I talk about my life and the current shape of my memory in relation to a cohesive narrative. So I began trying to educate myself and, at the time, I was active on Twitter. […]
The Rise of Synthetic Social Media: A Threat to Human Discourse & Empowerment
In recent years, social media platforms are increasingly relying on Language Models (LLMs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) bots to impersonate human users online. This phenomenon is not only concerning but also symptomatic of a larger trend that threatens the very fabric of social discourse and our ability to engage with information in meaningful ways. The driving force behind this development is the desire to reduce human involvement in social media engagement, relegating us to mere responders rather than active participants. By automating interactions, these platforms can optimize their content dissemination strategies, minimize moderation efforts, and maximize ad revenue. The result […]
Familial Non Grata
I keep seeing videos of kids getting holiday presents that are letters from their foster families telling them they want to adopt them and make them part of their family. It reminds me of the houseparents from the children’s home I was in from age 5 to 11; they gave me a letter in 2008 of this nature over a holiday dinner at their house. I was so happy and was ready to agree as soon as I finished reading it. But they told me they wanted to wait until they figured out how to do this without compromising their […]
Turning the row (aeration)
It feels as if I will struggle with letting go of my daughter and grand-daughters for the rest of my life. I cut contact because I was tired of having my needs invalidated and of being cut out and left out of their lives. Of being told I couldn’t have access or enjoy my grand-daughters because my daughter thinks I am ‘unsafe’. Of being told that I will never be allowed closeness and care in action rather than only words. Of being told I was abusive and neglectful (I wasn’t – this is attribution error and deliberate mis-attribution / misfeasance). […]
“You don’t owe me a thing…”
Once upon a time, I had a friend. I met them in an online game, which is no longer as odd was it was when this occurred. Over years, we became long distance friends; then, when I was broken down on the side of the highway halfway from hell to home, they were a rescue and succor for a time. I gradually pulled myself back to my feet and the friendship continued and deepened. Until the day when, suddenly, and for reasons I still do not understand, it ended. From roughly 2001 to 2022, ours was a friendship by game, […]
Games Congress Plays: How Lawmakers’ Tactics Undermine Democracy & Enable Oligarchy
When you think about Congress, you might imagine lawmakers working tirelessly behind the scenes to pass new laws and improve your community. But that’s not always what happens. Usually, members of Congress spend more time playing games than actually getting things done. In reality, House Representatives and Senators use election schedules to maintain their power and influence – usually at the expense of democracy and the common good. Here are some of the tactics they use to build their personal brand, advance their legislative agenda, and keep their party in line – all while allowing business and lobby to effectively […]
The Harmful Truth: Why Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) are Damaging to Autistic People
Imagine being forced into a life of constant monitoring, manipulation, and control. This is the reality for many autistic individuals who have been subjected to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) therapies. These approaches may seem harmless at first glance, but they can be extremely harmful and many aspects of both meet Geneva Convention criteria for torture(1). In this article, we’ll delve into the dark truth behind ABA and PBS, exploring how these therapies can cause physical and emotional trauma, leading to a degradation of overall health. ABA: Torture by Design?ABA is often marketed as a “scientific” […]
I am…
I am, said the universeI am, said the planetI am, said the animalI am, said myself Without agreementWithout acceptanceWithout acknowledgementWithout, all life existing Being is not a conversationBeing is not a convictionBeing is not a conversionBeing is simply existing All senses, receivingAll stimuli, embodiedAll experience, unfoldingA fractal across infinity It is enough, beingAll are a part, never apartDemanding nothing, I amDemanding everything, I am not Just being, breathingJust emergent, experiencingJust embodying, livingJust expressing, ebullience