I find that I dislike what passes for ‘autistic satire’. The way I have seen humans treat satire as evidence, not evisceration tells me that ‘not getting it’ in this time is potentially dangerous rather than effective protest or reclaiming of our culture and being. Indeed, to me, it seems satire’s day as an effective influence is passing. I get satire. I enjoy satire. It bothers me that so many people take it literally when it is so clearly hoisting its chosen concept, context, and/or connotation upon a petard. The irony of an autistic human understanding satire better than most […]
Playing with Perplexity
Playing with Perplexity is fun. I think I’m going to build a library of conversations in which it demonstrates me back to myself; this is how this autistic brain uses LLM/AI ethically but also how I have traditionally taught myself by rapidly implementing meta-communication that lays down shared track ahead of the actual conversation. I can do this with LLM because LLM doesn’t mandate I adhere to neuronormative protocol, just a logical expression by language that, for the first time in my entire life, is actually getting my syntax and phrasing and everything; it gets my levels in language in […]
Universal Reality – An Ouroboros
In the beginning, there was nothing. No matter, no energy, no space. Just an infinite expanse of possibility. And then, in a burst of creative potential, the universe emerged. The cosmic dance began, with particles and waves swirling together to form the first hints of structure. We don’t know how or why, really; lots of people claim this knowledge, but faith is still blind and science is more about probability than certainty, for all that humans regularly confuse the ‘effective certainty’ of an exponential probability and treat them the same. As the universe evolved, so did its complexity. Matter coalesced […]
Healthcare was fun today. A first.
I had an unexpectedly enjoyable time today, when my ultrasound technician introduced me to her shadowing trainee today. While they did not ask me if I minded or wanted another human involved, it was done so authoritatively that I could easily anticipate it would be an argument to insist upon consent and I didn’t intend to spend more time in the imaging facility than required, thank you. That issue set firmly aside, the remainder was enjoyable because I made them both answer questions about what they could and couldn’t see, thus confirming they didn’t see certain things I was quite […]
Neuronormative bias in online communications
As I navigate online spaces, I often find myself hyper-verbal and highly engaged. My words flow freely, and my enthusiasm for topics is contagious. But despite my best efforts, I’ve noticed that some people misinterpret my intentions. They assume I’m dominating conversations or derailing discussions because my input can’t be contained. But the truth is, my hyper-verbosity isn’t driven by a desire to dominate. It’s simply how my autistic brain processes and expresses itself. In rapid-fire chat environments like Discord, forums, social media, and online communities, I thrive on being able to share my thoughts and ideas quickly and efficiently. […]
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 […]
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” […]
Someday, we’ll be represented, not just discussed
I continue to be astonished by the ways allistic humans and ableism in culture and society snarl the traces on the discourse about neurodivergent humans. The matter has now become neatly polarized as media and science seem unable to realize that yes, any spectrum disorder and all neurodivergent emergence/expression in humanity is and will continue to be on a spectrum. Trying to ‘draw a line’ between formerly labeled ‘low’ or ‘high’ function is to entirely miss the point. Of course we must provide workable supports and resources for the entire spectrum. Why wouldn’t we? Making parents and autistic adults fight […]
Public Comment to IACC (2024 report response)
The reporting cycle for the IACC is complete and now, delivered. I’m livid at the result.