Its autism pride day today, which I did not even know was a thing- So time for another installment on Neurodiversity.
Nick Walker has done tremendous work on this paradigm- I find listening to this like listening to some amazing experimental jazz music- surprising, challenging and delightful. She's been thinking about this stuff for decades and I feel good simply introducing this work rather than trying to expand on it myself. It is a huge relief from the purely medicalized literature I tended to encounter in the past when I would grudgingly pick this boulder of a problem up-and I think I really want to make sure that aspect comes across right away for readers.
There is no short version of this work so we'll go with these two videos. First is the main one:
Topics in this Video
-Origins of neurodiversity movement in the early internet
-Coining of the Term Neurodivergent
-Embodiment- The Body Mind :
-Utility of Labels as a social connector
-NeuroQueer
-Pathology Paradigm
-One Way Ratchet- You can only get weirder, one can not be made un-unique
-The utility of recognizing the norm is not fixed in relationship to "Neurotypical"
-People are not Doomed to Neurotypicality
ABA Behavior Therapy - recognizing that such a forced approach to learning fails- instead it is better to learn via normal holistic acculturation process. Forcing external behavior just produces trauma- taking the subject further and further from typicality.
Neurocosmopolitanism/Neurodiversity Movement
Main interesting topics in additional to the last video:
-Cosmopolitanism: Exploring the idea of respectfully engaging with other cultures and having fun with the strange developments and fusions that can happen when that occurs. Such an approach can make more unique hybridized solutions to complex problems.
-The embodiment of Aikido - looking for transcending the fight/flight reflex, and find graceful solutions to conflict by balance, looking for unoccupied space, and positive creativity. Coping with negativity.
A stream of off the cuff thoughts provoked by this talk :
I find writing about these issues creates in me a sense of discomfort- as though in saying and exploring things here I were somehow lessened, or I find myself wishing for that "normal" way of being. I expect some readers will feel the same- it is an intimidating topic. It feels like talking about this could be troublesome because it feels rather like burdening others- that it is somehow narcissistic on my part. I think this is one reason why despite autism having long since stopped being a niche issue, it is not much present in society- because it feels this way.
I've heard many artists say that ultimately, you always have to play and create for yourself first- I think that is true. People will know when something is fake, or just for show. Ditto with neurodivergence- it always kinda shows.
I find that despite whatever effort I put in, or however much those around me don't understand really what I'm on about, I simply do not like "normal" things. I am over aware it would be much safer, much less stressful on myself or socially troublesome for others- but as Nick says, I'm just one of those people where trying to be "normal" is borderline traumatic- I really think "can't" is an operative word- or surely after many years it would have happened by now! So if there were a reason for the constant churning of my mind, it's this- I just can't be fully neurotypical, no matter how much I try. I think a typical mind would just acculturate normally via peer pressure - the Overton window being defined by their social milieu and that just...being the end of it.
I very much agree with the notion of neurodivergence being a oneway ratchet -you might want to go back but you can't. Only forward.
Nick is also right that this paradigm is not a today reality- a certain amount of masking is a necessity for a whole host of reasons- the fact is it can be dangerous, or culturally/relationally damaging not to. Partially because norms but also, I think, just because people don't "get " things - most people see "different" and assume a burden, threat - Which is a natural thing to think, and safer as well. It can even be true to an extent - sometimes people with two very different neurodivergences are not fully compatible- there has to be space between say someone who has noise sensitivity and someone who finds say background noise soothing. I think social neurotypicals would find the world of abstraction and art that I adore quite torturous. I've even seen people become jealous of someone who seems more talented or unique in such a way that intimidates them in their social position etc. and of course expressing different norms can create problems like that in general- you would think talent would be better than disablement, but it is not necessarily a panacea. A Neurodivergent with special skills, or even just the ability to be more culturally or mentally flexible on a topic like say hiring overseas, can be very threatening to people's sense of safety in a career, for example- a neurodivergent person who is forever tripping on and dissing hierarchies or expectations at work while simultaneously being flashily brilliant or different can be in for a tough one in certain work environments- where their uniqueness and social naivete can be used against them by those who think they are arrogant, uppity, or rude. One learns to be careful and not naive, which is good! One has to be realistic about social problems - where they are not fully in our hands but negotiated with others/groups.
I love Nick's work overall because unlike 90% of the autism material, this Neurodivergence approach addresses the social aspects which is very helpful and a good discovery that addresses certain concerns I'd been holding onto a long time . I hope others who find this find it equally useful and thought compelling as an alternative to a medicalized approach!
