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Just saw some interesting stuff in clinical seminar today on autism (among other things.) Check out this amazing video by a young autistic woman. She describes it thus: "The first part is in my 'native language,' and then the second part provides a translation, or at least an explanation. This is not a look-at-the-autie gawking freakshow as much as it is a statement about what gets considered thought, intelligence, personhood, language, and communication, and what does not."
This is an amazing and eerily beautiful glimpse into a shockingly different way of perceiving and thinking:
Also, here's a video of an autistic basketball prodigy.
and an autistic video game prodigy.
and an autistic art prodigy.
That last one is particularly impressive: They gave him a ride over Rome in a helicopter for 45 minutes, then he had 3 days to draw a panorama of the whole city...
Yeah, I probably should have left the video game one out.
six.oh.six : 2007-09-12 23:57:24
The autistic bullet dodger is more than likely a fake. The "skill" shown can be faked by using a game emulator that can do "slow motion", recording the session, and then playing it back at full speed. Not to mention I know a few non-autistic people who can play those shooter games and dodge bullets like that. For instance:
[link]
Felix : 2007-09-12 16:02:49
That was very beautiful. It made me cry a bit.
I used to work with a young boy who was autistic, and I feel he helped me view the world in a way I would never have found on my own. We both shared one great interest, which was music. I loved to let him choose which track to listen to, as he'd always choose repetitive, interesting sounds. Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher - he was into some great things, and for reasons he couldn't tell me.
Nowhere Girl : 2007-09-12 06:13:04
Extremely interesting. It reminds me of an article in "The Journal of Cognitive Liberties" which presented the idea of "mentally ill" people like autistics or schizophrenics as a CULTURAL MINORITY. The article is rather difficult, but also very interesting - and, being soaked in gender and queer studies since years, I was childishly happy for example with all those Foucault references. ;)
And more seriously, it's a great challenge - both intellectually and socially - to create a "place" for all mental states, a possibility of true and non-restrictive communication. It could be useful just for everybody - I always wondered why is the notion of "altered states of consciousness" used practically as a scientific term, when we cannont be sure if the mental state of anyone of us isn't in fact unique. The idea that maybe it is this way, that maybe the "natural, sober mental state" is an empty notion is one of the most important insights psychedelic theory has given me.
The comments posted here do not reflect the views of the owners of this site.
And more seriously, it's a great challenge - both intellectually and socially - to create a "place" for all mental states, a possibility of true and non-restrictive communication. It could be useful just for everybody - I always wondered why is the notion of "altered states of consciousness" used practically as a scientific term, when we cannont be sure if the mental state of anyone of us isn't in fact unique. The idea that maybe it is this way, that maybe the "natural, sober mental state" is an empty notion is one of the most important insights psychedelic theory has given me.
The comments posted here do not reflect the views of the owners of this site.