Stop thinking about autism as a disorder to treat
Our understanding driven by clichés, Shenbei Fan says.
Humanity would be much diminished without the contributions of socio-neurologically “atypical” individuals. Why seek to “normalize” them?
How ironic is it that in an age of heightened sensitivity for the marginalized, the general public’s conception of autism remains largely constrained by stigmatic notions of “social awkwardness,” “nerdiness” and “being on the spectrum.” Our scientific understanding of the condition has vastly advanced, yet many of us remain clouded by the enduring cultural power of old clichés, widespread misconceptions and surface-level impressions.
Indeed, I cannot help but be reminded of the now three-decade-old Rain Man, wondering if all of us have become accustomed to viewing autism through the narrow, one-dimensional lens of Dustin Hoffman’s inevitably forced theatrics. “Actor’s autism” is hardly a decent place to start for those who seek a profound, untainted outlook on this multi-faceted neurodevelopmental phenomenon.
Yet even medical discourse these days is not immune from taking a well-intentioned but ultimately skewed view of the condition. The world’s psychiatric community is abuzz with talk of “intervention,” “coping” and “behavioural modification.” It seems as if every passing year witnesses the advent of new diagnostic criteria, terminology and drugs.
Granted, integrating autistic individuals into their rightful place as respected threads of our social fabric is a highly admirable pursuit. We should certainly take steps to ensure that autistics live their earthly life as enjoyably and free from suffering as possible. Rarely, however, do we question the real underlying motive here: that autism is a “disorder” that must somehow be “treated.”
Sure, many autistics display a deficit in social understanding and nuance, a narrow range of interests and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli. Some are indeed dependent on the assistance of others to live a satisfactorily comfortable life.
These autistics are gifted with intellects that perpetually fascinate and inspire.
But they are hardly a homogeneous group of developmentally stalled, anti-social beings that popular media such as Rain Man seem to have instilled into the public’s imagination.
Having spent time around young Aspergerians, I have come to the conclusion that among high-functioning individuals in particular are some of the brightest and most ingenious minds to ever have come across my lived experience. They are promising future athletes, musicians, writers, mathematicians and scientists with genuine passion, dedication and courage. Many are highly pleasant to converse with, often sharing with me the great gifts of their boundlessly inventive imaginations. These autistics are gifted with intellects that perpetually fascinate and inspire. Some of them may very well move and shake the modern world beyond our present conceptions.
We set ourselves along a dubious path, then, when our research begins to dig into questions such as “what percentage of children outgrow autism?” Indeed, this is the wrong question to ask, tempting as it is for certain quarters of the scientific community that specialize in investigating the causal factors surrounding developmental disorders. The answer, by the way, is only a few.
But if autism was a “disorder” we could truly “overcome,” then our posterity would undoubtedly be deprived of any possibility of producing a future Mozart or Einstein, “eccentric” as these geniuses were. Few mortals among us have the capacity for such originality, insight and sheer wit, qualities that truly propel the human condition forward. Yet these qualities are overwhelmingly represented by the very population that certain voices advocate “treatment” for.
Is it indeed a sign of the times that the homogenization of humankind has become our unintended, yet irrevocable, trajectory? Seeking to somehow “normalize” autistics, whatever the true intention, seems to represent exactly that. The livelihood of humankind would be much diminished should every walk of 21stcentury life embrace the same shade of dull, soulless grey. Far from “treating ” or even “preventing ” autism, let us perceive it as a valuable gift to our planet from a truly indispensable cohort of (quirky) individuals.