[005 mimic]What's right with the autistic mind?_Hailey

WHAT'S RIGHT WITH THE AUTISTIC MIND
-By focusing on the deficits, we overlook the strengths of brains built differently

By Temple Grandin and Richard Panek

CREATIVE THINKING

I recently read a definition of creativity that made an impression on me:" a sudden, unexpected recognition of concepts or facts in a new relation not previously seen." I don't know if being autistic makes you fundamentally more creative, but I do think that being autistic makes a certain kind of creativity more likely to arise.

See enough trees and you'll eventually make out the forest. But the forest that the autistic brain winds up seeing might not look the same as the forest that the neurotypical brain sees.
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For me, autism is secondary. My primary identity is as an expert on livestock. Autism is part of who I am, but I won't allow it to define me. Some people's difficulties are simply too severe for them to ever have the same opportunities I have. But for so many people on the spectrum, identifying their strengths can change their lives. Instead of only accommodating their deficits, they can cultivate their dreams.

Below by Hailey



This article about autism made a whole new impression on me about how to define a mental disease. I guess autism seems like an extreme version of introvert personality, which I bet everyone has a bit of it including me. Although human brain is designed for us to tackle multiple tasks at the same time, when you really want to focus, you have to sacrifice one thing versus another. In the case of autism, they are just sacrificing contact and communication in order to gain extreme dedication in looking into details. I even feel a little jealous of them. I wish my brain can automatically shut down the noise of the surrounding distractions and focus on the works need to be done. I was also born to be very sensitive and emotional, which has brought me so much unnecessary worries and sadness throughout the years. I had to try very hard in order not to be socially awkward, and sometimes, I wish I can just forget about the world around and stay in my own world of peace and comfort.