"We're all neurodiverse!"
I've heard this phrase a lot recently.
It’s both depressing and enraging to me that so many of us use it, yet seem unable either to look the word up in a dictionary or to understand the implications of saying it.
A thread 🧵
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#Autistic #Autism #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent
This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)
K. J. Elphinstone
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •Of course we're all neurodiverse!
Just as all living things are biodiverse.
That doesn't mean that within that category there can't be further refinements.
It would be a bit of a conversation stopper if every time you tried to talk about a species or a genus, I interrupted you and said, "but all life is biodiverse."
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K. J. Elphinstone
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •This kind of non-sequitur statement belongs, I think, in the same family as arguments like "all lives matter."
They’re true, of course.
But why say them in this context? Could it be… possibly… to shut down people who are trying desperately to say something about their experience?
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K. J. Elphinstone
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •For arguments sake:
Imagine there's an area with a species of little yellow frog, that can't cope if certain chemicals go into the water. And then there are plentiful bullfrogs there, who can.
Little yellow frog says, "Help me! I'm a little yellow frog. My skin means I'm extra-sensitive, so I'll suffer."
I say, "You're a frog."
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K. J. Elphinstone
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •Little yellow frog replies in increasing desperation, "Yes.. I know... but, I'm a little yellow frog."
I insist, "All frogs are frogs."
And everybody nods, as though that makes perfect sense.
Bearing in mind nobody has ever been interested in what makes the frog who they are (beyond pathologising their annoying tendency to keel over overwhelmed & dig their little feet in about apparently pointless things) leaving a sad lack of data on the subject.
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K. J. Elphinstone
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •So yes, we’re all neurodiverse.
But the statement is quite a conversation stopper. Which, I suspect, is exactly the effect desired by the larger societal agenda that reinforces it.
End of 🧵
Thank you! Rant over 😊
#Autistic #Autism #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent
Allen but one of the good ones reshared this.
Toni Aittoniemi
in reply to K. J. Elphinstone • • •Yes. People primarily tend not to speak in facts, but in statements that signal group identity, and enforce worldview-synchronisation between those.
Those in dominant groups tend to not be aware of this tendency, as they’ve largely never had to think about it.
People’s unawareness of what their communication actually means, i think, is the primary reason why disastrous things like fascism work.
We bind our packs via reality synchronisation, and strong sync feels safe.
Jens Finkhäuser
in reply to Toni Aittoniemi • • •Jens Finkhäuser
in reply to Jens Finkhäuser • • •@gimulnautti Basically "be the reality you want to synchronize with". I think it applies more generally.
It's the active part of a filter bubble. I don't just subscribe to comfortable truths, I choose to boost or speak uncomfortable truths as well, as a way or supporting the generation of a shared image of the reality I want to live in.
Not to suggest I'm perfect at that. I just want to express that it's a conscious choice that I think people should make more. Because I...
Jens Finkhäuser
in reply to Jens Finkhäuser • • •@gimulnautti ... have this weird optimism that there are actually more decent folk out there than arseholes.
But because arseholes thrive on "leading" social dynamics, we see a lot more arsehole opinions, so sync more with an arsehole reality, whether we are arseholes ourselves or not.
I can't envision a utopia for everyone to subscribe to, but I can repeatedly point out arseholes to avoid, or nice notions to absorb.
And I think we can all do that.
Toni Aittoniemi
in reply to Jens Finkhäuser • • •@jens Indeed. And smart arseholes probably know their reality bubble isn’t too appealing either. So they go on the offensive instead and do stuff like buy TikTok to shut down people’s opinions about Gaza & Israel. Or, they use fools like Trump to brand anti-AI activism as terrorism.
If there was a true open market of ideas, none of this Israel and mass-surveillance-for-an-ai-machine-god shit would fly. But that’s not the baseline reality experience.
SidheWolf
in reply to Jens Finkhäuser • • •Fabien
in reply to Jens Finkhäuser • • •