Aspergers as a quality?

[anja]

I have to write an essay on a personal quality ... Would anyone class Aspergers or autism as their quality? I don't really know what else to write about...

 

[Judge]

A noble thought. However some might consider their traits and behaviors as such, while non-autistic people might not understand at all. And others might not even understand the concept itself.

As a nebulous class assignment, I'd think you'd want to pick another subject reflecting personal quality which would be beyond reproach in the eyes of your presumably NT instructor.

Try to find something universal in personal quality which transcends all neurological profiles. Such as courage, which can be found from Audie Murphy to Temple Grandin.

 

[Aspieistj]

I Googled the term "personal qualities" and it listed many behaviors that can influence or drive your reactions to various challenges. I believe having AS influences all my personal qualities. I think I could write a decent paper by first exploring various personal qualities and then explaining how AS influences my expression of these qualities. I'll bet I could spin a good personal disclosure and earn a really good grade as long as the paper were carefully written observing any writing guidelines the teacher wants as well as the usual stuff like vocabulary, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Of course, I would first check and ask if I could write in the first person and use myself as an example. Good luck!

 

[NateSean]

In the brief decade where I was trying to "accept" my diagnosis, I described Asperger's a series of traits which may or may not apply to everyone with the diagnosis. Traits are pretty much synonymous with qualities, so you could make the varying natures of the qualities that apply to someone with Asperger's the focus of your essay.

 

[plaidInBlue]

Asperger's in itself is not a quality nor a flaw. But is generally seen as a flaw, because those on the spectrum are not evolving, for the majority, in their adequates strata of society where they would be able to express their gifts and talents for the betterment of their surroundings, if not for society itself. But I suppose you don't want to write about Asperger's as the quality to rebound from adversity.
You could write about how Asperger's may help to be creative, to think outside the box, against the accepted consensus. About how having Asperger's may make someone oblivious about fashion, or make another one a trend starter. You could write about how being seen as different could enable the breaking of the chains of the constraints of normalcy, giving the legitimacy to invent, to innovate, to disrupt the statu quo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_different

But a notice of caution, what I wrote may apply to other neurological conditions beside Asperger's. It's probably just a soup!

 

[Nitro]

Like Judge mentioned,I am pretty sure the rest of the world is not ready for my strongest autistic traits,or could even comprehend them.
We are viewed as a disabled minority to be pitied and ashamed of by those who don't understand us.
The shame of it is that they don't understand what all the autism spectrum has provided them outside of its burden on their society.
I think a better idea would be to focus on a positive thing you can say about yourself and not mentioning the autism spectrum at all.

 

[Beverly]

I agree, social anxiety, hyperfocus, quiet, loner, sensitive to a certain sound, like or dislike of a texture, outgoing, reserved, artistic- those are all qualities you may or may not have. Asperger's may be the cause of several of those qualities but, it is not a quality.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I always misbehaved on those kinds of essays. I'd invariably pick my anti-social and grumpy old hermit qualities. "You know, one thing I really dislike is being stalked, harassed, and expected to give lots of personal details where the asker provides little to none of their own. So I shall my discuss my dislike of such people." Surprisingly, I always got good marks!