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Free Solo

WittyAspie

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
As a climber I was stoked to go see Free Solo in the theater. It did not disappoint. The documentary was well made. It covers one of the greatest ever feats of human achievement. I would highly suggest going to see it unless you have an extreme fear of heights.

The most surprising part of the movie is when I realized Alex Honnold is an aspie. Asperger's Syndrome is mentioned concerning his dad, but I knew well before that part of the film that Alex is on the spectrum. So, if anyone wants to watch a documentary about an aspie, or wants to point someone else to a documentary about an aspie, Free Solo is a good choice. Alex's mental health isn't the point of the film, but there is so much raw footage of Alex interacting with others followed by him explaining what is on his mind.

I should clarify that Alex Honnold isn't a savant. He has simply been climbing since childhood and has trained himself to become the best in the world. Even if you never see the film you can be encouraged that aspies can accomplish amazing things that are completely unrelated to our label.
 
I don't, in any way, want to downgrade Alex's achievement, but I do have a couple of problems with the way you discussed it. First, "Alex's mental health isn't the point of the film...." It certainly isn't, because being an aspie doesn't put his mental health into question. Your statement implies, though I'm sure you didn't intend it that way, that simply being an aspie is a mental health issue. Which it isn't.

Second: "Even if you never see the film you can be encouraged that aspies can accomplish amazing things that are completely unrelated to our label." As much as most of us would like to do something amazing in our lives, most, including NTs, never will. The vast majority of humans, including aspies, are very ordinary. Is it inspiring to see someone achieving something awesome? It can be. But when an example like Alex is held up as an example, as an aspie, it just perpetuates the stereotype that Asperger's is a handicap that a few amazing people manage to overcome.

Exactly what are the accomplishments that are specifically related "to our label," that make any others unusual and amazing? Leaving aside those individuals who subscribe to the idea that aspies have "super powers" that are native to aspiedom, how does "our label" define everything we do? We might just as well hold up as amazing examples, aspies who marry, raise children, have careers. The problem is that so little is known about the lives of adult aspies -- and I mean in their 60s or 70s -- that we can assume that marriage, children and careers are rare and amazing. As long as we hold up the lives of perfectly ordinary people as amazing, the public will hold on to the stereotypes, and aspies themselves will use the examples against themselves, in the belief that they aren't special enough.
 
As a climber I was stoked to go see Free Solo in the theater. It did not disappoint. The documentary was well made. It covers one of the greatest ever feats of human achievement. I would highly suggest going to see it unless you have an extreme fear of heights.

The most surprising part of the movie is when I realized Alex Honnold is an aspie. Asperger's Syndrome is mentioned concerning his dad, but I knew well before that part of the film that Alex is on the spectrum. So, if anyone wants to watch a documentary about an aspie, or wants to point someone else to a documentary about an aspie, Free Solo is a good choice. Alex's mental health isn't the point of the film, but there is so much raw footage of Alex interacting with others followed by him explaining what is on his mind.

I should clarify that Alex Honnold isn't a savant. He has simply been climbing since childhood and has trained himself to become the best in the world. Even if you never see the film you can be encouraged that aspies can accomplish amazing things that are completely unrelated to our label.

Cool, I’ll check it out. I climbed in high school and college but got out of it when I started whitewater. :) I’d like to get back into it. I think it could make a decent family activity.
 
Hi @WittyAspie First - how did you and your family do through Michael?
I wouldn't climb these days, but when we were young and traveling all over the west every time we'd stop, my brother and I would be climbing anything we could find. We had no gear or training, just youth, sureness, energy and drive. :) We climbed some pretty hairy rocks and cliffs. Nothing like this, but there were some tight spots. I remember once I fell and was rolling right toward a dark pit but was stopped by a cactus (good and bad. lol). My brother wouldn't let go of me the rest of the climb. My sisters would try to climb with us, but they'd end up turning back when it got difficult or too high or had to creep past a spider. lol Our parents didn't care much what kinds of things we did, but I do remember my mom taking a lot of valium and now I understand why. lol
 
Hi @WittyAspie First - how did you and your family do through Michael?
I wouldn't climb these days, but when we were young and traveling all over the west every time we'd stop, my brother and I would be climbing anything we could find. We had no gear or training, just youth, sureness, energy and drive. :) We climbed some pretty hairy rocks and cliffs. Nothing like this, but there were some tight spots. I remember once I fell and was rolling right toward a dark pit but was stopped by a cactus (good and bad. lol). My brother wouldn't let go of me the rest of the climb. My sisters would try to climb with us, but they'd end up turning back when it got difficult or too high or had to creep past a spider. lol Our parents didn't care much what kinds of things we did, but I do remember my mom taking a lot of valium and now I understand why. lol

Michael brought down a large oak tree in the front yard, but it was far from the house. It is taking a long time to get it cut up and removed. The only lasting damage is a small dent on the top rail of a trailer from a downed pine tree. @Pats how did your family fair?
 
I
I don't, in any way, want to downgrade Alex's achievement, but I do have a couple of problems with the way you discussed it. First, "Alex's mental health isn't the point of the film...." It certainly isn't, because being an aspie doesn't put his mental health into question. Your statement implies, though I'm sure you didn't intend it that way, that simply being an aspie is a mental health issue. Which it isn't.

Second: "Even if you never see the film you can be encouraged that aspies can accomplish amazing things that are completely unrelated to our label." As much as most of us would like to do something amazing in our lives, most, including NTs, never will. The vast majority of humans, including aspies, are very ordinary. Is it inspiring to see someone achieving something awesome? It can be. But when an example like Alex is held up as an example, as an aspie, it just perpetuates the stereotype that Asperger's is a handicap that a few amazing people manage to overcome.

Exactly what are the accomplishments that are specifically related "to our label," that make any others unusual and amazing? Leaving aside those individuals who subscribe to the idea that aspies have "super powers" that are native to aspiedom, how does "our label" define everything we do? We might just as well hold up as amazing examples, aspies who marry, raise children, have careers. The problem is that so little is known about the lives of adult aspies -- and I mean in their 60s or 70s -- that we can assume that marriage, children and careers are rare and amazing. As long as we hold up the lives of perfectly ordinary people as amazing, the public will hold on to the stereotypes, and aspies themselves will use the examples against themselves, in the belief that they aren't special enough.
I am one of those adult aspies that won't achieve greatness or fame unless I magically win the mega millions. In other words I have a 1 in 200,000,000 chance of greatness. It doesn't help that I am relatively mired in poverty and underemployment. I like uplifting stories but not unicorn ones.
 
Michael brought down a large oak tree in the front yard, but it was far from the house. It is taking a long time to get it cut up and removed. The only lasting damage is a small dent on the top rail of a trailer from a downed pine tree. @Pats how did your family fair?
Trees down and lost power for 5 days. My son had a few big trees down and a hole in the garage roof and crushed vehicle. But everyone is good.
 
Legendary Rock Climber Alex Honnold Gets Put Into an MRI, and the Results Are Surprising

Not a single mention of Asperger's in that article, but plenty of information about how he doesn't experience fear like the typical person would.

Regardless of what, he's pretty accomplished at this point and definitely isn't your typical person. He feels "normal" and so do I, so we have that much in common.

Thanks for posting the article. Honnold’s MRI is mentioned in the film, but the article goes more in depth.
 
He has simply been climbing since childhood and has trained himself to become the best in the world.

Better than Adam Ondra, or just different?
I can’t wait to see the film it looks awesome, but I’m not big on the foolhardiness of climbing with no safety. It’s absolutely incredible and breathtaking work, until something goes wrong....
 
Trees down and lost power for 5 days. My son had a few big trees down and a hole in the garage roof and crushed vehicle. But everyone is good.

That sounds like some rather extensive damage. I’m glad everyone is unharmed.
 
Better than Adam Ondra, or just different?
I can’t wait to see the film it looks awesome, but I’m not big on the foolhardiness of climbing with no safety. It’s absolutely incredible and breathtaking work, until something goes wrong....

The perfection required to free solo El Cap is why I would say Alex is the better climber. But I could see why many people would consider Adam the best climber in the world. So I guess they are just different.
 
It's just good to hear a good news story, and it should be about his accomplishments and far less about his Asperger's... If I ever become well known through my photography (a big "if"), it should be about my accomplishments, not what I have... Those of us who grew up prior to the current age of diagnosis simply learned to live life doing things, daring to tread into another topic, the danger of too much labeling that we fall into in recent years... We are just simply human and we can all accomplish things...
 
Definitely will watch that movie!
I love movies where people accomplish extreme goals and that he’s an Aspie just makes it even more awesome.
I have trouble just going to Walmart!!!!
Thanks for letting us know about the movie.
 
Just Googled the movie, I didn’t realize he climbed WITHOUT ropes! Dangerous I know, but how cool is that?
 
on one side, it lets people on the spectrum know that your life isn't over because of ASD and you can still accomplish great things.

on another side, some like to use things like this to scold those on the spectrum, telling them that if this person can do these awesome things with ASD, then what's your problem?

at the end of the day, we all need to be happy and content with who we are or be willing to put in the work to become who we want to be.
 
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Yeah, I agree.
But there are people who have known me that would LOVE to encourage me to climb a granite mountain without a rope!!!
Lol
My goal for today...make home made split pea soup.
 

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