NeuroTribes 2015-11-23

[wyverary]

wyverary submitted a new resource:

NeuroTribes - The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

From the Web site's description:

A groundbreaking book that upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently.

What is autism? A lifelong disability or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more—and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. WIRED reporter Steve...

Read more about this resource...

 

[AspergerianYogi]

I wish I could like this 5 times. I'm listening to the Audiobook on iTunes and it has been informative as well as cathartic.

 

[Jeremy]

Amazing book! Just recently found out about it after reading an incredible review article I read on Flipboard.
https://iknowthisrosewillopen.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/the-book-that-could-change-everything
Honestly, I just started reading it but it is incredibly insightful and encouraging.

Jeremy

 

[Bellatrix]

I was just now thinking about this book, because I had this morning seen a single copy in a local bookstore, and I clicked on "Asperger's and Autism Books" hoping to find more information, and... this was at the top of the list! Strange co-incidence. I guess it must be an important message from the spirits that rule our universe that I really should buy this book.

 

[Bellatrix]

Finished the book, and was rather disappointed that it mainly concentrated upon the history of the conditions of autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and little else. I was kind of hoping it would address current issues, that it would be more of a practical guide in overcoming, or adapting to, situations where such advice is sorely lacking in most of the current books that are about autism/A.S.

 

[MountainTrails]

I was disappointed by the book, though I found it interesting.

Generally, I considered it a good history of autism, with a subthread of academic jealousy woven in by the author.

The title, the concept of neurodiversity, and the preface all pointed to the future of how humanity will relate to and understand autism -- but that theme was never developed. I told my therapist that the book hinted at by those elements was still to be written.

Still, a solid read.

 

[tree]

I have the book from the library right now, on interloan,
because the local library doesn't have it.

My NT friend found it very interesting, although to her
the topics presented seemed to 'wander'/not be connected.

The book covers many aspects but seem to flow in a pattern,
to me.

The sections regarding Kanner were hard for me. That is,
I found the information irritating. His point of view made me
feel that if I had hackles, most of his concepts would provoke me
to raise my hackles. Stare at him and growl.

 

[Astroganga]

I bought it from a local bookstore about a week ago, have read roughly 1/4 of it, it does seem so far to mostly be about the history but I was kind of hoping it would move past that (no pun intended). Bit disappointing to find it doesn't, but never mind I will finish it. One thing that annoys me about the book is that the present tense is used when the past tense should be, sometimes switching mid-paragraph. I can't recall specific examples but I have noticed it a few times. It does make it harder to read.

 

[On the Inside]

After 3 chapters, I found myself skimming subsequent chapters to see if the "neurotribe" idea would be developed further, and like others, was disappointed to find that was not the case. That title has so many possibilities, it intrigued me.

Interesting, nonetheless.

 

[thiswaygo]

Been wanting to read this book and then it showed up at my library last week. Really enjoying learning the history behind autism/ Asperger's. Easy and engaging reading.

 

[Kupu2]

I have the book from the library right now, on interloan,
because the local library doesn't have it.

My NT friend found it very interesting, although to her
the topics presented seemed to 'wander'/not be connected.

The book covers many aspects but seem to flow in a pattern,
to me.

The sections regarding Kanner were hard for me. That is,
I found the information irritating. His point of view made me
feel that if I had hackles, most of his concepts would provoke me
to raise my hackles. Stare at him and growl.

I found it flowed beautifully. I appreciated the flow. Like following tributaries in a river. Seamless and interconnected.

I am finding the treatments used absolutely abhorrent. It is beyond my scope of understanding how people, custodians of others, can be so devoid of hope and so cruel. To all those who have been, those who still are, subjected to chaining to beds, instituionalisation for life, electric shocks etc, we owe so much. I simply cannot fathom what goes on for these folk. I cried (internally, as I rately shed actual tears) for Bill. I feel I know him.

I think Silberman wants us to think about the neurotribe we want to make.

 

[CK1977]

So far I like what I read. I haven't quite finished it yet. There seems to be a lot written about the men and women on the spectrum who have amazing abilities and some of us aren't like them. I guess that isn't the point of the book but it can be depressing to read. Also it is good to see the history of how most people have been led to believe what they believe about autism. It is kind of a scary thought.

 

[thiswaygo]

Finished it this last weekend. Very much appreciated the historical perspective it presented. Some parts were just rough to read, especially about the children. Most of what I've seen written out there on AS is either self-help, medical, or autobiographical, so this was a welcomed reading; "big picture" of it all. I still know people with some wrong ideas of Autism, and here I can point to the origin of these fallacies.

 

[toothless]

I have the book from the library right now, on interloan,
because the local library doesn't have it.

My NT friend found it very interesting, although to her
the topics presented seemed to 'wander'/not be connected.

The book covers many aspects but seem to flow in a pattern,
to me.

The sections regarding Kanner were hard for me. That is,
I found the information irritating. His point of view made me
feel that if I had hackles, most of his concepts would provoke me
to raise my hackles. Stare at him and growl.

please spoil it for me tree what issues were there around kanner?

my parents have bought the book for me for christmas [amongst other stuff of course theyre not that tight,yes im spoilt] and i am really desperate to read it.
being classic autistic id love to know what issues surround kanner, i hope he wasnt a nazi/nazi sympathiser i named one of my chickens after him.

 

[tree]

toothless

This describes what irritated me about Kanner:
QUOTE
(He)....stipulated the condition was uncommon and unique, affecting only young children (anyone older was schizophrenic, psychotic — anything else) and, though biological in origin, somehow activated by cold and withholding parents. “By blaming parents for inadvertently causing their children’s autism,” Silberman writes, “Kanner made his syndrome a source of shame and stigma for families worldwide.”
END QUOTE
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/23/books/review/neurotribes-by-steve-silberman.html

The old 'refrigerator mother' gag, in other words.

 

[toothless]

toothless

This describes what irritated me about Kanner:
QUOTE
(He)....stipulated the condition was uncommon and unique, affecting only young children (anyone older was schizophrenic, psychotic — anything else) and, though biological in origin, somehow activated by cold and withholding parents. “By blaming parents for inadvertently causing their children’s autism,” Silberman writes, “Kanner made his syndrome a source of shame and stigma for families worldwide.”
END QUOTE
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/23/books/review/neurotribes-by-steve-silberman.html

The old 'refrigerator mother' gag, in other words.

thankyou tree!
i didnt realise that kanner was that bad,i thought it was freud who came up with that refridgorater mother theory,i thought kanner was a good promoter of autism

the UK still uses a throwback to kanners beliefs;i have 'childhood autism' written on my files about diagnosis,its the UKs definition for what we know as classic autism, i dont ever use it [instead i use classic autism] as it makes me feel bad like i suddenly lost autism when i hit my adulthood years.

thankyou for posting the article tree-im going to read it when i get home,looking forward to it!

 

[EstimatedProphet]

Everyone on the spectrum should read this book. The history is important to understand why things are the way they are now. Be warned though, the book is not for the faint of heart. The stories of the treatment of autistics, until very recently, are heartbreaking, particularly (for me) how Asperger did what he could to protect his patients from being murdered by the Nazis, knowing he had no chance of saving them all. You also get a feel for the turf battles in medical research, which occur in every field not just autism. Essential.

 

[AO1501]

I am finding the treatments used absolutely abhorrent. It is beyond my scope of understanding how people, custodians of others, can be so devoid of hope and so cruel....

The supposed treatments do seem very cruel, and it is hard to imagine any right-thinking individual believing them appropriate. But I can also see how parents and custodians can be under so much pressure, emotionally, socially and societally to 'fix' what they are being told is broken. And when they take professional advice, they are highly likely to encounter advocates for 'treatments' which are at best driven by greed, and at worst, are ignorant and barbaric. When told that these treatments work, and will help, they must be sufficiently desperate to try, thinking they are doing good.

I was particularly interested in the 1-star reviews for this book on Amazon, where it is pretty clear that parents and custodians are infuriated by the author's dismissal of these treatments, and even his description of them. Clearly they are vested in finding a way to repair a deficit in their own child or family member, and who can blame them?

The problem is that a more enlightened view would question whether someone with autism has a deficit or is simply different. One requires treatment to help the victim conform to society's norms, the other, education to help the parent/custodial learn new norms.

 

[Skids]

Finished the book, and was rather disappointed that it mainly concentrated upon the history of the conditions of autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and little else. I was kind of hoping it would address current issues, that it would be more of a practical guide in overcoming, or adapting to, situations where such advice is sorely lacking in most of the current books that are about autism/A.S.

Absolutely agree Bellatrix. I'm about half way through it (it's a hefty book!) and already it's tendency is towards the areas that you have specified. It's an interesting read nonetheless but i was hoping for something a bit different and perhaps containing ideas and information that could be useful in transferring to real life in order to make being alive on the spectrum more palatable.

I am currently waiting for a book to be delivered called 'LIVING WELL ON THE SPECTRUM' written by Valerie Gaus. It promises all the things i am looking for so if anyone has read it then i'd be very interested to hear what you thought of it.

I did purchase another book by Valerie Gaus called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Adult Aspergers Syndrome but found out when i'd got it that it was really a tool for professional therapists etc who were working in the field and wanted a more specific handbook to cover this area of the spectrum.

 

[Hidell]

I too found this a very enlightening book, my wife also. The history of the treatment for autism contains though many horrors.