And so it begins, turning off the lights ..

@Eeyore122 (Sorry, she blocked me, so this is how I have to reply.)

[quote]Better treatments yes. But to the Autistic community, in particular , many see Autism as a critical part of their identity. NOT as an impairment or negative thing.[/quote]

I'm sure you are being pretty selective with this, because people deeply on the spectrum have huge frustrations BECAUSE of this condition.

Pretending that higher-functioning autistic persons ARE the spectrum makes no sense.

And it IS an impairment of the brain/mind, but a more pervasive impairment than even being deaf or blind, as it cuts across perception as a whole.

Of course an autistic person sees being autistic as a part of their identity...we wouldn't use that adjective if it didn't apply.

Deaf people also feel a strong identification with being deaf, express feelings about the specialness of deaf culture, etc., but *they* have impairments (and can sometimes be helped with cochlear implants to fix a physical problem).

[quote]Does it come with extra challenges? Yes, but you are implying their reality deserves pity and is not equally valid.[/quote]

? Their reality exists, as do they, and has "validity". But are you arguing that the reality of being, say, deaf or blind from a developmental problem means that it sanctifies the disability?

Autism seems to be related to how sensitive our perception mechanisms are to the flood of stimuli around us. Too sensitive, and you are autistic.

I actually think that dialing the sensitivity down would result in many/most autistic people being geniuses.

"Challenges"...for higher-functioning autistic persons, sure. But if you have to be institutionalized for your own safety and that of your family, that's further than your sugar-plum dreams of the noble autistic break down. Are you arguing that people deeply autistic are happy being isolated from everyone? We are social beings, so a condition which isolates--look at the etymology!--is hard on those persons. Do [i]they[/i] deserve to be able to have friends, love?

[quote]I have no clue what it's like to be able bodied or have a brain that can do executive functions well.[/quote]

I'm sorry for that.

[quote]Do I wish disabilities on people? Hell, no.[/quote]

You are arguing for that, above.

[quote]Do I think we need to embrace the general potential for "cures"? Yes.[/quote]

A cure is a true cure, not a "cure".

[quote]But, do we treat disabilities like leprosy? NO[/quote]

Of course not. Where tf do you get this?