Last night I had a surreal experience.
Mind you I've had quite a few of those.
They were talking about "autism" on TalkSport radio. So absent-mindedly I texted to them the following:
"Autism does not exist." I have texted the show many times. Usually when George Galloway is on.
Anyway they can't have had many texts that night since within five minutes the presenter (who has a strong yet pleasant Brummy accent) said: "Someone has sent in a text saying simply "Autism does not exist." Interesting. That shows a whole different view of things." He rambled a bit about it. So it was worth sending that text.
I do believe that "autism" does not and cannot exist.
Even people who believe in autism talk of the "autistic spectrum". As soon as you admit the existence of an "autistic spectrum" surely you can no longer believe in "autism" since how do you distinguish between someone who "has" it and someone who "doesn't"?
Autism means being overly self-involved/not being conscious of others etc.
Now absolutely EVERYONE is to an extent concerned with themselves by virtue of being a member of our species. Consequently once again we are medicalising what is to a point entirely NORMAL.
Why is there no name for the supposed opposite condition? - selflessness? Is there a relation?
Is not capitalism institutionalised autism? Are not cars institutionalised autism?
Autism - if it is a description of a mental state/mental states and/or behaviour cannot in itself be an illness.
The only kind of illness that there can be is a physical lesion or physical defect. No behaviour or misbehaviour can in and of itself be an illness.
It could be described conceivably as a "condition" or "disorder". But this cannot therefore be an illness.
The condition of lacking empathy. This cannot be an illness. It also cannot be an absolute state. It is also hard to judge if someone lacks empathy. The absolute state of "complete lack of empathy" would very quickly lead to problems.
Do thieves and murderers have "autism"? If they did they would show no remorse.
None of this means I would not want to help people who are having problems in living.
.......
Once again in the case of "autism" as in the case of other supposed "mental illnesses" we come across stuff like the following; "evidence is beginning to be found of chemical imbalance etc." and stuff like that.
The important point here - that is often missed - a point I hope I have made very clear here is that this is in a sense IRRELEVANT because the "condition"/"illness" of autism is by definition a set of (mental) symptoms/characteristics.
These states of mind may be caused by "chemical imbalances" but they are not the same thing as the "chemical imbalances".
Also is it not possible somehow to "lack empathy" without suffering from a "brain disease"?
Also, until you can tell me exactly how said "chemical imbalances" directly cause the "symptoms" you haven't really added to anything.........
..............................
Another thing is - what about all those people who are supposedly "autistic" but who are brilliant at very accurate and detailed drawing; who can learn many languages; who can remember many bus routes etc. etc.?
This is similar to the idea of the "idiot savant".
Now a point here is - what has having an amazing memory necessarily got to do with being devoid of empathy for others?
.....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a follow up to this it has recently been claimed there is a "brain scan" test for "Autism".
IN THE SAME REPORTS that revealed this in newspapers and in the televisual media it was said that
"Autism" was "a poorly understood condition."
Now, firstly and obviously - HOW can there be a "brain test" of any kind for a "poorly understood" condition?
IT IS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE!
Is it just a social label? Is there more to it?