Asperger's Syndrome
There's been some talk about Asperger's syndrome in a friend's LJ that prompted me to look up this link to an old episode of NPRs Fresh Air: Michael John Carley on Asperger's Syndrome
My interest in this started because I tend to think my husband has a very mild case of Asperger's, which is apparently entirely possible. People with Asperger's have problems with non-verbal communication, and see verbal communication in a very black and white way. This translates to an inability to master what we consider normal social interaction because they don't get the subtle nuances of conversation. My husband has really had to teach himself to be more at ease with people, which I don't think that someone with a "full blown" case of Asperger's could do. I don't think anyone who met him now at age 45 would ever guess that. But before I met him, a big turning point in his life was when he could identify social skills from the lack thereof in other people. (Other sci-fi geeks, to be exact.)
We actually joke about this a bit; I like to tell him, he has just the good symptoms Asperger's which is really true. Since people with Asperger's are so B&W, they simply posses no ability to lie. I consider my husband to be one of the most highly ethical people I've ever met, if not THE most. This translates to a level of kindness that I aspire to.
My interest in this started because I tend to think my husband has a very mild case of Asperger's, which is apparently entirely possible. People with Asperger's have problems with non-verbal communication, and see verbal communication in a very black and white way. This translates to an inability to master what we consider normal social interaction because they don't get the subtle nuances of conversation. My husband has really had to teach himself to be more at ease with people, which I don't think that someone with a "full blown" case of Asperger's could do. I don't think anyone who met him now at age 45 would ever guess that. But before I met him, a big turning point in his life was when he could identify social skills from the lack thereof in other people. (Other sci-fi geeks, to be exact.)
We actually joke about this a bit; I like to tell him, he has just the good symptoms Asperger's which is really true. Since people with Asperger's are so B&W, they simply posses no ability to lie. I consider my husband to be one of the most highly ethical people I've ever met, if not THE most. This translates to a level of kindness that I aspire to.