The Autism Article

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The Autism Article

Postby DamianaRaven » Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:01 pm

For the most part, it's a good article. One thing bothered me, and while I know this seems a petty thing to take issue with, it was:

Nina Mason: "QUICK: I say 'autistic person in television,' you think ... who? Probably Sheldon from Big Bang Theory or Sherlock from A Show Definitely Not Named for the Main Character. Neither is a good representation of autism, starting with the fact that both are very sarcastic men, and most people with autism cannot understand sarcasm."


Sheldon Cooper is NOT a "very sarcastic man." On the contrary, he frequently has to ask Leonard whether others are being sarcastic. Maybe I'm wrong - can someone here recall an instance of Sheldon being sarcastic? The closest I've ever seen is when he says something and then says Bazinga, but the Bazinga negates the essence of sarcasm. He says it as a way of pointing out, "yeah, I'm being contrary to reality for the sake of levity." That's how much he sucks at sarcasm.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby Tesseracts » Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:50 pm

Wow, an article on Cracked about autism. That sounds wonderful. (For all of you clueless autistics out there, that was sarcasm.)

It always seemed weird to me that not understanding humor is considered part of autism. Pretty much every autistic person I know has a well developed sense of humor. It might be that most autistics I know are high functioning. My sister however, was not considered high functioning enough to have aspergers, but she never had any trouble understanding humor or sarcasm. Most of the entertainment she enjoys is humorous. Like Spongebob, the Nostalgia Critic, Futurama, ect.

I wonder where this "fact" that autistic people don't get humor comes from. It might be one of those things where one study showed evidence that autistic people don't get humor 20 years ago and it's been cited so often it's believed to be fact.

Ok, I read the article. Strangely there isn't much I disagree with. I'm glad they brought up autism speaks. Those people make me really upset.

trigger warning worst commerical ever


I'm also sick of the cliche of the self diagnosed autistic person. It seems like every time someone says they have autism on the internet they are assumed to be "self diagnosed." It's condescending.

I'm surprised the article talked about social issues at work but did not mention any school related issues. I think school is a much bigger problem. It's a lot easier to be employed if you are educated, autistic or not.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby Jeckel » Sun Mar 22, 2015 10:51 pm

I was more concerned about the idea that some autistic communities are going all cultish like some dwarf and deaf communities previously have, with the talk of them not actually having a disorder and treating attempts to find a cure as some kind of attack. That part made me want to scream. The very idea that curing autism is in any way equatable to genocide is so ridiculous it made me want to slap the person that said it.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby AdricDePsycho » Sun Mar 22, 2015 11:50 pm

Why do people hate BBT? Seriously, I am as tired of Cracked calling it "unfunny" as I am of Cracked calling TDKR a shitty movie. I like BBT, I think Sheldon is a great character, I think the show is funny, it is not offensive to geeks, nerd blackface is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of, I empathize with Sheldon's idiosyncrasies and I LOVED THIS FUCKING ARTICLE REGARDLESS!!!

I'm done venting, but please, answer my question someone.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby Deathclaw_Puncher » Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:09 am

Aside from some people just not being into that sort of show or humor or whatever,I think that with some people, there's some level jealousy about it. TBBT shows that one can be a total introverted geek with Urkel's physique, Social anxiety/ an ASD and still be successful in life. That you can have a well paying job and be in a happy relationship if you try, so don't be heading straight towards that basement. Cue the cries of nerd blackface.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby AdricDePsycho » Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:57 am

I figure some people just can't take a joke, and get offended. Look at Roseanne: even though neither her or John Goodman are really working class Americans struggling in life, the show respects and pokes harmless fun at the working class, while still being largely sympathetic. It's the same with Frasier with intellectuals (and Frasier is my favorite sitcom), and Modern Family towards homosexuals, and it applies towards BBT. Also: nerd blackface just sounds stupid.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby OrangeEyebrows » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:08 am

I like BBT. Some people don't enjoy it or don't find it funny - fair enough. I suspect that some of the people who go on and on about how terrible it is are people who aren't able to laugh at themselves. Laughing at stupid people is all very well, but they identify as clever people. And uh-oh - this programme is laughing at clever people! Boo, hiss.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby AdricDePsycho » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:15 am

Oh and I wanted to add: Sheldon CAN be sarcastic when he wants to. In one episode, he locks himself out of his apartment, and has to crash at Penny's (Leonard was in Vegas). I can't remember what Penny said, but it made Sheldon retort (in a southern accent for added emphasis) "Well why don't we all haul ourselves into my pickup and go skinny dippin' in the creek?" He's perfectly capable of dishing it out, he just has difficulty taking it in.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby FaceTheCitizen » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:32 am

...
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby OrangeEyebrows » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:38 am

FaceTheCitizen wrote:I've heard about the Deaf community before. A favorite writer of mine is partially deaf and he said he's been shunned and spat upon by people from the Deaf community because he uses cochlear implants.


Well that sucks. Let's combat bigotry with more bigotry! It's like emotional homeopathy!
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby FaceTheCitizen » Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:15 am

...
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby OrangeEyebrows » Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:22 am

Ehhh I'd still call that bigotry, personally. "I despise you for making different life choices to my own." But I see your point.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby NathanLoiselle » Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:54 am

Even bigotry can have a rational reason behind it. Rational reasons do not make things alright however.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby Edgar Cabrera » Mon Mar 23, 2015 4:50 am

OK, I don't want to derail a thread about a Cracked article about a disorder (especially after I did exactly that on the thread about the article about genital dysfunctions), especially with something that it's at most just a minor annoyance, but I'll try to make it brief:

Probably Sheldon from Big Bang Theory or Sherlock from A Show Definitely Not Named for the Main Character.

Man, I just don't get those jokes about titles of works, I'm refering to the "Sherlock from A Show Definitely Not Named for the Main Character" bit. I don't see what's so amusing of it.

Okay, that's all. Carry on.
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Re: The Autism Article

Postby Tesseracts » Mon Mar 23, 2015 5:07 am

AdricDePsycho wrote:Why do people hate BBT? Seriously, I am as tired of Cracked calling it "unfunny" as I am of Cracked calling TDKR a shitty movie. I like BBT, I think Sheldon is a great character, I think the show is funny, it is not offensive to geeks, nerd blackface is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of, I empathize with Sheldon's idiosyncrasies and I LOVED THIS FUCKING ARTICLE REGARDLESS!!!

I'm done venting, but please, answer my question someone.

I have a lot of problems with that show, but my biggest one is rather simple: it's not funny. I've seen a good amount of it due to being in the presence of people who somehow enjoy it and due to it being in reruns frequently. I can't think of a single joke that was actually funny. The entire show is basically the same joke over and over again: somebody does something nerdy and awkward. That's it, and it's not funny. Nothing remotely interesting ever happens in this show, and I think the only reason people like it is because it constantly references other stuff they like. Kind of like Family Guy.

Also, yes, I find the way it portrays nerds as goofy man-children kind of offensive. For many years I have found it annoying how "smart" and "nerdy" people are portrayed in movies and TV, and this is definitely no exception. The characters aren't even slightly realistic, they're nothing more than a collection of stereotypes. All of them act more or less the same also, except for Penny.

I actually like Sheldon, but I think that's only because the actor who plays him is really good.
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