How We Respond

The social model of what is expected of us all is presented to the decision making population of voters all time. This model of how everyone should look, act, dress, eat, purchase, etc. is on billboards, TV,and the Internet all the time. When people fail to meet these standards, the cycle of rejection serves no one.

Of course everyone will not be able to meet these standards and it is important to look at what can happen to them when they don't and be able to adjust our personal standards of them in order to better include them.

The ways and speed that someones nervous system evolves cannot be determined in each individual person. However, it can be better encouraged when someone's nature is better understood.

There are some things that are understood about the nature of autistic people that can be helpful to everyone.

Too often the societal demands of conformity can prevent people from understanding how what to encourage and at what speed.

How we were originally designed will become more evident as we get older. However, we will also learn from our environment what is acceptable and what isn't and it is everyone's nature to develop habits.

Reacting impulsively to our environment is partly determined by the ways we have been taught to respond and whether we can access such a response to the situation. It also makes a difference how that response is accepted.

There are several things that I have learned are NOT likely to promote a healthy response from an autistic person or promote better ways for us to learn to respond. Adult autistics and children are at different places and may learn at different rates but we never stop learning.

The conforming box of the social model is more likely to place unrealistic demands on anyone but even more so when someone who is designed differently.

I can't see how anyone can be encouraged by hearing that society sees them as unwanted.

When everything about what others describe as acceptable and best is contrary to the best and most reasonable goals based on who someone is, it is likely to be discouraging.

When classrooms are designed to accommodate only a narrow set of skills that anyone is not likely to acquire, this is also discouraging.

No one will be likely to conform to the ever-changing and unrealistic expectations if they continue becoming more narrow.

Learning to encourage diverse types of expressions, skills, and responses will create a more healthy environment for everyone.