www.aspie.com
  • Meet Liane
  • Blog
  • Presentations
  • Posters
  • In the News
  • Scheduled Events

Understanding Upheaval (with thanks to Margaret Mead)

8/24/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dr. Margaret Mead

More and more, I look beyond my own world to find meaning in the big picture, the whys behind the chaos and the presumed purpose of some of the actions I find wicked. We in the ASD world talk about bullies and bullying all the time, for surely we are often the innocent prey to awful predators. But it dawns on me that we are far from alone in being an underdog. In fact, I wonder if every human everywhere isn't vulnerable to something or someone's wrath or self-righteous sense of  'justice' that spits in the face of all that is good and reasonable. 

The world seems upside down to me right now. It feels like we are all characters in some low budget, slapped together B movie about spiders invading the planet. I look around both in my small space of the world and beyond to the trials and tortures going on around the globe, and I want to vomit back the horrors I see, before they stick in my gut and make me invulnerable to their repulsiveness. 

I admit I have a limited sense of how to fix anything, much less the world's cruelties. I try to use this forum and my outspoken nature to share simple thoughts that might find a way to grow, in a grassroots way, to mean something positive to someone out there in our big vast universe.  When I am completely perplexed by the goings on of humans, when I am desperate to find a temperate spot among the cracks and ruins of humanity, I read up the words of  one of the first and certainly one of the most influential cultural anthropologist's of the 20th Century, Margaret Mead. (1901-1978). 

Mead is one of my heroes. I strongly suspect she was an aspie, at least I hope so. (Look up her role in the world of Semiotics and see if you don't agree!) No matter her neurosystem, she has brilliant things to say about individuals and society and our symbiosis. Maybe Dr. Mead's words will help you come to terms with all the crazy circling our bones right now. Read below and see what you think.

Favorite Margaret Mead quotes:

I must admit that I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings.

Our first and most pressing problem is how to do away with warfare as a method of solving conflicts between national groups within a society who have different views about how the society is to run.

If we are to achieve a culture rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place.


Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.

Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.

If the future is to remain open and free, we need people who can tolerate the unknown, who will not need the support of completely worked out systems or traditional blueprints from the past.

The notion that we are products of our environment is our greatest sin; we are products of our choices.


#violence, #war, #society #Mead

 

 

 

 

 








0 Comments

H.E.L.P.

8/12/2014

0 Comments

 
aspie.com Help. Depression Lies.
If you need help. Call 1-800-273-8255
The decent into sadness can slide into our hearts so very easily. Tears drip. Smiles rip. The body aches. Drugs and booze twinkle until they have your full attention, and your soul. Memories of good times tip toe away as the dark ones steal the light. Depression. It is a hungry beast.

Listen closely, humankind, and you may hear the dangerous Despair and his powerful roar. Watch vigilantly, friends, taking care to notice if the sparkle in someone's eyes fades to dim. Know that the allure of a forever escape can take hold more strongly than all the love in the world can comfort. Get help for those who are in pain, for they may not have the strength to save themselves. 

~ In memory of Robin Williams, a lovely comedian and divine actor who’s suffering was only briefly stifled by the laughter he spread. ~

#robinwilliams #RIProbinwilliams #depression #saveafriend
0 Comments

Staying Calm When Social Media Gets Sassy

8/6/2014

1 Comment

 
aspie.com Social Media
The linguistic professor part of me is absolutely certain social media is making life for many of us on the spectrum far more complicated and troublesome than it needs to be. In addition to the cyber bullying that is taking place at warp speed, the simple communications end of the cyber world is creating a vortex where in a new language is arising. This language of new spellings, phrase short cuts, and the lack of much background information around which we can build reliable context, is leaving many of us to assume someone meant one thing in a social media exchange, when in fact, they they meant something all together different. This creates the possibility for a combustible reality that is creating a whole new force of bullies and hurt feelings and loneliness via cyber space. 

People from all walks of life are committing suicide over cyber bullying. This is nothing new, but add in a dose of an ASD and we have an even hotter mess on our hands. So what can we do? Social media is here for the very long run...probably forever. I think this means we really have to change our way of thinking when it comes to our take on basic communicating. First and foremost, we'd best all grow some thick skin,try not to take offense so easily, learn to forgive quickly, and leave lots of doors open for a period of "wait, what did you really mean to say?" or "did I understand you to imply or say...". In other words, we must train ourselves not to rely on our first interpretation of what we receive through social media. 

Just as we with AS learn the regular social norms and rules, boom- here comes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Youtube, Vine, Snapchat (and those are just at the beginning of the online social world!). Now we absolutely must learn a whole new set of language rules with even less context clues to go on. As we endeavor to learn the new rules, I'm hopeful we learn to relax, stay calm and carry on with optimism. In summary...Research the social media outlet you're interested in, before you engage with it. Don't assume the worst. Ask for elaborated explanations before engaging in a debate or discussion you may be misunderstanding without even knowing it. And never ever forget, social media and the people who use it cannot hurt you if you refuse to let them do so. Oh for sure, words and insults and bad photos or embarrassing moments caught on tape, can damage the psyche and self-esteem, but you get to control how you react. My dad used to say, "Let insults flow off your back like water flows off a duck's back." Make that motto your mantra. But if things get really bad, find someone to help you sort out the icky stuff you may well find on social media.

1 Comment

    Archives

    August 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    June 2018
    January 2018
    August 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anxiety
    Asperger Syndrome
    Autism
    Crime
    Cultural Anthropology
    Depression
    Equine Therapy
    Friendship
    Hobbies
    Meltdowns
    Relationships
    Safety
    Sensory
    Social Media
    Special Interests
    Statistics
    Suicide
    Violence
    Volunteering

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Artistic-touches, ChaTo (Carlos Castillo)