This is a blog where I will post about my experiences with being autistic. I invite others to do the same as well as ask me any questions or for advice. PLEASE ADD YOURSELF AS A FOLLOWER! :)
Friday, April 15, 2011
"Asperger's and Death Part II" or "Confronting Your Own Discomfort"
Thanks for coming! I'm gradually moving my blog to Substack! See you there!
Very thoughtful and thought-provoking. I confess I'm as wary as any neurotypical person of death as an interest---I'd probably think of someone who professed having such as morbid or maladjusted. I wouldn't jump straight to "Oh God, he must want to be a serial killer" or something, but I'd probably be uncomfortable. And it's on that front that you raise an interesting point. WHY are we uncomfortable about this? I can't really articulate it, even to myself.
Well, as I said, many NTs seem to be uncomfortable with their kids being obsessed with something in general. It seems to go beyond the "I'm tired of hearing about that."
Anyway I hope you realize now that there really is no rhyme or reason for the reflexive discomfort about a fascination with death any more than the process of indigestion. And anyway, what about forensic scientists? I bet a great deal with them are fascinated somewhat with death!
Watched the Kevorkian biopic last night and, wondering whether he had AS, came across this blog today. I can't help but wonder whether fascination with death is taboo because we are all fascinated with it, but in the sense that we fear it. How many people are religious because they have need of a belief in an afterlife, because they cannot accept the finality of death? Does that make church every Sunday and daily prayers their (socially sanctioned) obsession? And perceiving a preoccupation with death in those around us, I suppose it's because most of us are unable to distinguish the preoccupation of a serial killer from that of the merely curious. How many people testify that they had no idea that the quiet gentleman next door had 8 bodies buried in his backyard? And so we fear the interest. Just musing. Glad I came across your blog, thought-provoking.
Very thoughtful and thought-provoking. I confess I'm as wary as any neurotypical person of death as an interest---I'd probably think of someone who professed having such as morbid or maladjusted. I wouldn't jump straight to "Oh God, he must want to be a serial killer" or something, but I'd probably be uncomfortable. And it's on that front that you raise an interesting point. WHY are we uncomfortable about this? I can't really articulate it, even to myself.
ReplyDeleteWell, as I said, many NTs seem to be uncomfortable with their kids being obsessed with something in general. It seems to go beyond the "I'm tired of hearing about that."
ReplyDeleteAnyway I hope you realize now that there really is no rhyme or reason for the reflexive discomfort about a fascination with death any more than the process of indigestion. And anyway, what about forensic scientists? I bet a great deal with them are fascinated somewhat with death!
Watched the Kevorkian biopic last night and, wondering whether he had AS, came across this blog today.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder whether fascination with death is taboo because we are all fascinated with it, but in the sense that we fear it. How many people are religious because they have need of a belief in an afterlife, because they cannot accept the finality of death? Does that make church every Sunday and daily prayers their (socially sanctioned) obsession?
And perceiving a preoccupation with death in those around us, I suppose it's because most of us are unable to distinguish the preoccupation of a serial killer from that of the merely curious. How many people testify that they had no idea that the quiet gentleman next door had 8 bodies buried in his backyard? And so we fear the interest.
Just musing. Glad I came across your blog, thought-provoking.
Thanks for your comment! Curious, what tipped you off that he might have had AS?
Delete