Whenever I do a post here about autism, I get four times as many visits as I do for anything else. That's a bit odd, when you consider that autism is supposed to be a rare condition. In the past I've tried to avoid the autism debate. It's so full of dissension, misstatements, and misunderstandings. … Continue reading Is this the Autistic Highway?
Paranormal World | Children who talk of Past Lives | Reincarnation?
If you had asked me fifteen years ago what I thought about reincarnation, I would have told you that I had no thoughts about it at all. It just seemed too improbable that evolution, starting with single-celled animals, could arrive at something like that. But one morning in February, 2007, drinking coffee at a Toyota … Continue reading Paranormal World | Children who talk of Past Lives | Reincarnation?
Shyness & Autism – Are they related?
In my novels The Birdcatcher and Skol, and in The Shyness Guide, I’ve said that I think shyness and autism are both usually natural. I've also suggested that, in some people, they may be related to each other. This perception of them isn’t supported by any research as far as I know. But when I … Continue reading Shyness & Autism – Are they related?
Autism and Words
Something that never seems to be talked about in the autism debates, is the different way words work for those who are autistic - and/or solitary or shy - vs those who are 'normal'. From the time I entered elementary school as a small boy, I was conscious of how different words were for me. … Continue reading Autism and Words
Shy Silence
Nothing seems to bother non-shy people more than the reluctance of shy people to talk. "What's the matter with you?!! Speak up! Be assertive! Stop hiding from us!" - that's their common refrain, especially in workplaces, at school, etc. Why are social people like that? I think it's starts with their instinctual need for communication. … Continue reading Shy Silence
Introverts and Extroverts into the abyss
Well, I say we're falling into an abyss because decades ago most of us went over the cliff edge of understanding when we accepted introvert/extrovert as fundamental to human personality. The way introvert/extrovert is understood today is very different from what psychologist C.G.Jung intended when he introduced those terms into psychology a century ago. He … Continue reading Introverts and Extroverts into the abyss
Being less shy by being more shy
In The Shyness Guide I've said that you can become less shy by being more shy. Most people don't understand this. What I mean is that, instead of trying to suppress your shyness, the best thing to do is to accept it – accept who you are. That doesn't mean giving up and hiding at … Continue reading Being less shy by being more shy
Rescuing Nature | Leave the Goldfish alone!
This week on the Weather Network website I encountered another of those diatribes against people who release goldfish into public waters. It was the usual thing. The goldfish are an invasive species competing with native species, overwhelming them, etc. People should realize that releasing their goldfish [here it was specifically flushing them down the toilet) … Continue reading Rescuing Nature | Leave the Goldfish alone!
Autism | Weak Central Coherence | Who can’t see the forest?
In her 2008 book, Autism – A Very Short Introduction, psychologist Uta Frith discussed the "weak central coherence" theory. This is related to the tendency of autistic people to focus on detail. Walking through a forest an autistic person will see the trees and things on the forest floor – ferns, horsetails, fungi, … Continue reading Autism | Weak Central Coherence | Who can’t see the forest?
