http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_silb...tory_of_autism/transcript?language=en#t-27490 Just watched this and it got me thinking about star trek and autism. Well actually my autistic obsession with star trek got me thinking of autism and star trek but anyways. Where is all the autism talk with regards to star trek.
It's no secret that people with autistic personality traits gravitate to star trek. Nor is it any secret that many popular characters resemble very much autistic personalities. Lieutenant Barclay, Data, Spock, Julian Bashir and his brethren , Worf and 7 of 9 being the very obvious examples.
I don't think I've seen thread on the topic, though it has come up. So I guess this thread is the place.
Yeah, I think some people are confusing autism and OCD. I can see some OCD traits in some of those characters, but not autism. Except Bashir. If memory serves, he was autistic, and was genetically enhanced to be "cured."
Well some of those could be Asperger's, but it might just be that some are just socially awkward in certain situations. Seven for example never really developed social skills owing to when she was assimilated by the Borg.
You likely don't know what autism is. OCD is just an extremely overused term. Picard would fit the character of someone with ocd, or even bones, not data, or the like.
Lt. Barclay was the only one that seemed to have stereotypical autistic traits. Any other characters' social awkwardness was due to some other factor.
Socially awkward as can be, obsessed with klingon culture despite lacking the social skills that are common to most klingon. Black and white thinking aka rigid sense of right and wrong, things either are honourable or they are not. He's very typical of someone on the spectrum working hard to not be a nerd. If this is a surprise to you, you likely have a more stereotypical view of autism. The giveaway stuff like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLyszVGMZ_o
Some other factor that mimics autistic traits quite perfectly. Not all people in the spectrum lack confidence are unorganized or extremely nervous all the time. Worf, Odo and seven are very much the behavior of a mature person on the spectrum who have developed coping stradegies that include very rigid relationships. Spock and Data are just very textbook. Bashir is in the complex position because he appears to have convincingly hid as normal despite his obvious background.
In the future possibly, at the moment super unlikely. Problem is people have a hard time understanding what it is. If you watched the video you might get an eye into how the whole popular perspective of autism is based on Kanner a complete hack. People wasted a half century viewing it as a set of superficial traits. Autism for lack of a better is a neurological orientation. If you understand it well enough the orientation can be detected by traits however the traits mean little. As was said in the video is more of a neurological orientation just as windows and macs are different forms of operating systems, so is autism. You can't tell a mac is a mac by any one design factor as each generation is different but if you understand the software well enough it's obvious that it's a continuation on the same theme.
^Yes but Worf might just be socially awkward, and don't we all have a sense of what is right or wrong, honourable or dishonourable? We might not always do the right/honourable thing but most of us know what it is. As for working hard not to be a nerd, sometimes people will behave in a way in which to fit into soceity. And whilst being a nerd doesn't matter in the fictional world of ST. How many hide their likes because they are percieved to be unpopular for lack of a better term. I for example don't really care for Football, but as far as I am concerned I won't comment on people liking Football and all I ask in return is you don't comment on my likes or dislikes.
I think you're seeing things through autism colored glasses. Just because someone has some similar traits does not make them autistic.
Looking at this link, I don't really see any character that comes across as Autistic. https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
Just being socially awkward alone wouldn't be enough but when combined with many other traits. That being said his lack of dynamic relations is quite constant through both tng and ds9. a sense yes. However most men don't plan out there wedding for the majority of their adult life just so it aligns with a perceived culture. What separates aspies from normal people is a less flexible sense of right and wrong. Autism isn't just a "disorder" it's a mind set that is pervasive. While it's almost second nature to bend the rules for most normal folk, it's something that aspies struggle with. Worf also fails to empathise with people time and time ago due to his inflexible beliefs. Being unable to relate to people who lack a strong sense of honour is an extremely in worfs portrayal. He general respects those that are rigid and despises those who are not. Yes but worf has shown disregard for social norms time and time again. He's not motivated by a desire to fit in with normal human. He's motivated by a desire that by mimicing another group of people he some day will be accepted.