Why Are We Here? Autism and Evolution

“Some say Asperger’s is a gift, and even vital to human evolution.”

Who said that? Oh, that’s right… I did! What’s the deal with Asperger’s and evolution? Let’s take a closer look.

Evolution favors traits that help an organism adapt to its environment, and produce more offspring. Is Asperger’s a favorable set of traits?

Aspies have some advantages over NT’s. We are unique problem-solvers. We are truth-seekers. We are well-adapted to the information age.

We also have some disadvantages. We have stims and social difficulties. We are terrible liars. We are less likely to maintain a relationship and reproduce.

So we have both favorable and unfavorable traits. Some autistic traits pose severe challenges. There’s also reason to believe autistic genes have existed for a long time. Perhaps as long as humans have existed. So why are we here? And why, in spite of our challenges, do we seem to be growing in number?

The apparent increase in autism is partly due to increased public knowledge and recognition of autistic traits. But could it also be that we are increasingly useful to our species and our world?

Consider the difference between NT’s and Aspies. We are different in one major way: how we make sense of our environment. Starting from birth, NT’s learn to understand the world through their innate attachment to other humans. Aspies, however, focus on observing the patterns and structure in our environment.

Most of us learn the other way of functioning later, as a “second language.” NT’s acquire autistic behaviors, and vice versa. In this way, we have a symbiotic relationship with NT’s. They learn to specialize, to program a computer, and to enjoy alone time. We learn how to find a job, and buy a house, and read others’ emotions.

How has the symbiotic relationship affected our species? History is filled with eccentrics who became innovators. The Einsteins, the Beethovens, the Michelangelos, engrossed in their work, misunderstood in their time, but later recognized as the developers of new knowledge. No one can say for sure, but they share many characteristics with those of us on the spectrum.

Humans have evolved faster than any other species. We developed tools, built a society and industry, and catalogued our knowledge, all in a comparatively short 50,000 years. We transformed our own environment to favor our own survival. Would this be possible without the innovators? Their unique understanding of the environment based on structures and patterns enabled them to change it for the better.

But we Aspies did not change our world alone. We are different. Not superior. Autistics need NT’s. The inventor’s customers, the philosopher’s audience, the painter’s admirers, are all NT. Without NT’s we wouldn’t have team sports, CEO’s, or soldiers. Without NT’s, how would we spread our ideas?

Some like to think autism is “the next evolutionary step.” It’s an appealing upside to the challenges of the condition, or maybe it just makes a good sci-fi story. I don’t think autism is “the next step” if it means we will become a separate species. Neither do I think we are, in fact, aliens.

Instead, I think we’re meant to go forward together. Humanity has always depended on the different, to look ahead. We need neurodiversity. We need symbiosis between NT’s and autistics, with each understanding the other’s perspective. And we who are different must make our voices heard, by being our authentic selves in spite of the obstacles the world throws at us.

So no, not everyone will evolve to be autistic. But humanity will always need a few, and it will need to hear us. We need everyone to make the world. To advance, to metamorphize, to reach for the stars, and beyond. That is our “next step,” and we all must take it together. When it comes to our collective evolution as humans, Asperger’s is indeed vital.

Many of the ideas in this post draw on the writings of Alan Griswold. To read more about this theory of autism and evolution, please visit autisticsymphony.com.

Vote for Your Favorite "Evolution" T-Shirt

It's time to choose my next T-shirt design! It will be based on my very popular post on autism and evolution. Vote for your favorite of the 4 designs below!


 1.

2.

 

 3.

 

 4.

What is your favorite design?
	1 - NO EVOLUTION WITHOUT AUTISM. Humanity has always depended on the different, to look ahead.
	2 - AUTISTIC GENES. Useful to our species, useful to our world.
	3 - NEURODIVERSITY. We need everyone to make the world.
	4 - NEUROTYPICAL IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Voting has ended. Thank you!

Evolution T-Shirts Are Here!

The results are in, and your votes chose the winning design for my next T-shirt!

Actually, the results were so close, I decided to choose the top TWO designs! So now you can show off your Aspie pride with a cartoon from my Autism and Evolution post:

Neurotypical is My Second Language

or,
No Evolution Without Autism

And if you voted for one of the other two designs and are interested in it, just leave a comment or send me an email and I'll throw that up on Zazzle too! (I like all four.)

Choose from a variety of styles and colors to customize your own shirt.

• A value T-shirt starts at only $15.85!
• Get a ladies' casual scoop tee in 3 colors for $21.15!
• A super-comfy Basic American Apparel shirt in 7 colors is yours for $26.45!

or one of the many other styles offered by Zazzle!

I wear my Dude shirt out in public, and it is fun, I must say. People be all like, "Move aside yo! Aspie comin' thru!" Okay, not really. But you should get one anyway.

Celebrate your different-ness and spread the word about this here blog. Thanks!

Welcome, New Readers!

Welcome to all my new readers who arrived via Autism Speaks. If you like what you see, I hope you'll stick around for more thoughts and illustrations! This blog is all about promoting understanding of what it's like to live with an autism spectrum disorder. I try to strike a balance between honesty and humor, and I welcome your comments and conversation.

Here are a few of my favorite posts you might enjoy:

Special Interests: Cartoon Beginnings
Autistics Speaking Day: The Path to Understanding
Big Dreams
Why Are We Here? Autism and Evolution

Dude, I'm An Aspie!

Thoughts and illustrations on living with Asperger’s syndrome

My name is Matt and I have Asperger’s syndrome. What’s that mean, you ask? Well, you’re in luck, cause I’ve made this helpful guide!

Asperger’s is part of the autism spectrum. It has many characteristics, but generally we have difficulty knowing what someone is thinking, explaining our thoughts verbally, and interacting socially with our peers. It is sometimes described as having “a dash of autism.”

 Asperger’s is not a disease, it is a genetic variation and a neurological condition. Though I’ve just recently discovered I have it, I always have and always will. Some say it is a gift, and even vital to human evolution.

  Asperger’s is sometimes called Wrong Planet syndrome. This is because we feel like we come from a different culture and have a different way of perceiving the world – (Tony Attwood)  

  Once I learned what Asperger’s is, I knew it described me. It answered a lot of questions and explained why I am the way I am. So it was kind of good news! Like finding a box I fit in.

 
Now for some myths and facts: First, I will not look you in the eye for long periods or when I’m talking to you. This is not to be rude. It’s because it is the only way I can concentrate on what you’re saying.

  In social situations, I don’t process information as fast as you. Facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice all convey subtle information to our brain. The more people who are present, the more info there is to process.

Likewise, I don’t like crowds and noisy places. This is too much information to take in and causes sensory overload.

   Sometimes we have super-senses. This makes us easily distractible to background noise, a sudden loud noise, or unpleasant odors.

 
If I run into you somewhere I don’t expect to, I probably won’t recognize you right away. This is called faceblindness. Even though I know what you look like, my mental picture of you is strongly tied to context, your voice, and how other people interact with you.

Sometimes I interpret things literally, or I can’t tell when you’re being sarcastic. This is a neurological delay in reading your tone of voice.

   For neurotypical people (that’s you), socializing with others relieves your stress or makes you feel energized. We Aspies are the opposite way. Conversation can wear us out, and we often need alone time to “recharge our batteries.”

 
   We usually have special topics or hobbies that we like to pursue with intense concentration and on our own. Examples include trains, foreign cultures, and washing machines.

  Are there advantages to being an Aspie? Yes! We are honest, detail-oriented, good listeners, and have a unique view of things. Often, we achieve high levels of success in our special interest area.

 
So that is a glimpse into my world. I hope it has helped you better understand me and others like me. We are all different, and with all differences, knowledge brings understanding. If we understand each other, then there won't be any need for a right planet or a wrong planet.

 

 

All Awesome Mixtapes Go to Heaven

My first mixtape was made of 100% cheese. The low-hanging, gummish bubble stuff of the pop airwaves, some 25 years ago. School bus soundtrack, first cassettes I ever owned. Best enjoyed in countdown form, namely Jay Beau Jones’ Top 9 Tonight. (TNT!)

The Sony SoundRider Cassette-Corder had two decks, and two buttons highlighted in red: REC, and DUBBING. What else for, but to collect, and reassemble? And so I trained my trigger finger to fire at first sign of a target. Vigilantly listening, willing the DJ to telegraph what was coming, but not run his mouth over the intro, I filled hours of ribbon with tune trophies. A near-regurgitation of the hits of the day, though I did pluck some obscure gems from Katrina & the Waves, and Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers. And at year’s end, I crafted it into a glorious Top 100 set. Glorious for a short time, anyway.

Of all the things I’ve made and destroyed, and later wished I could have back, my first awesome mix is right up there. But my tastes had to evolve, and I took victims with me.

My earliest compilation first revealed itself as cringe-worthy schlock upon my entry through the secret door to “modern rock” with its harder edge, Shrieks of the Week, and world-weary detachment.

 … Which I in turn jettisoned for roots rock: Earnest, homegrown, soul nourishment, served up by freeform programmers who segued from song to song to create a greater whole, the true artists of the mix, but ultimately doomed to banishment by the wheels of corporate radio.

… Which led me to seek solace in the advent of MP3’s and music blogs, the musical world at my cherry-picking fingertips. Expunging radio from the equation, I found my favorite artists and digested their whole catalogs. Personalization reached its height, even as the choices grew exponentially and bred decision fatigue.

… Which induced me to flee the modern soundscape, in favor of music of the ancients, museum pieces, revered and academic. Pure escape, gone was the need to collect, to differentiate one piece from another, or even to learn titles or composers. The momentary in and out flow sufficed, afterward it was disposable.

Somewhere along this musical evolution, my first awesome mix became a drag on my claim to musical integrity, most of its content long banished to the cultural trash heap. If I couldn’t wipe my memory, at least I could destroy the evidence. I pared down those 100 cheesy tracks to one cassette. Excised it of all punch lines. Neutered it of all cheese. But that was a phony retcon.

From time to time, those 80's relics reared their heads, and they cut through clear and true, lyrics still imprinted on my memory, the first notes begging the question, “Where’ve ya been?” A guilty pleasure. But why feel guilty?

Nostalgia lends a feel-good factor like none other. Of all the things music can make you feel, isn’t fist-pumpin’ joy the best? I know I’m not alone in that, because those exiled tunes turn up more and more, in “stunt programming” like a “Worst Of” weekend, or stations devoted to an “old school” format. Whitney, Paula, Def Leppard, it’s good to hear you again. Batdance – now there’s some cheese that can’t be denied! At the end of the day, I don’t want to enjoy my music ironically, or assert my hipster cred with it, or spout historical trivia about it. I want it to launch me into orbit. “Across the nation, around the world, everybody have fun tonight!” in the immortal words of Wang Chung.

My musical tastes have a split personality, and I’m content to keep them locked in perpetual battle for supremacy. There’s a time and a place for everything in that fight, even watered-down pop confections. To those musical elitists who would look down their noses in disparagement, I say, get over yourself. A once-awesome tune never dies, it just waits to be rediscovered. As for my long-lost first mixtape, I’ve taken up the challenge of reconstructing it from memory.

Star-Lord had it right. Hold on to your awesome mix and carry it with you. You might just find, someday, it’s your secret weapon.

On My Way

I have mixed feelings about personal year-end inventories. 2010 for me meant health challenges, professional challenges, lots of uncertainty, and lots of disappointment. There is much I’d just as soon forget. But, there are positives too.

Reverb10 is an online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Every day in December, it has offered writing prompts that make you think differently. Today's the last day of a 31-day challenge. So although I’m late to the game, I chose a few questions I found interesting.

Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).
This one is hard. I had a few of these moments in ‘09. But 2010 was a year I didn’t travel anywhere new. This was a year I didn’t take pictures. So I will pick a moment from the Asperger’s teen/tween board game night where I volunteer. I brought in Quelf, a random, wacky game that incorporates trivia, charades, silly rules, and characters like Queen Spatula and Super Ninja Monkey. It’s a game I find both ingenious and intimidating, one that pushes me outside my comfort zone socially. But it turned out to be a huge hit with the kids. At various points, I covered myself in magazine wrapping paper, gave a speech about biscuits, and ended every sentence with “-izzle!” We laughed, we improvised, and we stretched outside ourselves. Now the kids ask to play it every time.

Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?
Of all the online groups I take part in, I feel the most sense of community among autism bloggers. This was perhaps most true on Autistics Speaking Day. I haven’t met any of you face to face, but to share in this movement with you, to visit and comment on your posts, and to have you visit mine, was truly a feeling of connection. On November 1, it was Halloween all over again, going from blog to blog to see the treats you had written. I’m sure this connection will only continue to grow for me in the next year.

Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.
I know what this is. I cannot articulate it, but, yes, I know. My best qualities lie deep beneath the surface. They are liable to missed by most, even by those I see every day. I do not trumpet these things. They demand time and attention to be revealed. And I’ve decided that is okay. I’m content to blend into the background for the majority of those I meet, and to focus my attention on those few for whom I stand out, and stop them in their tracks.

What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
I came back and resumed this blog in May after taking a break. I wasn’t sure I would continue. I’d published a book in January, but now I was at a crossroads as to whether Asperger’s was a joy or a curse. In the end, I decided it was both, and that it was worth writing about. Since then, I’ve been going strong, and I’m here to stay. This week I took another step forward, with the launch of dudeimanaspie.com.

How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?
Who was my Person of the Year? This year, no one person stands out who changed my life for the better. So I’m going to pick a fictional character who did.

"Fantastic Mr. Fox" came out in ’09, but I first saw it this year. It became my new favorite movie for its handcrafted animation, its otherworldly soundtrack, and for Ash. Ash is just… different. He's socially awkward, he twitches and spits, and he dresses like his favorite comic book character. He could easily be an Aspie. Ash can't stand being “different,” but in the end, his different-ness saves the day. For all of us real-life outsiders and misfits, his character portrays our experience with exceptional realism and sensitivity. Hey, Wes Anderson, give him a sequel or a series – we need more! For reminding me that different is fantastic, Ash is my 2010 Fox of The Year!

What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?
As I said above, this was a year of challenges. I take it as a victory that I have weathered and survived them if not overcome them. I have healing yet to do. But I needed to hang onto something to keep me going. At times, it was very much drip-drip-drip. I pushed myself forward, because it was the only choice. Uncle Iroh said it well in "Avatar, The Last Airbender." “Life is like this dark tunnel. You may not always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.” Yes, cartoons are profound.

What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?
I think I like this question the best. When I think about it, I do have something that gives me hope. My readers, my fans, and my followers. The fact that you’re interested in what I have to say. I know that if I keep posting, through the ups and downs, you’ll be here to listen, to leave a comment, or to Like This. My take-away from this knowledge? Just keep on doin’ what I’m doin’.

As a closing thought for 2010, I want to leave you with the words of The Cat Empire, from a song they put out this year called “On My Way.”



And if you want to shine
As the sea looks to the stars
And well, you're here, but very far.

And I'm on my way
To where I won't look back.
I heard you say, with dismay,
“We're living on the tracks,
I hear the train,”
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh

Life goes on, and time marches on. None of us makes it out of here alive. You are here now, and the flame of your life is yours to burn as bright as you can, for as long as you can. It’s your choice to spend each day so that when you’re gone, they say you gave your all.

This year more than ever before, I can say I burned. I put it all out there. I forgave imperfection, made fewer apologies, and pushed ahead in spite of doubts. I have every expectation it will get harder. I fully expect my hard work may not pay off. I can only do my best and follow my heart. So here’s to going onward, along this unknown path. Here’s to going on my way, to where I won’t look back.

See you in 2011.



Quelf is copyright Imagination and Wiggity Bang Games.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is copyright Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Indian Paintbrush Productions LLC and Regency Entertainment.