The Superpower of Autism | Dr. Stephen Mark Shore | TEDxAdelphiUniversity

I found it frustrating that the slides weren’t shown full screen when he was taking about them. I wanted to ‘play along’!

I am forever grateful for the time I spent with Dr. Shore many years ago as a very young teacher. He gave me insight into my students' sensory worlds that has lasted my whole career! It's great to see that he's still teaching and changing lives!

Great speech.😊 Well-written and well-delivered speech. Thank you for delivering this seech on our behalf so that othera can see we are human, too, just different, not less than them.

This is wonderful! The world needs to hear your message. This Ted Talk is a few years old now and I hadn’t ever heard the concepts you presented here.

At its core, autism is a set of different neurological traits. These differences to the norm come with advantages and disadvantages. I appreciate focusing on the side of advantages, but we shouldn't forget that autism comes with disadvantages too that can be disabling if the environment is not suited for the person. Thus, it can be a disability and a superpower, usually both at the same time. However, focusing on the superpower part of diminishes the problems many autistic people face, while focusing on the disability part diminishes that most autistic people lead happy, fulfilled lives and do not wish to be pitied or cured. What Autism Speaks does is pity autistic people, focus on the worst sides of autism and frame autism as a terrible illness that nothing but a burden on families. All of this is extremely harmful to autistic people. Thus, I would absolutely love if Dr. Shore reevaluated his position of being in support of that organization as it does not at all align with the insights he shared in his talk, which, by the way, I absolutely agree with.

Now if we can take the advice about working "with autism" and convince people regardless of which Spectrums they may be assignable to, that they should simply work with what they have and work at learning how to work with what others have. "Trait Packages" not "Disorders". Unless someone also has behavioural problems, even extremely low IQ can be valued if one can learn to appreciate the unchallenging conversation or even the privilege of learning great patience. Even if someone has mild behavioural problems mixed with the handicap of extremely high IQ, it is possible to learn to value them for their obscure conversation that can be simply ignored, and the ultimate extreme Olympic version of having to learn and apply great patience. I personally would like to start a housecleaning service exclusively staffed by people with the appropriate manifestation of OCD. A ground rule would be that the the clients understand that they are privileged to have people of such great giftedness willing to allow them to offer money for their service to their home. Everyone has a role to play in service to others, even if it is being someone in need of service.

I'm half way listening to this after being diagnosed a week ago! As a female 27 years old and love this ❤ also love the humour

Extraordinary!!!! THANK you Stephen!

Exactly. It was this same way for me, as well. I started taking apart kids' toys to see how their mechanical parts worked, then VCRs, then game consoles, then computers, then started building websites and apps, got my Tech degree with a 4.0 GPA, then finished Automotive Analysis and Repair programme, and I am currently in the Engineering: Computer Science programme to get my MS degree to programme the computers of vehicles, better than how they currently are programmed, today. And, yes, I have Asperger's, too.

Great job Stephen! You packed a lot of insight into your talk.

This was great! Thank You! 💓💓💓

great show! thank you

When his parents mimicked him as a child, this action opened many new doors to his and their world.

I figured that you can either spend your whole life trying to fit a square peg into a round hole or just surrender and champion your strengths and find your own route through this wild society! The means to do so are readily available today with all the online courses and opportunities to build a unique career

Incredible story

I don’t know for sure that what I have is autism but I’ve had lifelong issues with sensory input that changed drastically after a serious car accident 3.5 years ago. It left me crippled with a collapsed spine BUT I learned how to talk to my senses again and now I feel more in tune with the natural world than “healthy” people. So my senses don’t work like everyone else, im still they only one that can map a room using the sound of brewing coffee bouncing around!

BRAVO!

Great video

Awesome! Stephen you rocked it!❤️

Honestly, I think of “being autistic” 🧩 as a superpower! It involves visual skills, an eye for detail, deep focus, being analytical, and expertise. These traits all come in handy.