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Long time activist

Timelord

Timelord

Being Myself
Hi everyone. I am a long time activist having been clinically diagnosed in 1997 with Aspergers and adopting the title of Autistic in 2013. I've been working super hard over the years and have had some setbacks through connecting with the wrong people. Reverse ableism is a thing and it sucks. It's partly why I have what I have in my signature. I have a lot of interests - I do that deliberately to keep the brain ticking over. If you go to my website you'll see a lot of blogs and a lot of other stuff.
 
I just tried to have a look at your website but all I got was a blank page. Also, your https security certificates have expired.

A quick explore got me around the blank page issue - (no title)

My apologies. Hi and welcome to the forums. Thanks for the reminder Susan.
I'm the same age as you and live in Adelaide. ASD2 on a pension and living in a Housing Trust home, so - living the dream. :)
 
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Welcome @Timelord
The forum here will help keep your brain ticking. :)
I think you'll find a lot of interesting people and subjects.
I know I do!

giphy.webp
 
tree said:
Maybe this explanation fits?

https://english.stackexchange.com/q...t-appropriate-word-for-the-reverse-of-ableism
Click to expand...

Thank you tree. There seems to be two different interpretations listed: One is discriminating against enhanced abilities (ie. superpowers) and the other "when people who are discriminated because of their disability begin to discriminate people without that disability".

Discriminating against people with noticable talents is nothing new and often happens and still happens among NTs. For example sometimes you see in a revolution, everyone with a higher education killed, imprisoned, or sent to work on a farm. In social situations standing out is often interpreted as thinking you are better then everyone else, snobbish, etc.

I have seem it in varying degrees all my life in the USA. One term I have heard regarding it is something like 'Things tend to settle at the lowest common denominator'. I've come accross the term 'Cutting down the tallest poppy' which is supposed to be a term used in AU/NZ and roughly relates to the 'Cutting down to size' used in USA.

So just a thought that whatever it is, it's likely simply human nature as appied to the ASD/NT dynamic.
 
Tom said:
I've come accross the term 'Cutting down the tallest poppy' which is supposed to be a term used in AU/NZ and roughly relates to the 'Cutting down to size' used in USA.
Click to expand...
Tall Poppy Syndrome became a bit of a catch phrase here, most often heard from wealthy businessmen when they get taken to court for doing the wrong thing - "I did nothing wrong, it's just a witch hunt. It's tall poppy syndrome.".

Even Microsoft used that line here when they were challenged over their user license agreement versus Australian privacy and protection laws. That didn't ingratiate them to the public here as well as they hoped, we're used to only ever hearing that line from people who later get convicted.
 
Tom said:
I've come accross the term 'Cutting down the tallest poppy' which is supposed to be a term used in AU/NZ and roughly relates to the 'Cutting down to size' used in USA.
Click to expand...
Yep, "Tall Poppy Syndrome" used to be a common attitude in OZ.
I am not sure how prevalent it is these days.

Australia and New Zealand​

In Australia and New Zealand, "cutting down the tall poppy" is sometimes used by business entrepreneurs to describe those who deliberately criticise other people for their success and achievements.[1][4][5] It has been described as being the by-product of the Australian and New Zealand cultural value of egalitarianism.[1][6]
Click to expand...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome
 
In my understanding the main reason for personality-based rejection is the lack of "well-adjusted" status, and they would like to paint that like the concern that you're going to start fights in the office or something, but it isn't that at all. I get the impression that boys' club mentality is based on a tremendous amount of wink-wink nudge-nudge which is almost always Omerta-like stuff where they are a silently patting each other on the back for putting one over on someone. That's a snapshot of normal culture. Are you normal? If you're not normal are you going to criticize them, disrupt their harmony, or worst of all discuss what you've seen in public? That's your real problem as a supposed abnormal. Your failure to read between the lines is a legal and reputation liability. It isn't a deficit of anything.
 
I'm an old activist who found out about being an Aspie in '05. Now I understand better why I preferred getting a job to do for a progressive organization to sitting through the meetings. Now, I have to watch the world I tried to save fall into ruin, while feeling alienated from most of my former associates.
 
Hello and welcome, @Timelord.

Hope you enjoy the forum.

I am also wondering what you mean by "reverse ableism." In your own words, I mean. I've read the links above.
 
I should have come back here a lot sooner than I have!

Reverse ableism to me means those who seek the sort of assistance that goes against the rules of true equality. Getting things over and above what is reasonable and at the expense of general society. Take for example reverse racism - seeking the total submission of other races to one non white race. For American members the Black Panthers were like that. Going too far on rights if you like. Reverse sexism involves the ladies demanding all the top jobs that men have instead of just half (ie equal). It all boils down to going too far on rights. Equality isn't achieved with such an attitude.

I hope that explains my take on it.
 
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