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Allistic? You mean "normal"? They can reflect others in their mind and see how their words change those reflections. Some take it too far and their inner world
by akomtu 4y ago
Allistic? You mean "normal"? They can reflect others in their mind and see how their words change those reflections. Some take it too far and their inner world is a room with mirrored walls: they see many reflections of reflections, distorted by warped mirrors and they make their speech look straight in those reflections. The result is a tall pile of lies. Autists, on the other hand, have a brick wall in place of the mirror, so they talk to others as if they talk to a brick wall.
- kevviiinn 4y ago>Some take it too far and their inner world is a room with mirrored walls That sounds like a mental disorder
- mock-possum 4y agoPretty sure terms like ‘allistic’ are specifically intended to avoid using terms like ‘normal’ when it comes to historically oppressed / minority groups. That’s why it’s not “trans” and “normal” - it’s “trans” and “cis” Also what does ‘normal’ mean? If you use ‘allistic’ then you make it explicit that you’re addressing something opposed to ‘autistic.’
- akomtu 4y agoInventing contrived words to obscure reality is a form of lying to yourself and others. Normal means typical, "like others". It doesn't mean good, because in a hospital ward it's normal to be sick.
- ethanbond 4y agoAllistic seems pretty useful here actually (first time encountering the word). “Normal” doesn’t describe along which dimension the person is typical. Allistic specifies the relevant one.
- akomtu 4y agoWhat's wrong with just saying "not autistic"?
- ethanbond 4y agoNothing IMO! Languages are pretty good at generating words that are useful and pruning ones that are not, so this will either survive or not survive regardless of the meta-commentary.
- mock-possum 4y agoAre you familiar with the concept of ‘markedness?’ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markedness https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markedness Terms like ‘allistic’ counteract the unmarked norm - we have a special word for ‘autistic’ but we don’t say anything about ‘not autistic’ because it’s ‘normal’ - see how that has a judgmental angle? It’s hard to examine a thing critically when it’s just called ‘normal,’ if it’s called anything at all. It’s much better to be precise in your speech when you’re addressing such deeply entrenched social practices. It’s far too easy to slip into the “but this is just normal, why do we even need to think about it, let alone make up a word for it” trap and become complacent.
- akomtu 4y agoAutists are called this way because they are out. What's the origin of the word "allist"? The idea that we should warp minds to appease someone's feelings is fashionable today, but it's wrong. Feelings and emotions are servants of the mind, and the mind should be a servant of truth.
- mock-possum 4y agoThat's a losing social strategy. It always has been. It always will be. People don't remember what you say to them, people remember how you make them feel. Show people that you care by taking their feelings into account when choosing how you act, and how you speak, and they will respond in kind.
- mock-possum 4y ago… what? Specific terminology doesn’t obscure reality, it clarifies it.
- satisfice 4y agoSaying “allistic” is a way to market alienation to normal people. I am not buying it. I am not a normal person in a number of ways. That’s okay with me. A reasonable abnormal person is not offended by that. I am normal in other ways, though. Look, we have to get along with each other in this human world. Universalizing marginalization through obsessively specific labeling is a failing strategy, because the majority isn’t fooled for long. Normal knows what is normal.