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Autism and Empathy . . .

6/11/2015

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How can you be Autistic, you feel empathy?
First, let me state for the record that "Autism" is not synonymous with "non-empathetic".  If anything I am overly empathetic, I am an "empath".  I feel what other people feel.  I "cry" when people win on "Price is Right" because I "feel" how "happy" they are.  It's literally a physical connection, one that can be scientifically measured, a "heart" connection.   On the other hand . . .

I cry watching that same "happiness" in serial killers.  I "understand" how they feel too.  A connection is a connection is a connection.  Wrap your mind around that for a second . . . is there "good/bad" empathy?  Who defines it?  I know that it is me making those judgment calls.   I know I'm the one who decides which of those happiness's will be defined as my horror.

I think more than a few autists are empaths.  Imagine how literally, how completely, overwhelming it is to "feel" what humanity feels.  Imagine if you could "feel" the "thoughts" of all those around you, all of them, all the time, ask yourself how confusing that might be.  Sometimes that puts me right straight down for the count.

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    About Janet:

    Janet DeLong, PhD, is a philosophical writer.  She'd tell you that is by default, we know it's by design.  While her perceptions are not always comfortable, they are always
    intriguing.

    Why am I answering your questions?
    I'm answering, in part, because it amuses me that my response to that question could be just as cryptic:  "Maybe I'm not."  That lets me laugh.  Truth is, words really do hold power.  How language is used to communicate, all the words, phrases, sentences, intrigue me.

    It has always been a challenge to be able to communicate my truth on every single level I can think it.  I've actually accomplished that twice, in two sentences.  The best sentence I've ever written:  "pi will id."  And the truth:  "When you finally understand yourself a particle, you wave."


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