Ryan wrote:

> Let's say I did something to hurt someone. I have two options:

>

>"Well, that's just how my brain works."

>

> "Wow, I'm really sorry I hurt you. My brain doesn't work like everyone else's.

> Knowing that, and how I hurt you, what can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?"

>

>Choice 1 is an excuse, where I try to deny culpability for the way I treat other people. Choice 2 is an explanation, so we can use my >neuroatypicality as a framework for explaining the behavior that caused the hurt, and then keeping it from happening in the future.

>

>Choice 1 acts like neuroatypical folks have no agency, which is, in my opinion, fucked up, infantilizing, and a huge disservice to folks like me.

-- You're absolutely right. We all have our shit, & we all need to work together the best we can. That includes understanding our own & ea. others' shit. We all have the 'excuse' of a society hostile to creativity anyway, but I hope we don't let ourselves be victims.

  This is why I also speak out against "experts" who try & talk people into thinking that those who don't fit their mold are helpless victims, & "scientific research" proves it.

You want my idea of real science, try the Radical Psychiatrists (Claude Steiner, Hoagie Wyckoff, et al.) -- a basic tenet was never exclude a "patient" or "inmate" from a staff conference -- IOW never talk abt them behind their backs. Their scientific theory is that (where there is no brain damage)  alienation is the root cause of all mental illness, & acting as a clique of "experts" who meet behind closed doors to figure out "what's wrong w/ you" is alienating as Hell.

Ed