Amanda Baggs on autistic communication

[mckitterick]

I just found out about this, and it's one of the most moving videos I've ever seen. It was created by a 27-year-old autistic woman in response to how people view autistic people as non-people. The first few minutes don't use your language, but stick through to the end (about seven minutes):

She has lots more videos, too. Thank you, Amanda Baggs, for sharing your experience of the world with the rest of us.

Best,
Chris

Comments

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

So interesting, especially her thoughts about personhood. Thank you for sharing this.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I know; it both got me thinking and made me all teary. What a moving video.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

Yeah. So many ways to think and perceive, and we only get to have a few of them.

Such an interesting woman.

[chernobylred.livejournal.com]

Interacting with people like Amanda is a crucial task if we have any hope of interacting with actual alien intelligence. This sort of communication is about as alien as we're going to find on this planet--but at the same time, she is her own interpreter. Which makes me wonder...If people who can communicate so very differently from us act as interpreters for themselves, could they find a way to be interpreters for all those modes of communication that we don't understand...the humpback whales, for example? Makes me all thinky-thinky!

I find her humming very beautiful. It's a drone, really.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Interesting notion for a story....

[chernobylred.livejournal.com]

Well I'm certainly not going to use it, so knock yourself out!

[theoneinblue.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this. I've already sent the link to my mom, who is a special-ed teacher and would appreciate what Amanda Baggs has to say...

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's amazing. Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope your mom does, too.