The main character in the novel is an immigrant computer programmer with terrible social skills trying to navigate his way around the American culture. His mistakes are endearing and a good mirror into the idiosyncrasies of American culture.
In the question and answer period of this reading, someone shot up their hand and asked if the main character suffered from Asperger’s Disease because of his mental brilliance and social ineptitude.
I think the author’s answer was something along the lines of “uh…” which mirrored my own reaction to the question. I’d smiled at the word Asperger’s and felt my stomach lurch at the word Disease. I’ve always thought of Asperger’s more as a cool color to be rather than a disease. Besides, why the need to label?
Why can’t we just accept a different package of assets and challenges in a person and enjoy their uniqueness rather than feel the need to cubbyhole folks into categories?
I just looked up the number of brain-related disorder labels and found a list of 50, among them “intermittent explosive disorder” which is basically the display of temper tantrums. Get real, folks!
What are labels & diagnoses? Something to shield other people from us as well as something to hide behind?
My recommendation for anyone suffering from excessive labeling (both giving and taking) is to read the book “You are Special” by Max Lucado. The interesting notion in this book is that positive labeling can be as harmful as negative labeling because it enslaves us to other people’s opinions. Freedom comes in checking in constantly with our Maker and knowing He loves us as we are.
Read and re-read and practice what you read.
Dare to be yourself.
e all know, even without reading research papers, that music has emotional benefit: it can excite and calm and induce a wonderfully cathartic weeping session. This applies whether you’re healthy or sick; whether you have Parkinson’s or autism or Alzheimer’s.
I enjoy Max Lucado’s writing, so I’ll have to check that book out.
And I agree that labels often stick people into boxes. The flip side is that labels can also put behavior or physical issues into context and help others relate and/or have compassion for someone, like a child who seems “too bright to hate school” and “So easygoing. Whatdya mean he doesn’t like to socialize?” or so tall that he must be healthy (when a genetic disorder is causing painfully rapid growth), etc.
Labels can also help us get medical care and counseling covered by insurance. But then you’re stuck with the label. Such a Catch 22.
How do we determine whether some destructive behavior indicates a need for medical care or imprisonment without labels? Or know whether we are helping a child to meet his potential without careful assessment and labeling? I wish it were possible. I wish that we humans didn’t have to be ‘average’ to be ‘normal,’ but that seems to be the way it works.
Thankfully, as you mentioned, there is a Great Someone who does see us as we are, or we’d all be lost. A very thought-provoking post!
You’re so right, Kim. It is a catch 22. As you mentioned, insurance won’t cover something unless it’s labelled.
Also, I realized after reflection that the label “Asperger’s” helped me deal with my niece’s often rude behavior and see her artistic side as even more of a gift. Perhaps the perception of Asperger’s as a color comes from the fact that it’s in the Autism “spectrum.” My own subconscious labelling?