Home

People with Asd or autism, do not always process information like other people, but consciously learn what is expected by society. Think about Data in Star Trek.

Lieutenant Data is an android on Star Trek – The Next Generation. He tries to be more human, by observations, sometimes with unexpected reactions, when he has just been following logical rules he has put together.

In the episode where Tasha Yah dies, at the memorial service, after her hologram has spoken to all of them Data is baffled. Rather than the thinking about her he was thinking about himself and his feelings. He asks Picard if that reaction was right. Yes.

When my father died I was apparently told to be brave for my mother. This, along with undiagnosed autism, meant I clammed up on exploring and express my own feelings. Why?

People with autism can have problems knowing how they feel, then express them, how society expects them to. Not all work situations may be as stressful as losing a parent, but some can be. Combined with criticism of communications this can affect opinions of work performance, trying to fit in, following rules we have put in place.

Processing cconversations and the required response, then when to say it, oops the right time has passed. Very hard.

Yet understand us and we are a mine of information. Like Data. Watch him accessing information, looking inwards, little passion either in the face or vocal delivery. A mine of invaluable formation. That can be me. And other people with autism.

We, like Data, have a lot to give to work, once accepted and understood.

I would like to hear your comments.

By the way, Brent Spiner, who plays Data, shows more facial expression than I do sometimes.