Why do we study autistic or dyslexic or schizophrenic or other subjects, in our scientific experiments? That is a question that was asked, rather impolitely, by “dyslexic in LA”, who challenged the “arrogance” of a perspective that engages such individuals as “scientific guinea pigs”. There are two simple answers to this question.
- We want to understand.
- If possible, we want to help.
There are few if any individuals in the current era who have contributed more to understanding and helping autistic individuals than Tito, Soma, and Portia. I’ve tried to help them. I have the GREATEST respect and admiration for Tito, and for every other individual that has been clinically identified as “autistic” that has contributed to the struggle to understand, with the ultimate goal of helping many others.
A final thought:
I’ll try to be more sensitive on this blog to the use of stereotypical “labels”. I KNOW that each person who has had a label attached to them can feel stigmatized by it. I am sure that every reader of this blog understands that such labels ALWAYS completely inadequately describe the unique, special individuals who carry them.
